The Pontiac Tempest is the origin of the species, the genesis of the muscle car, and the father of the GTO. Originally designed as an entry-level compact by John DeLorean, engineers found that they suddenly had a significant performance car on their hands when a 326 cubic inch V8 was slipped under the hood (it was actually a 336 but that’s a story for another time). From there, it was only a matter of time before the GTO was born, especially when the Tempest moved to the full-sized A-body platform that would carry ever-larger V8s.

So when you look at this beautiful 1965 Pontiac Tempest, you’re looking at all the good stuff that makes the GTO so special but without the GTO’s brash reputation. And quite honestly, when was the last time you saw a Tempest? It used to be standard procedure to restore a Tempest or a Lemans and throw some GTO badges on it, leading to today’s epidemic of clones, tributes, and fakes running around. But this Tempest is totally straight about where it comes from, a humble kid from the poor side of town that grew up to be a heavyweight fighter. Yeah, this Tempest is something special.

Originally born with a 215 cubic inch inline-6 making a rather wheezing 140 horsepower, it was economy-class all the way. But that six-cylinder engine also meant that it wasn’t abused and a lifetime in temperate Tennessee ensured that the sheetmetal stayed clean. The car was discovered at a dealership in Michigan in the late 1990s, still sporting its six-cylinder powerplant and PowerGlide automatic, but the potential was obvious. The fellow who acquired it spent considerable sums restoring the car to original specs, but things like the interior were so nice that they were simply cleaned and freshened as needed. The bottom line is that it was a very clean car and the right guy found it and preserved it.

Cameo Ivory is this car’s original color and when combined with the two-tone red interior, it provides a fantastic contrast and a wonderfully traditional look. Most folks who see this car initially mistake it for a GTO, which shouldn’t be surprising, but whenever they look closer, they’re delighted by the subtle differences. The most notable is the bright trim running along the top edges of the fenders, which highlights the A-body’s curves, especially the kick-up behind the rear doors, and really makes it stand out. Since Tempests are so rare, you’ve probably never even noticed that before. Of course, the modern two-stage urethane paint is extremely nice, with a great gloss and just the right shade of off-white, not bright refrigerator white, and the steel underneath is 100% original with no patches. As a six-cylinder car, the bodywork was never tweaked or abused and it was obviously never rusty, so getting the doors to fit right was easy and everything from the hood to the deck lid lines up beautifully today. Pontiac’s stacked headlights are arguably the most appealing design of the mid-60s and they make this Tempest look far more expensive than it is. Much of the chrome was restored, including the bumpers, and somewhere, somehow, they managed to find an NOS Tempest grille and installed that up front. You’ll note that the side trim has a dark red insert that ties in beautifully with the interior and the fluted “PONTIAC” insert between the taillights is remarkably clean and not pitted. I think I like the clean Tempest taillights better than the ornate GTO units, too. Up front, the “PMD6” emblems remain on the fenders, perhaps as a nod to the car’s past or to help camouflage it even more, but after hearing the rumbling exhaust note, it’s unlikely that anyone will mistake this for an economy car today. The bottom line is that this car has a fantastic look that’s very authentic and, if anything, it’s even nicer than it appears in photos.

The two-tone red interior is almost entirely stock and mostly original, if you can believe it. The carpets have been replaced, the headliner is an NOS piece that was installed in 1998, and seat belts were added, but remarkably, the rest appears to be original 1965 stuff. The front bench seat is firm and comfortable and not many people have been in the back seat if its condition is any indication. The door panels are spectacular, with a different pattern from the GTO but an ornate look that surely dressed up the plain-Jane Tempest in showrooms. A wood-rimmed steering wheel was added and an upgraded steering column with a proper PRNDL shift quadrant was sourced (we’ll get to the upgraded transmission in a moment), but the original gauges were retained. They cover only the basics, so a trio of auxiliary dials were added under the center of the dash to monitor the engine’s vitals. The factory AM radio is still in the dash but it has been replaced by a Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo head unit in the dash which powers the original center speaker as well as several others hidden throughout the car, plus a big subwoofer in the trunk. That trunk is beautifully appointed with correct spatter paint on the steel, a reproduction mat set, and a vintage full-sized spare tire with jack assembly, all looking very correct and in excellent condition.

We’ll fast forward a few years when this Tempest landed with another enthusiast who loved the look but not the anemic performance, so an upgrade was in order. The six was jettisoned and replaced by a thundering 1969-vintage 400 cubic inch Pontiac HO V8. Externally identical to the 326 and 389s that had lived in there from the factory, it was an easy fit and the look is quite authentic under the hood. The engine was fully rebuilt with an .040 overbore and ARP fasteners throughout, plus a port and polish on the stock cylinder heads. New Keith Black flat top pistons were dropped into the bores, an upgraded hydraulic cam went into the valley, and it was sealed up with new Fel-Pro gaskets. Externally, it got a coat of Pontiac Turquoise engine enamel, stock chrome valve covers, and an Edelbrock intake manifold and 4-barrel carburetor. A heavy-duty Harrison radiator went up front and both power steering and power front disc brakes were added, replacing the six-cylinder stuff and making sure this car was safe to handle the added power. There’s also a chrome PowerMaster alternator, dual reservoir master cylinder, and an HEI distributor to light it up. Turn the key and it starts easily, idles well even when it’s cold, and in the lightweight Tempest bodywork, provides GTO-eating performance, all in a clean, simple package that’s easy to service.

Underneath, a lifetime in sunny Tennessee shows with ultra-clean floors and rockers, which are in excellent original condition. The 2-speed PowerGlide was dumped in favor of a TCI TH400 3-speed automatic with a 2200 RPM stall torque converter that just shrugs off the 400’s torque and shifts cleanly at any speed. Out back, a rebuilt 10-bolt rear end was fitted with 3.55 gears and a Posi limited slip, then hung on the original leaf springs assisted by a pair of air shocks. New springs were just installed up front last year, so it sits and rides right, and there’s a sway bar at both ends so it’s a tidy handler, too. The exhaust is stainless steel with an X-pipe and Flowmaster mufflers, all terminating in cool chrome tips under the rear bumper. It’s been through a few sets of footwear, and currently carries a set of brand new (and totally gorgeous) 17-inch Rally II replicas that are exactly the right choice. Tires are fresh BFGoodrich T/A radials measuring 215/55/17 up front and 235/60/17 out back, which give it the perfect stance.

This nicely documented Tempest also includes a lot of original paperwork, restoration receipts, and it is a multiple award winner and magazine feature car.

GTOs get all the attention, but we have to admit that we’re smitten with this Tempest. It’s beautifully finished, has been tastefully modified in the spirit of Pontiac performance, and looks absolutely spectacular. Yes, a lot of folks will mistake it for its more expensive brother, but that’s OK, because it’s every bit as fast and you’ll know that you only paid half as much for the privilege. This is a very cool car. Call today!