[arcitech]

Hello! My name is Larry and I have a 1966 Tempest Custom that I bought in 2000 with the intention of resto-modding her and having fun at cruise nights and shows. Well, a move from California to Virgina, 2 hurricanes and 2 Nor-easters later here is what was left...

[arcitech]

So I decided to go into debt and make this car run again. I found a nice shop with nice people and they are helping me to spend all the money that I'm going to make for the next 10 years or so...
http://outlaws.smugmug.com/Customer-...1616&k=vG8BdHJ

[arcitech]

Wanting to save the motor that I spent a lot of money on back in 2002, I brought her home for a little surgery...

[arcitech]

Temporary insanity caused me to take off my 6x heads and buy Edelbrock D-ports. And while Summit had my credit card number, some Cragar rims seemed necessary. I'm still waiting on my Edebrock intake and March serpentine belt system, but they will be here soon.

[arcitech]

So, here is the back story. In 2000 I was driving around San Diego in the Pacific Beach area when I saw a "grandma green" car with a for sale sign in the window. I wrote down the number and called. The car was all there, 326, powerglide, bench seat, manual drum brakes and the price was 1500. I figured I was going to buy it no matter what because it was exactly what I needed to help me get over my ex-wife. So, we meet, I drive the car, it is a real piece of crap, but it is all there, factory air, power steering, California smog pump! So I say what would you take for her? Dude says: I suppose it needs a lot of work, so how about 1200?? I said "Deal!" and before you know it, I was driving the death trap from hell!!.

Flash forward to the summer of 2001, I decide that I have a little money and buy some suspension goodies: PST front disc brake conversion, poly bushings, hotchkiss springs and KYB shocks. A set of Rally II's in 15x8 gave it a stock car racer stance and I was loving it! But the PG was a leaker, and I was going to order a new engine after I got back from my 2002 deployment, sooooo... I go to a off road shop in El Cajon (Forgot the name, sorry) and they put a TH400 out of an old diesel chevy truck (olds 350 diesel) and I'm set.

Deployment comes and goes, I make a call to Colorado, a very nice guy named Gregg Merrick says he can build me a motor, lots of torque and smooth running. It was exactly what I asked for, and in hindsight, I'm thankful that Gregg is a perfectionist...The motor is salvageable with minor cleanup, and no major repairs!!!

Because after the last flood (Saltwater, Chesapeake Bay in my yard/garage) I didn't have the time or the will to flushe her out again...I had lost hope of ever seeing this car run under it's own power.

The last time the Tempest was started was in 2005 just after I got married for the second and last time. Then she sat through 1 major and 1 minor flood events and I focused on family and loving my new life. Then my wife and her BFF decided that the garage needed "organizing". Things had to go or be put away. I said O.K. and started the cleanout by moving the car into the yard. I could see it every day out the dining room window, calling to me, making me fee guilty for not following through on my promise to the former owner and myself that I would bring the car by after I had her all pretty again.

So that is my story, we are 2 weeks into the new chapter, tear down and clean. I'll update as we go, and I hope to be running and cruising by the end of July.

[F ROCK]

that's awesome.
welcome to the py forums.
i'm looking foward to the next episode already!

[boater bill]

Good luck with it and keep us up to speed on your resto.
It looks like a good buffing and some trim and it will be very presentable.

[66bonne]

Show that Tempest some love.
Welcome aboard.

Jim

[arcitech]

Thanks guys! I will definitely keep up with this, the wife has given her approval so I'm not stopping until it is done.

[LeighP]

Outstanding...git her done!

[68lemansman]

AS long as the wife has approved then you shouldnt have any problems lol great news!

[Old Goat 67]

Larry,

That sounds & looks like a great project.

We are here to help in any way we can, so ask away if you need it.

Hope you kept those chrome accent stips from the side, they are really rare.

I think you need to plan on hydroboost brakes to make that girl safe. Best upgrade I ever did on my GTO. Feels like I threw out an anchor when it comes time to stop.

Charles

P.S. You need to ask a mod to move this to the 66-67 Section.

[hurryinhoosier62]

It's AMAZING how credit cards use themselves at Summit!!

[BlueGTO]

Welcome =)
One word of advice do not buy the March serpentine belt system.
Yes it is cool eye candy but tighting the belt is a pain due to the alt. being mounted vertical it gives you vary little tighting.I also feel it turns the accessories to slow for my app but that may just be my stuff.
With that said enjoy the 1966 Tempest Custom.

edit.
I just looked at the March sight and it looks like they redesigned the noAC. app so you may jest be fine =)

[importsmasher]

Sweet car! I think the Tempests are cool; you almost never see them anymore. I especially like the custom heater core! Seriously, it looks like a solid project!
Importsmasher

[Jeff Hamlin]

OMG! I wish you would have posted long before committing to a shop.
I would have loudly advised you to look elsewhere.
The owner is a friggen piss poor shop owner that subs all his works out to any jagoff that will keep money in his pocket. They take claim for work they DO NOT DO!

Run Forest Run!

They have the balls to have pictures of my car on their site as if they did something great.
Well, I will say it loud and clear these phuckin retards did more damage to my car in 1 week than I have in 17 years of driving her;

Burnt Paint due to not protecting the car while welding.

No prime/coating to protect the "repaired” area.

Subbed out paint to a sideshow outfit that doesn't know the meaning of "Restoration".

Then released car without leak testing the “new” rear glass.

And so on and so on…

After several attempts to work with them to make it right I finally gave up.
Due to each piss poor attempt to correct the paint/repair got worse & worse.

I wish you all the best and hope they don’t frig your rig as they have done to myself and others I know.

OUTLAWS is about right,
Tell "Assa" I say Hello

Sorry to be the grim reaper but it should be known!

[arbys]

After you've been on the PY Forums for a while you'll find out who the real knowledgeable contributors are. If I were you I'd listen to Jeff and get your car out of that shop ASAP. Give what ever excuse that you need to.

PS I've learned one thing in the last 2 years, Pontiacs are not Chevys especially the motors. Someone qualified to work on a Chevy may prove incompetent to work on a Pontiac motor. They're a different beast.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by arbys

After you've been on the PY Forums for a while you'll find out who the real knowledgeable contributors are. If I were you I'd listen to Jeff and get your car out of that shop ASAP. Give what ever excuse that you need to.

PS I've learned one thing in the last 2 years, Pontiacs are not Chevys especially the motors. Someone qualified to work on a Chevy may prove incompetent to work on a Pontiac motor. They're a different beast.

Have to agree with this.

I like the wheel selection. Looks like the polished or the chrome aluminum wheel?

Welcome to the board and post your cars changes in the 66-67 A body section. Lots of knowledgeable people there who don't come this part of the forum.

[GT182]

Welcome to PY Larry. I had a 66 Tempest Custom back in 1972. Good car that got 24mpg on a trip with that little ol 326. Keep at it and bring your back to life. I sure wish I had mine again. I put a 65 GTO hood and the complete GTO grill assemblies on mine in 73.... swapped for the hood, and the complete grill assemblies only cost $75.00 back then.



No rust on the car. It's just a very old photo that that's in rough shape.

[arcitech]

Thanks guys for all the advice and encouragement. Jeff, I'm sorry that you had a bad experience, I will be very careful and very direct in my dealings with Outlaws. Further updates will be in the 66-67 A-Body section and I will post my own pictures as things get done. I've already made one mistake that I might have to correct soon, bought a Performer instead of a RPM manifold, but I can always put the old cast iron back on until I decide on RPM or Torker. I plan to drive the car a lot, so now days gas mileage is a real concern and I'm a Q-jet fan, but I keep getting the F.I. itch. Anyway, see ya in the 66-67 forums!