The 1966 Tempest's overhead-cam six was the only one of its kind in any American production car — and it was also the first US-built engine to time its camshaft with a belt instead of a chain.
Lead trim: Tempest 215 cu in Pontiac I6 (140 hp, 1-barrel, 1964) · up to 280 hp
Pontiac Tempest1964–1967
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Pontiac Tempest yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe 1966 Tempest's overhead-cam six was the only one of its kind in any American production car — and it was also the first US-built engine to time its camshaft with a belt instead of a chain.
In 1964 the Tempest was redesigned as a more conventional intermediate on the new GM A platform (shared with the Chevrolet Chevelle, Oldsmobile F-85 and Buick Special) with a 115 in wheelbase and 203 in overall length: the unibody, curved driveshaft and transaxle were gone, replaced by a traditional front engine, body-on-frame, solid rear axle design. The cars were, in ascending order, the base Tempest, Tempest Custom and Le Mans (and the GTO, treated separately). For 1964 the standard engine was a new 215 cu in (3.5 L) Pontiac straight six with a one-barrel carburetor and 140 hp, with the 326 cu in (5.3 L) Pontiac V8 optional in a 250 hp two-barrel regular-fuel version or a 280 hp 326 HO four-barrel with 10.5:1 compression (285 hp in 1965). For 1966 the six was replaced by a new 230 cu in (3.8 L) Pontiac overhead-cam six, the only such engine in an American production car and the first American-built engine to time the camshaft with a belt: 165 hp with a one-barrel carburetor, or 207 hp in the four-barrel Sprint option (215 hp for 1967). The 1967 Tempest, Custom and Le Mans received only minor changes.
Collectors Spotted in the Pontiac Tempest Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Pontiac Tempest yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
5 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tempest 215 cu in Pontiac I6 (140 hp, 1-barrel, 1964) | 1964–1964 | 3.5 L Inline-6 | 140 hp | 206 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Tempest 230 OHC I6 (165 hp, 1-barrel, 1966) | 1966–1966 | 3.8 L Inline-6 | 165 hp | 216 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Tempest 230 OHC I6 Sprint (207 hp, 4-barrel, 1966) | 1966–1966 | 3.8 L Inline-6 | 207 hp | 228 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Tempest 230 OHC I6 Sprint (215 hp, 4-barrel, 1967) | 1967–1967 | 3.8 L Inline-6 | 215 hp | 240 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Tempest 326 HO V8 (280 hp, 4-barrel, 1964) | 1964–1964 | 5.3 L V8 | 280 hp | 355 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
For exactly one model year, 1969, the Tempest Custom became the Custom S — a trim name Pontiac almost called the "TC" instead, before quietly retiring it after a single season.
The 1966 Tempest's overhead-cam six was the only one of its kind in any American production car — and it was also the first US-built engine to time its camshaft with a belt instead of a chain.
This Tempest used a flexible "rope drive" torque shaft to link its front engine to a rear transaxle — a one-piece design so unusual it had only ever appeared on a single GM concept car before.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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