1962 Pontiac Tempest

https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/d/1962-pontiac-tempest-wagon/6340229308.html

 

I've got the $65 he's asking, for that sawed-off 389ed wagon:

 

Nice looking very base model, about the only option I see is the auto trans, probably a low compression 1bbl version based on the lack of other options. I like it and if it runs the price is reasonable, if more than $65.00

 

That's not a typical one barrel air cleaner. But, anything's possible. Those four bangers can get tweaked with performance V-8 parts.

 

The brochure indicates there was a high-compression version of slant-4 available with a 4-barrel carb, made 160hp. In '62, you could also get the 215 cubic-inch aluminum V8 that came in the Buick Special and Olds F-85. I think Pontiac got the better Olds version of this engine, but I don't know for sure.

 

It could be. The reason FoMoCo gave as to why they discontinued the 430 Marauder was the fuel issue which couldn't accomodate the 11:1 compression ratio nationwide. Now we see that Pontiac isn't taking distribution obstacles into consideration. If, indeed, Olds delivered the more powerfull version 215 to Pontiac, it might be because Olds had the turbocharged option available, rendering the high-compression version obsolete. Note that you could only get the high-performance version, in a Pontiac. Also notable is that the wagons had their own unique economy transaxles which weren't available to other versions. Theoretically, the one barrel high-compression half-389 in a wagon should have delivered the best fuel milage.

 

If I remember correctly all the 195 slant 4's used the same upper air cleaner assembly, just the lower base plate changed to change it from a 1bb to a 4bbl air cleaner, but that's going off of 20 year old memories. A friend of mine was really into 63 LeMans's & Tempest's. He had quite a few of them and I learned just enough to be dangerous. I also learned that yes the 61-62 Pontiac 215's were based off the Olds version of the Buick V8, but they had some diffrances including Indian heads cast into the block. They sold very few of them, one reason is they had to change all the front steering linkage and the front subframe. The Pontiac engine versions were rear steer, meaning the steering box was mounted behind the front spindles, the Buick V8 powered cars were front steer with the box mounted in front of the spindles. The cars powered by the Buick v8's look like they had a Buick Special or Olds F85 front lower subframe welded on after the original unit was cut off.
He told me he tried to order a 215 powered 62 Tempest and was told by the dealer if he really wanted that engine go to the Buick dealer and Order a 62 Special. Or he could wait for the 63 model year and order a 326 powered 63 Tempest. That is what he did, and was irritated when he could only get a 2bbl version of the engine. He ordered the car, waited several months to receive it, and it came on the same truck with the 1st 4bbl equipped 326 Tempest the dealer got, it was a mid year option.
He ended up trading his car for the "new" 4bb version that day for a small fee, he never went back to that dealer again, a very famous Detroit area Performance Pontiac Dealer.

 

Thank you cammerjeff! I like hearing any details/history of the Buick/Olds 215 aluminum V8's.

 

any body notice the red Pontiac convert in the back ground - Bonneville?

 

Looks like a '67 Le Mans to me, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

I cant see the pictures any more, looks like the car sold as the ad was deleted by the seller.

 

We stuck one of those 215s in a Vega back in the day, stock Vega 4 speed and had to remote the oil filter. But what a fun little car!

 

That's the engine in my 77 Astre with a T-5, I put a Buick V6 oil filter adaptor on it to clear the stock "K" member. Very nice combination I agree

 

I'll tell you, the 215 in my '63 Cutlass scooted pretty good. I did have the higher-horsepower 'high compression' version. Had to use premium fuel though.