66 Ponitac Tempest LS1 Build

[66Tempest326]

I've been a troll here for some time, been learning from you guys. Figured it was about time I started a thread of my own. This has been a slow roller, about four years so far. A lot of good work done by Raymond's Paint and Body in North Augusta, SC, definitely an old school hot rod guy.

It all started with a black 66 Pontiac Tempest I found in the classifieds. I horribly overpaid for it, but I had to have it. It originally had a 75 400 and three speed auto in it, likely from a full size car, as the motor mounts were scabbed on ~ 2 inches forward, and hung off the cross member. The fuel gage didn't work, and luckily, it ran out of gas as I pulled into my driveway from the 30 mile drive after buying it.

As with many projects it has morphed many times. I planned for and purchased a 5.3 ls truck motor and 6l80e from a totaled 2011. After hemming and hawing, I realized I wanted a manual transmission and sourced a NOS LS1 circle track crate motor and Viper Borg Warner t56. After way too many adapters I just purchased a rebuilt Camaro t56 from Hawk's Third Gen (which fit wonderfully, and the first time, thank you Hawk's). I used PSI Conversions for the harness. Good quality harness, just a lot of wires (second time around MSD gets my vote).

I also realized I wanted super deep wheels in the back. Which don't fit the stock chassis. After hearting about the limitations of the stock suspension geometry (and the dinky 10-bolt I had) I opted to back half it. I couldn't near afford a whole new chassis, as much as I wanted it. I went to Art Morrison who sent me their triangulated four-link, ford 9-inch and Wilwood brakes. I had them narrow the frame as much as they could, so we went from stock down to 40 inches. Wheels are from CCW, front are 18x8 and rear are 18x12 with 6-inch backspace. Tires are 235/40 front and 335/30 rear.

And now, car porn:

[66Tempest326]

No real surprises: Foot wells rotted, package tray rotting, couple spots at front and rear wind shields. I knew we had some issues with the driver's door but we uncovered a big hit, filled with a couple inches of mud.

[66Tempest326]

Art Morrison back half; wheels and tires came it, time to start cutting and fitting. Picked up a set of deep, stamped inner wheel tubs.

[66Tempest326]

I got bored at home, after Raymond finished the chassis we brought it home so I could start mocking up motor, trans, rear end, suspension, brakes, brake lines, fuel injection harness.......and on and on.

[66Tempest326]

I started with stock upper and lower control arms. I took them to get powder coated and have new bushings pressed in. Well, they looked awful, new shocks didn't fit, drop spindles didn't line up. So I said F-it. Bought good spindles and coilovers from Chris Alston and went to CPP for tubular control arms, upper and lower. It all went together much better and way easier than trying to compress a spring with just that aluminum block for chassis weight.

[Godbolt]

More please! Really like the Tempest.

[Nicks67GTO]

Sweet! Looks like it's coming together well!

[windows]

Outstanding! Sixty-six is my favourite year for GTO's and Tempests. You are doing an excellent job of yours. Best of luck, going forward. Hope you post lots of photos.

[66Tempest326]

Smoothed the firewall and dash.

[66Tempest326]

So we dropped the body back on the chassis for the first time in what feels like forever. I would really like to say, the BRP Hot Rods mounts and swap headers fit awesome. Using Holley swap pan there were zero fitment issues, motor sits down and low, tons of clearance to firewall. Brake booster is tight but running a 13" was pushing it. Different valve covers are in order anyway, as is the intake manifold which should resolve the booster issue.

[66Tempest326]

Words to the wise, might save you some money:
1. Don't try to piece meal an LS swap. Save your money, buy it all at once. Connect and cruise package wound up being cheaper after all the little parts were sourced I didn't know I needed.
2. Get all your front accessories from the same place. Decide up front do you want air conditioning. Deciding after the fact was painful to the wallet.
3. For most of us, 5 speeds are just as good as 6. They cost less, take up less space and don't require an entire new trans tunnel. I would do TKO-600 all day long next time.
4. Automatic to manual conversions SUCK! So many little parts all have to work together in a space that wasn't designed for it. Is it worth it though, HELL YEAH!
5. Get the wheels you want first, then have the rear end fabbed. Rear end costs the same regardless, custom wheels make you take out another mortgage.
6. As cool as it sounds to say you have a Viper 6-speed, the turd takes at least 4 different adaptation to work. For an LS swap, its just not a good fit.

[robbie9999]

Great build I'm following it ..

Here is my build completed same car ...

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/95269-1966-GTO-Project-Hell-Beast

[TimMC]

Great start. Same car sitting in the drive waiting to get started on. Will be watching.

[Motown 454]

Nice project and great work. Wheels and tires look sweet on there. Can't miss them from the back!

[rohrt]

Subscribing.

Nice looking car.

[66Tempest326]

Sweet! Looks like it's coming together well!

Thanks yo! Been trolling your project for a while already!

[66Tempest326]

Not much going on at the moment, just fitting things back together again.

Got the brake booster in, next problem: aft most coil pack and booster don't like being in the same place at the same time. First try at a relocation bracket w/o buying a new wire - FAIL. Guess it has to go up and forward. I really don't want to buy a whole relocation " kit" or go fabbing more stuff, my pockets are sore from being emptied over and over again.

We did get the Ididit column in. Its a brushed finish. I am going to splurge on the Ring Bothers door handles and the mirror in the same finish.

[66Tempest326]

I forgot to mention, the color is Martinique Bronze (original color from the factory) with hotrod satin clear coat.

You can see the firewall has been cleared. The difference is pretty striking. If you look at window surrounds, those are painted but not cleared. The satin clear knocks the color down a few shades darker. It will look really good with charcoal grey on taillight panel, wheel centers and eventually the grill.

I have asked Raymond to make the grill for me. I have given him total creative freedom. Thumbs crossed I will love it.

[Mr. White]

Nice build! LOVE the FAT ass, looks awesome.

[Motown 454]

My buddy had a nice 67 GTO that color with a black vinyl top. Its looking good. Your moving a long.

[rickpaw]

You may want to look into switching to a 9" dual diaphram booster. It will give you the clearance you need. I ran into similar issue when I did the swap on my Firebird.

[66Tempest326]

Thanks Rick. That was my thoughts if we cant get this coil relocated on the cheap. I don't relish the thought of spending money on something twice. Other mistakes likes this: tail lights (lost the first set, I don't know where or how); flywheel (after I read the wrong torque spec and pulled the threads out of it!); engine and transmission (just greedy); transmission again (Borg Warner Viper 6-speed vs. Hawk's Third Gen Camaro T56 upgraded rebuild); AC compressor and brackets (factory GM stuff looks good if you clearance your cross member before painting it) and on and on...

[66Tempest326]

Good lord this car is huge. Each spray was 2 plus quarts of color and clear. The satin clear coat really required a more experience touch to lay down. It is definitely a painters material; not something your typical insurance body shop would be able to spray. So here's some porn:

[Godbolt]

Oh yeah! Awesome. That colour really suits it.

[64G-lark]

Nice Tempest. Keep up the good work.

[Mr. White]

Looks GREAT! Love the color and stain clear!

[Zoomin]

Those tires and wheels... The whole project is great.

On the master cylinder, consider using a Wilwood manual master - they are so clean, free up tons of room and you'll love the feel of them. I've used them a couple times now with great results.

[rohrt]

Car looks bad @ss.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Cool! I love a built Tempest.

[66Tempest326]

Starting to get the pieces back on. Funny no one makes anything for a 66 Tempest/Lemans for tail light to body seals, guess I'll be making those.

Better look at the stance. I did push it a bit with the front wheel backspace, which is huge, pushing the wheels as far out as possible. Looks like we'll have to ratchet up the coil overs a tad and roll what little lip we can on the fenders.

I'll have to fight the brake booster issue later next year, the wallet is officially drained for this year.

[66Tempest326]

Not much new going on, just sitting waiting for parts to come in.

Hooking up all of the vacuum and PCV lines. Of course 97-98 LS1's are different than EVERY OTHER FREAKING LS MOTOR OUT THERE. Ended up at a salvage yard and had to buy a whole valve cover just to get the PCV connector plug for the driver's side.

Got my Entropy radiator in today; fits like a glove. Now to route that new spider web of wiring. Overall great looking piece, just be prepared to wait a while for it. I also don't recommend using the website interface to order; call them directly. It felt like I got lost in the shuffle and they were a little weird about it (just my 2 cents).

Got the interior bits in the garage in a pile of boxes. Vintage Recaro seats out for reupholstering.

Exhaust routing started.

Wiring the car starts next week if the stars line up right. Hoping for first fire and drive in July.

Looks like it doesn't like me uploading pictures, so no port this post I guess.

[Bugzilla]

I didn't really like the body color at first, but man. That last picture you posted, beautiful car! Keep up the good work!

[67goatman455]

this is awesome!!! those wheels go perfect with the car too!

[Gil]

beautiful ! Perfect taste....
Love it...

[66Tempest326]

I didn't really like the body color at first, but man. That last picture you posted, beautiful car! Keep up the good work!

I was pretty scared too when he started spraying. Been thinking of the factory pin stripes to break up the 19 ft of bronze.

[66Tempest326]

Phone works but computer doesn't, go figure.

[66Tempest326]

Thinking about a GPS receiver in that big empty space in the Rolling Thunder dash bezel.

Also got an E-stopp electronic parking brake. Need somewhere for that button to go as well as vintage air controller.

[wfo guy]

You're getting there. :)

[juicypop]

Car looks sick great build!

[66Tempest326]

So bad news, even jacked all the way up on the coilovers, I don't have room to turn the wheels. I forgot to account for the little tiny number on the wilwood instructions for the brakes that said it adds 19mm of backspace. Combine that with the drop spindles (I know I shouldn't have combined coilovers and drop spindles) there's no adjustment we have tried that will work.

So I've ordered some heavier springs to get it up a little and ordered new wheel hoops from CCW (3-piece design) and take a half-inch out of the outer shell and add it to the inner shell. Keeping my fingers crossed that I won't need new spindles too.

Hopefully when this debacle is through it will be in upholstery by mid-August.

[Zoomin]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to go to a longer coil over? Your stance looks killer, but how much higher would you have to go?

[66Tempest326]

I could just order a new set of wheels and keep it that low, but speed bumps and parking lots would not be my friend. I need a little over an inch in the front ride height and the half-inch back from the wheels to get lock to lock turning.

Once I started installing everything the nose just kept getting lower and lower. We will see what happens with the new hoops and springs this week.

Measure twice and order once....

[66Tempest326]

First start since I took it apart 5 years ago:

Open headers and an exhaust leak, O2 sensors and MAF not installed so it's a little choppy, but it runs!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SKH3aGniunU

Not sure how to link this from my iPad, I'm old.

[66Tempest326]

Sourced a console from a pick and pull. Got the USB and charger port hooked up to the stereo. Back seat area was fabricated to look like a backseat but is really a pair of speaker boxes housing some 6x9's.
steering column is 180 degrees wrong, so get to pull that back apart to fix.

Getting it tuned and AC system charged up and it's ready for Cars and Coffee in Augusta for November!

[andrewb70]

Looking good! Needs more subwoofer...LOL

Andrew

[1965gp]

I really like the back seat area- nicely done

[tommycomfort]

Great project thread keep up the good work!