Vehicle Description
Rare, interesting, unique, and surprisingly affordable - all of
this and more is why this 1963 Pontiac Tempest LeMans convertible
is one of the coolest classics in our showroom. And that's before
you even hear about this V8 drop-top's amazing survivor story.
This is the final-year for the first-generation Pontiac Tempest,
and it's the one to have. It still retains the sports car-like
driving features, and now it's wrapped around what's arguably the
most attractive Wide Track sheetmetal of the series. This one has a
striking look from across a parking lot with its bright and correct
Grenadier Red paint. But the real story is revealed when you get
closer. There are the scratches and imperfections that get your
mind wondering about how much of a survivor this one really is. In
fact, the paint is believed to be mostly original. And the way the
sheetmetal fits and the level of completeness - right down to the
emblems - shows all signs of respected garage care over the years.
So this was someone's baby. That's because we're told it has spent
nearly all its life with one owner, and the recent second owner was
his good friend. It was bought brand new 40 minutes away from our
dealership, and this gem basically spent its whole life only about
5 miles from its original Pontiac dealer. So it truly is a local
boy. And you'll want this for more than just a terrific story. It's
also rare. It's believed that only about 7,200 LeMans V8
convertibles were produced, and nearly 60 years later, how many do
you think survived with this kind of history and originality?
While most of this car has a terrific originality, one part you'll
be quite thankful that it was replaced along the way is the
convertible top. After all, they just can't stand up to over half a
century and still look this well-presented today. And while the
clean look of the white roof against the red paint is attractive,
with the flip of a switch, it powers down to reveal a whole new
style. After all, there's just something timelessly sporty about a
red convertible with a black interior. This has a terrific look of
originality, right down to the working AM radio. And you even have
sporty details, like the front bucket seats and floor shifter. It's
a well-preserved time capsule where you can feel the history every
time you grab the thin/grippy factory wheel.
The engineering is what makes this car so uniquely special. The
1963 LeMans was the first year that the compacts got a V8 with a
significant displacement. In fact, this 326 cubic-inch V8 would
highlight the liveliness that paved the way for the GTO the next
year. With a powerhouse this significant, it's nice to know that
the original motor was rebuilt around 20k miles ago. So today it
runs and drives great. Plus, the real advantage of the
first-generation Tempest comes from how it utilizes its power. This
is actually a transaxle car, and so the automatic transmission is
mounted in the rear to give this Pontiac a better weight
distribution than any other comparable American car. And the
independent rear suspension is something truly unexpected in a
classic like this (remember the case-cracker from My Cousin Vinny -
only this car and the Corvette were the big Americans that had an
independent rear in the '60s!) So while this looks like an
attractive mainstream vintage convertible, the drivetrain is one of
the most modern of its era.
The sale comes complete with the original title documentation,
owner's manual, and service manuals. So you have rare features that
make this LeMans both fun to drive and great to talk about - and
it's all part of an affordable drop-top package. This kind of
all-around appeal is why we know the Pontiac will be leaving us
very soon. Call now!
