[moneypit]

I like the 65! My first pontiac was a 65 tempest 2dr post, 215 inline with a 2spd. I loved that car, got t-boned by a jeep that ran a red light.

[NYGTO]

Those pictures could be from "day 2" or from yesterday. It's always great to see vintage rides in G.M.'s best brand still on the road.

[62 bv]

https://youtu.be/cYfPt_FtJLU

[bdk1976]

Nice crew cab - there is a maroon version of that car that I see around town here occasionally in similarly nice shape.

[post toastie]

A couple more pics; thanks for the comments, It's my daily driver. I just traded it for
a nissan titan The 215 runs like a sewing machine.

[Oldgoatnuts]

My pair

[Steve Barcak]

This is my '65 base Tempest sedan. This was the lowest priced Pontiac offered that year and is very basic/entry level. This also makes it the lightest Pontiac that year.
I bought it not running and wrecked as a junker/parts car around 1995. It was made with few options, std 6cyl engine and auto trans.
Having always liked altered wheelbase funny cars from the day, I decided over 20 years ago to build one the way I would have back then if I was around back in '65.
Most of the major body work was done between 2002-2012. There is a spec sheet included but, rear axle moved forward, wheel openings enlarged and moved forward. frame narrowed a bit as would have been done in '65 and fitted with a big car 9.3" rear. Have had both a 3.90 posi and a 3.64 spool built for it with steel billet axles.
The engine sits in the stock location but the front axle centerline was moved forward. The fiberglass fenders - I relocated the wheel openings and then stretched them to match the new front axle location and be period correct.
The Tempest will be running different eng/trans combos but, centered around a 'bored and stroked '59 389 to 577" and changed to a much taller deck height.
The 2nd engine is a MR-1 541".
The 3rd engine is my M/T HEMI Pontiac of 421"
For the top end, all will be blown with either 6-71 or 14-71 and using custom magnetos. I have both Hilborn 4 port and hat style injectors and Enderle bug catchers to play with.
For heads, will be running M/T HEMI set up, Kauffman High Ports and my own version of high exhaust port heads.
Behind the engine is a Lakewood bellhousing with a Lenco 3 speed using a Crower dual disc clutch.
Have also had a 400thm built for it.
This car will primarily be used for cruising, exhibition runs and some match racing. All to promote my Pontiac Heaven parts yards and museum I am working on here in Arizona.
Am undecided on color. It was originally blue charcoal which is very pretty but, candy red is also under consideration to match my Pontiac AA/Fuel Dragster. More info and pics on this Tempest and my collection on my site and facebook pages.
pontiacheaven.org
facebook- Pontiac Heaven
The car has been so close to being finished for many years. Other things seem to get in the way and keeping it from being finished.. I have not worked on it on about 5 years but, planning to continue the build next spring or summer.
The next things to do are- weld in the roll cage, install the glass.
It will be a very cool car to drive around, it will be street legal.

[Bill Hanlon]

Great project Steve. How does one raise the deck height 2" on a 389?

[tempest1964]

Looks like a custom spacer plate. Details please. Inquiring minds want to know. And BTW, very nice!

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

Great project Steve. How does one raise the deck height 2" on a 389?

Great super technical question Bill.
Answer- with tons and tons of patience, money, time and custom parts. Not easy, not recommended unless one is extremely hard core. I did this in the 1990s prior to availability of aftermarket blocks.
a few of the items-
* Custom 2" deck plates made and machined to fit ( had 2 sets made ). As I remember, I bought and started with 1020 cold rolled steel. They were also gun drilled to allow for cooling passages on the exh side.
* custom made, hig ductile special metal stepped long sleeves to fit the app to my specs
* special hardware to mount the heads to them. custom thread inserts made to mount 5/8" head studs
1959 389 - strongest production block Pontiac built
bored .315(!) over to 4.375"
stroked 1.050" to 4.800. My first billet crank . 2 keyways on snout center counter weights, etc
Rod length- 8.25" giving a rod ratio of 1.66 ( same as 421/428 but, 150 inches larger).
* custom 6 bolt billet lower end. ( had 3 complete made )
This is what I was working on in the 1990s. later surpassed by other projects. Now a toy to play with.
if you have further questions, let me know

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by tempest1964

Looks like a custom spacer plate. Details please. Inquiring minds want to know. And BTW, very nice!

posted here in more detail. All this was done in the 1990s prior to aftermaket blocks. I also had 2 raw block forgings made out of special alum to make my own billet Pontiac blocks for my AA/Fuel dragster but, that would be another story/thread. more info on -
pontiacheaven.org
and facebook- Pontiac Heaven

[Steve Barcak]

This is such a cool car. Have a million hours and a million dollars into it. Hoping to get to drive it some day.
Am focusing my time trying to get my museum up and going before I die. want to have all this stuff in there. we will see and only the Lord knows but, I am trying.

It has so many cool and unique parts. Here is another- a custom magneto that allows the use of a 14-71 blower without raising it up. I thought it up and had it made in 3 pieces, it is an offset design- so cool in itself. The whole car is that way

The one pic of the Tempest in blue is from around 1995 when I bought it not running, hit in front corner cyl, auto, little else if anything. just a plain Jane- perfect for this type of build
Most all of the money and custom parts and work has been done for many years. Just have to now do the basic stuff. very little needed , money wise, to finish. Just not a priority. Maybe next year.

[Steve Barcak]

Deck plates are large, rectangular openings to allow for 'normal' Pontiac wedge heads or the M/T HEMI heads in my collection

[Bill Hanlon]

So the real trick is getting the sleeves in the right place?? I'm guessing that the bottoms of the sleeves are much "higher" up the bore than the original bottom of the block's bore or they are "slotted" to allow space for the rods?

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

So the real trick is getting the sleeves in the right place?? I'm guessing that the bottoms of the sleeves are much "higher" up the bore than the original bottom of the block's bore or they are "slotted" to allow space for the rods?

no, sleeves are 2" longer than stock to compensate for deck plates. They bottom out in the same place a normal sleeve would. The lower portions of the sleeves are narrower, or stepped in because I did not want to break into the oil galley for the lifters. Hope this explains. The other grooves I designed that way thinking they would aid in retention but, looking back, probably are not needed.
Most of the time/money is spent on this 577 bottom end. Have over $10,000 1990s dollars into that project. Crower handled the billet rods ( 10 of them ) and crank. I still have to buy pistons, square deck it and balance. so, on the 'downhill side' of the project money and time wise.
I had fixtures built to mount the block on my mill to install the thread inserts, etc. These fixtures will also aid me when I build, carve out my alum forgings into Pontiac racing blocks. here isa of the blocks when I picked them up. I had the cam bores put in, slightly undersized as I thought that step was more than I could handle on that project

[Bill Hanlon]

I'm no expert Steve, but it seems to me that longer rods, moving the piston pin further from the crankshaft and increasing the stroke would all move the side of the conrod much closer to the edge of the bottom of the bore when that crank throw was at about 80 degrees either side of TDC. I'm just amazed that there is enough room.

[Rlfehl]

This is my 64 GTO. It sold originally in Wyoming in Feb 1964. It was brought to Minnesota from Colorado in the late 90's. The only non- original sheet metal is the right 1/4. That is the second one. I brought it home with 2 trailer loads and 3 pickup loads. From the factory it was silver with black top and interior. I have a couple things left to do...gives me something to plan. I got it in July of 2016 and finished it (pretty much) in June of 2021. I have about 500 miles on it and it's running really well! A custom car builder did the paint for me, Dick Boneski restored the carbs and Pete Serio redid the gauges. Everything else I did.

[Drag Star Le Mans]

64 War Wagon. Bought this from a good friend. Best ET is 11.50@116mph. I have only gone 12.00@113, that was my second pass.

[Dick Boneske]

Nice!

[Brad_bb]

I've been away from car stuff the last 9 years. Preparing to build my new house. I built the new shop first. Last week I was preparing to move one of my 64 GTO's. The tires on the old slotted mags dry rotted and I had to swap them out for some rollers to move it. It's an original tripwr 4spd car that spent it's life in California until it cam to Chicago in the lat 80's where I bought it. Car is rust free but was rear ended at one time and damaged the quarters. Someone welded vertically and didn't straighten the metal properly and used filler that has since popped out and surface rusted in the time I've had it. Because it was stored in a dirt floor shed for the first couple years but proper heated storage since. I've actually restored most of the parts for the car when I did my other 64 and it's all carefully packed in boxes waiting. The engine was assembled and run in at Butler's in 2014 and has been in my heated shop since. It was painted with cast blast so it wouldn't rust, but I still need to paint and detail it and put the real valve covers on. Not sure what I'm doing differently in posting my pics than everyone else?