Grettings from So Cal, Pontiac owner.

[b-man]

Just thought I'd throw my hat into the ring and join your site. Here's a few pics and details on my very understated 1964 Tempest Pro-Touring car.

Rolling stock consists of 17X8" custom-made black-painted steel wheels (zero offset) running factory Pontiac dog-dish caps. Tires are 235/45-17 all around, will be going one size bigger the next time I need tires (245/45). A 1/4" wide red stripe was painted on the rim lip to simulate the look of a factory 14" redline tire, fools a lot of people until they look a little closer.

Up front are '78 B-body (Bonneville wagon) spindles & 12" rotors re-drilled for A-body 5 on 4.75" bolt circle, along with Hotchkis tubular upper A-arms and HO Racing front springs. The factory lower A-arms have been reinforced with plates welded in the lower bushing area.

HO Racing 1-3/8" front & rear sway bars were installed, along with owner boxed rear lower control arms and new stock regular-ride rear springs cut down by 3/4 of a coil. Urethane bushings and KYB gas shocks are installed all around.

A quick-ratio high-effort 12.7:1 power steering box and pump by Lee Power Steering upgrade the steering, I kept the big stock steering wheel. This car has non-power manual brakes, the stock 9-1/2" rear drum brakes were retained.

Power was provided by a +.030 '73 455 with '66 Tri-Power induction, 068 cam/1.65 RAIV rocker arms, stock '71 455 #66 heads (8.2:1 comp), reproduction '67 RA/HO exhaust manifolds. A column-shifted TH400/13" Continental converter/2.56 open rear complete the drivetrain. Ran 13.899 at 101.85 MPH on 87 octane, shifting into 3rd after the finish line. The Tempest has a 140 MPH top end, the stock 2.56 gears were great on my highway commute while driving to my old job 40 miles away.

The Tempest started out with a factory (standard equipment) 215-cube 140HP six cylinder and a Super Turbine 300 2-speed auto, ran 20-second 1/4 miles at nearly 70 MPH. Smooooth and quiet, good gas mileage (20 MPG).

I built this car to be a stealthy street warrior, looks like a stock mid-'60s econo sedan. Column shift, no tach, bench seat. Not an expensive build by any means, but plenty of bang for the buck.
Fun to drive, handles so well I can scare myself.

[6'9"Witha69]

Very cool. I looked at the pics before I read the post and the wheels commanded a double take. Very nice element to maintain a sleeper look. I have been looking at something similar for my buddies 54 Chevy. He is a Rackabilly guy and likes big whitewalls but also wants low pro meats. We will be doing the outer rim white and inside red. Rest of the car looks really good. I admire the sleeper look but think about doing something about the seats as bench seats and good cornering are mutually exclusive.

[ponchopwr70]

Nice gto, I've seen pics of your car surfing the web before. Very cool car.

[Cometose]

Bitchin ride, sleepers rule! The dog dishes on 17s are the best and the red lines are a great finishing touch.
I bet the bench seat makes corners "exhilarating", I have '60s "bucket" seats in my Comet(more like 2 mini-benches they're so flat..)and left turns are really fun .The seatbelt only does so much to hold ya in place.
I wonder if newer pickup benches have more of a bucket shape that would fit in the Tempest and you could upholster to look stock,justa thought

Nice job!
-Joe

[73ta]

Welcome B-man. Personally I like your avatare on the Performance Years site much better!!!

[Zee]

Lots of converts coming over from the PY site. Welcome over hear B-man and I agree with 73, you should carry your avatar over here.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by Zee

Lots of converts coming over from the PY site. Welcome over hear B-man and I agree with 73, you should carry your avatar over here.

Done on the avatar (in sig).

Thanks for the welcome guys.

I hope to learn a lot about the latest things going on in the hobby here. There's definitely a lot of knowledge among the Pro-Touring board membership. I'll do my best to answer some Pontiac-specific questions like I do on PY.

The Tempest is currently in pieces undergoing a complete drivetrain swap. Until I get the work done on it I'm driving my '02 WS6 convertible (factory Pro-Touring car) a lot more, especially when the weather's nice, which is most of the time here in So Cal.

[philbay]

First let me say that all of your photos are sweet and even your avartar......is interesting.. Alawys had a special place in my heart for pontiacs.. Well good luck and happy new year..phil

[HarryPR]

Very nice! I love sleepers AND Pontiacs!

[Frank Grimes]

nice pontiac.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by Frank Grimes

nice pontiac.

Thanks.

[Frank Grimes]

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