1965 Tempest
 

Thought I'd post up a picture of a '65 Tempest that I drug home the other day. It is pretty much all original but needs completely restored. It is 6 cylinder 3 on the tree car. The car has sat since 1975. Didn't need another project but couldn't turn it down as I've always liked 65 GTO/Tempests. It's a pretty solid old car. It will get a 455 with a '65 tripower set up, 4 speed and probably a GTO hood/grilles.

Nice.

Hmmm.....

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pr...oYGoeN9KJ4x4VU
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cc/8e...95654d51b4.jpg

Color me jealous

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Great project!

Why does everyone have to take a Lemans or Tempest and feel they have to clone it into a GTO? Is it that embarrassing that you feel shamed in owning one?

And of course, like all production 1964-66 GTO's, every one of them had a tri-power and 4-speed, so that has to be done - ie BORING, HoHum.

When was the last time you saw a Lemans/Tempest in a car show? Probably saw a ton of them, they were just cloned into GTO's. I go to many car show and have so over the years. Very few Lemans' and Tempests. The Tempest grill is much lighter than the heavy cast GTO grilles and why you see some of the guys who used to drag in the stock classes with a Tempest grille to reduce weight.

I am OK with the 455. I am OK with the 4-speed. I am even OK with the boring tri-power. But using GTO parts? Not OK in my book. Keep it a Tempest and dare to be different. Just my opinion of course.

Perfect candidate for an OHC 6
:Peace:

Honestly, as a GTO owner, I enjoy seeing a stock LeMans or Tempest more than I enjoy seeing other GTOs. You just don't see LeMans/Tempests very often at shows.

Maybe I will keep it looking like a Tempest, I don’t know. After seeing a few older pictures of them as hot rods it is tempting to do that. I just like a GTO hood and the Lemans/GTO front end. This one does have a perfect grill so maybe I’ll keep it that way. As for being embarrassed to drive a Tempest, I’m not. I love driving my 66 convertible.

"When was the last time you saw a Lemans/Tempest in a car show?"
Last year at the Original GTO Club show in WI, out of some 100 cars, there were 4 '65 Tempests. I was floored. It's funny, I have seen a lifetime's worth of GTOs but I really checked out the today rare ones.

LOL, I have one in garage right now and have been showing it since 2007, even went to Seattle GTO gathering and got Honourable mention in my class. But your right not many around.

[QUOTE=Lemans64;6145567]LOL, I have one in garage right now and have been showing it since 2007, even went to Seattle GTO gathering and got Honourable mention in my class. But your right not many around.[/QUOTE

I have sitting in my garage a 65 LeMans only thing I have changed to a GTO is the hood I just like it better than the flat hood. It will never be getting the clone treatment. Saying that it does now have a 455 and a 4 speed to replace the non original 6 cylinder always was a manual shift car just upgraded one gear!. I like the Le Mans as I had one in high school but life happened and it was sold. have not seen many others around at all so its good to be different.

When you keep the 326 emblems on it, you’ll always get this at the shows:
“That a 326?”
Me - “no, it’s a 400.”
“I thought so - that engine is way too big to be a 326!”

I’ve seen other ‘65 LeMans’, but never one at the same show/cruise in as me. Although it isn’t a ‘65 GTO, it sure is faster than one!

i prefer the 65 tempest grill, something about it. race looking, maybe mean looking. not sure what it is.

Nice find!

Mine was a 326 / auto on the column. The PO changed the hood to a GTO but left the Tempest grill, I like the combo. In addition, the interior went to parchment buckets w/ console.

My contribution was a 400 & TH400. :D