1962 Pontiac Tempest Wagon Iowa C/L $1600

Has front fenders are shot, the slant 4 engine does not run, and the front seat needs recovering, but a nice looking little wagon other than that. Shocking reasonable asking price of $1600.00. The only Options I see are the Automatic Trans, and AM Radio.

The seller does have close pictures of the rust holes posted in the ad, but I would want to inspect the car underside before purchase. If the rest of the car is solid, the only explination I could see for the front fender rust is old accident damage repair using used parts, probably in the 1970's.

https://rapidcity.craigslist.org/cto/d/rapid-city-pontiac-tempest-safari-wagon/6974379484.html

 

What a neat Pontiac. The amount of rust on this little wagon is an open question but the car we see in the photos does not look beyond repair. Seems to have good glass and intact trim. I think, but not sure, that this 4 clylinder is just 1/2 of the 326 so many parts may be available. If emgine not repairable wonder if an Iron Duke 4 would fit.

 

Its actually 1/2 of the 389, they were even assembled on the same engine line according to what I've read. Think the transaxle was in the rear also.

 

Correct the 194 ci Slant 4 is the right side of a 389 V8, many parts interchange but not as may as you would think, the Crank and Camshafts are different, even the water pump is unique, some parts are scarce.

The Transaxle is a Modified Corvair unit, putting another type of engine other than a mild Pontiac V8 of the same era is difficult unless you replace the entire drivetrain. Adapting anything else to the existing "rope" driveshaft is difficult. The V8 and 4 cylinder cars use a different length drive shaft.

There was an optional V8 available in a 62 Tempest but it was a slightly different version of the Aluminum Buick 215 V8. And to install it the entire front steering system had to be converted. I cant remember what engine required what type, but one is a rear steer, and the other requires a front steer system. in this case it refers to if the steering box was located in front of or behind the front axle.

Not if it is steering the front or rear wheels, most car people will know that but I just what to put it out there to avoid any confusion.

 

The aluminum 215 cubic-inch V8 was a one-year only deal for the Tempest. In '63, with this same basic chassis, it got the cast-iron 326 cubic-inch V8. The slant 4 was still available, and you could get it with a 4-speed manual. ALL transmissions continued to be rear-mounted.

All the unique engineering was gone the next year when the new, now intermediate-sized GM vehicles appeared, totally conventional in design.

 

This could be a "Cute" little wagon - but not for the faint of heart or anyone looking to break even selling it

 

I know what you mean about converting it to a conventional drive train, I think that is what has been done to most of the surviving cars. But it would be a shame to do that to one of the few survivors.

If it were a 61 or 63 I would be tempted to go after this one. I just never cared for the front end of 62 Tempest's or Lemans's. Or if it had the option roll down rear hatch window. I drove a few of these back in the 1980's, but never did buy one. They are one of the few drivetrain combinations I actually prefer the automatic transmission on! The manual trans 61 4bbl four cylinder I drove could get extremely grabby under certain low rpm low speed conditions. I have never felt any other type car act that way. I think the drive shaft would start to slapping around inside of the tube that surrounds it.

Also as it uses a front clutch, and a rear mounted transaxle, the driveshaft spins at engine rpm. And can make a lot of noise under certain conditions. I am sure I could have learned how to avoid those conditions, but when I added up the scarcity of parts, lack of any real performance possibilities of the 4 cylinder engines, and the strange handling of the rear swing axle suspension (like a 60-64 Corvair, the type that Ralph Nader loved to hate on) I decided to pass and bought a 65 Tempest Wagon.