1961-'63 Tempest History

1961-’63 Tempest History The Transaxle Era Volume 3, Number 1 January 2017 $9.99 US $11.99 Canada Stock Two 1969 Trans Ams Two Ways: Pro Touring Dept X: The Second Life of XP-798 Volume 3, Number 1 January 2017 IN THIS ISSUE Page 20 • 1961-’63 Tempest History 20 • Absolute Perfection 24 • 2016 Dixie Chapter Fall Classic 40 • Dept. X: XP-798’s Second Life 44 • Track Time Trans Am 50 The release of the Y-body 1961 Tempest was a daring move on the part of Pontiac, as it featured a radically different driveline design and construction techniques. Jim Luikens provides an in-depth look at this first-generation of small Pontiacs, starting on page 20. Page 40 DEPARTMENTS • Off the Reservation 02 • Stan Rarden 04 • Tony Webster 06 • Pint-Sized Ponchos 08 • What If? 16 We ventured up to Fernandina Beach, Florida, for the POCI Dixie Chapter’s annual Fall Classic. We met up with old friends, made new ones and saw over 100 beautiful Pontiacs. It was a fantastic way to • New Product Spotlight 18 spend a November afternoon. Coverage starts on page 40. Page 44 Page 50 The story of the XP-798 Banshee being pulled from the 1966 New On the Cover: This month, we kick off Volume 3 of Poncho Perfection with two York Auto Show and the epic battle between PMD General Manager very different 1969 Trans Ams. One is an exquisite original Ram Air III powered John DeLorean and GM President James Roche is the stuff of leg- machine with an automatic and a non-original clone- an all-out, high-tech Pro ends. Don Keefe uncovers what happened to the four-seat Banshee Touring machine with a supercharged LS3, 6-speed and fully-adjustable suspen- coupe after that fateful clash. His story and newly discovered photos sion. Compare and contrast these beauties to see which inspires you more. The from GM Media Archive begins on page 44. stories start on pages 24 and 50. Poncho Perfection is a monthly publication of Car Life Publishing, a Division of Keefe Media International. Articles, letters and editorial comments represent the views and opinions of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of Car Life Publishing, Keefe Media International or any of its officers. All Pontiac/General Motors Trademark(s) are used purely for illustrative purposes and no claim of ownership is expressed or implied. All information provided herein is intended only for general knowledge and is not a substitute for professional advice for specific situations or specific conditions of your vehicle. Poncho Perfection, Car Life Publishing and Keefe Media International do not give mechanical advice. The authors and staff can answer your general questions about Pontiac vehicles. You should seek professional mechanical advice for any specific mechanical condition(s) of your vehicle. The information contained herein is presented in summary form only and is intended to provide only a broad consumer understanding of each particular set of facts. The information provided should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of consultation with a professional mechanic. 1961-’63 Tempest: A Car Without a Counterpart By Jim Luikens Photos Courtesy of GM Media Archive and the National Automobile History Collection hen Pontiac’s Assistant Chief Engineer, John Z. WDeLorean, addressed the Detroit Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers on No- vember 11, 1960, he told them about a radical new small car that Pontiac was introducing. The name of the car was Tempest and it featured quite a number of revolu- tionary technical breakthroughs which he then detailed for his au- dience. The title of his speech was “Pontiac Tempest, A Car Without a Counterpart.” Planning for the Tempest had actually begun several years earlier when General Motors had decreed Pontiac General Manager Eliot M. “Pete” Estes stands proudly next to a that its Buick, Oldsmobile, and trainload of Tempests being shipped from the factory to dealers. Tempest Pontiac divisions were going to de- production totaled 100,783 units for its debut year. 20 Page January 2017 velop a line of Senior Compact cars for the 1961 model year. While Buick and Olds took a relatively safe path and broke no new ground beyond a small-displace- ment V-8 engine that was con- structed of aluminum by Buick, Pontiac chose to throw conven- tionality out the window and design a radical new small car that stretched the boundaries of origi- nality and technology in nearly every direction. The design brief for the new small Pontiac was that the car had to carry six people comfortably and their luggage, provide the ride and handling of a large car, deliver outstanding fuel economy with lively performance, and provide exceptional value with clean styling. While some of these attrib- utes seem to be at odds with each other, the Pontiac team, led by General Manager S.E. “Bunkie” Knudsen, Chief Engineer E.M. “Pete” Estes, and Assistant Chief Engineer DeLorean, set to work. It would be hard to imagine another The first 1961 Tempest off the production line was made into a show dis- play showing the compact’s unique drivetrain. Nicknamed the “Alligator time in the history of General Mo- Jaw,” this car was a big hit that season. tors when this much creativity and leadership was massed in one place at one time on one project. Eventually Pontiac settled on a front-engine car with a rear-wheel drive transaxle that would be tied together by a unique, curved drive shaft. For their engine they chose to “cut” their highly-proven Pontiac V-8 engine in half, using the right bank of their V-8 to create a new, 194.5ci four-cylinder engine that utilized many V-8 components. It is important to remember that GM had not manufactured a four cylin- 1961 Tempest four-door sedan. www.ponchoperfection.com January Page 21 2017 horse version had more horsepower and greater torque than any production four-cylinder in the world. In fact, it even had more horsepower than any American six-cylinder engine available at the time. Equally unusual was the rear- mounted transaxle. Although other cars, including the Corvair, had a rear-mounted transaxle they were rear-engined cars. No one had ever paired a front engine location with a rear transaxle prior to this time. The transaxle was available in man- ual or automatic versions. The au- Sporty LeMans interior included Morrokide vinyl-covered bucket seats tomatic was the most unusual, and checkered flag callout above the glovebox. Note the dash-mounted employing a split-torque principle. shifter for the two-speed automatic transmission. In low gear all power went to the der-equipped car since 1928. The engine offered many cost-saving air-cooled torque converter that last volume American car to use a advantages as well. Of the 44 was positioned behind the differ- four-cylinder engine prior to the major components that made up ential and then on to the transmis- Tempest was the 1931 Ford Model the new four-cylinder engine, 28 sion. In high gear, 55 percent of the A and the last American car with a items were able to be carried over power went to the torque con- four-cylinder engine period was from the V-8 unmodified, five were verter and 45 percent went directly the 1954 Henry J. It was against modified only slightly, and just 11 to the pinion itself. this backdrop that the Pontiac were totally different. Pontiac The split-torque principle of- group strode confidently forward would offer the four-cylinder pow- fered greater efficiency while cut- with their plans. erplant in five different guises from ting power loss and gas-eating In addition to having the advan- 110 to 155 horsepower, depending slippage. The overall result was im- tage of using a proven engine de- on transmission and carburetion proved downhill braking, a more sign, the new Pontiac four-cylinder selected. Interestingly, the 155- solid feel at highway speeds, and a slight increase in mileage. Addi- tionally, the varying ratio of the torque converter was still available for passing. As unique as the engine and transmission were, neither could hold a candle to the Tempest’s unusual, curved drive shaft. The “Rope Drive Shaft” was so named because it sagged 10 3/4 degrees, or 3 inches, over its 7-foot length. Tempest wagon was a practical and economical choice for young families The 3-inch curve of the shaft elim- and businesses looking for an all-weather delivery vehicle. Rear-mounted transaxle offered additional traction in wet and snowy weather. inated the natural tendency of a 22 Page January 2017 Tempest two-door coupe bodystyle was not a true hardtop, as the doors used thin pillars. long rod to whip and thus create bar suspension. highest speed at which the shaft vibrations. The shaft rode in two The curved shaft raised the nat- turned. Most amazing was its size. ball bearings, that were placed at ural vibration frequency above the Continued on page 32 the 1/3rd and 2/3rds positions of the shaft, and it was bolted to the engine with six bolts while a splined flange was used at the rear. In order to accommodate this shaft, the engine had a downward tilt of five degrees to the rear and the nose of the differential had a similar downward forward tilt. Thanks to this arrangement no u- joints were needed anywhere. The shaft was placed in tension by arching it slightly. Thus, it was See-through illustration shows the Tempest’s V-8-derived slant-four en- able to absorb the torsional vibra- gine, curved torque tube drivetrain and rear-mounted transaxle.

Load more