1964 Pontiac Tempest Frame-Off Restoration

Thor7352 · 10-10-2010, 10:29 PM

Greetings,

I've been reading this forum for a while and have really enjoyed many of the threads and thought today would be a good day to join. Today I drove my 1964 Tempest for the last time, took some pictures and pulled it into the barn. I've been holding off and planning this project for decades and have finally completed college and have a job to support such an undertaking. The car, admittedly has seen better days. I've been driving it in the summertime to shows/cruises for the past seven years dreaming of one day having a shiny car.

My dad bought the car in the early 1980's in Pennsylvania. It came originally equipped as follows:

Model: 1964 Pontiac Tempest Custom
Body: Post Coupe (2dr)
Engine: 326 CI
Carb: 2 barrel Rochester
Trans: 4-speed Muncie
Shifter: Hurst 4-speed on the floor (bench seat shifter)
Rear End: 3:23 Posi
Ext. Color: Marimba Red
Int. Color: Maroon

The car before pulling it into the garage for the final time.

I've got some work to do....

New trunk floors and quarters, inner and outer fenders will be needed:

Phase: 1 disassembly, media blasting and body work on the front clip.

Parts Ready for media blasting tomorrow:

After a few hours of work:

Anyways, thats probably enough for a first post. I'll share more as the days go on. I'm really going to town on this project, I want to drive the car to a show in nine months. I'll have to make some compromises on parts that can be easily replaced or switched once it it finished, but I want the frame and body complete.

Any comments or help along the way will be greatly appreciated!

-Carl

05GTO · 10-11-2010, 08:16 AM

Welcome to the forum,

daveh70 · 10-11-2010, 08:25 PM

Was that car originally with rocker panel moldings but without the wheel well moldings like that? I assume you are keeping it original as a custom Tempest. If so, I applaud you for not making another GTO clone.

Would be interesting to know what you spend after the whole process is finished. Let us know.

jetstang · 10-11-2010, 09:21 PM

Welcome to the forum.
Nice project. We are all more than happy to help from afar. Good luck on the car.

Thor7352 · 10-11-2010, 09:37 PM

Thanks for the welcomes.

Concerning the rocker moldings, I am not sure on the originality without having the wheel moldings. I'll do some research and find out. I need to have the car PHS documented (not sure if that will tell me but it needs to be done).

I am leaving it as a Tempest Custom with a few exceptions. Since it is a Tempest I'm going to take a few small liberties and delete the three trim pieces on the front fenders, I am not going to put any tempest tags on the car (no gto tags either). I am leaving the Tempest Custom chrome trim that runs the length of the car; it is in great shape. I also am going to paint the front grilles like a GTO would be painted, the unpainted Tempest ones are a little too shiny (personal preference). An uncle put the GTO tags on it, which will be removed and the holes filled. I have a GTO hood for it, but am going to restore and fully finish both so that I can switch between them as I feel. The idea is to do a really nice frame-off restoration without modifying the car to a point that it would be impossible to return it to stock as-built condition.

Am I keeping track of cost, will keep you guys updated on that side of the project from time to time.

Rukee · 10-12-2010, 07:52 AM

Nice!!!

FNG69 · 10-12-2010, 10:14 AM

It came originally equipped as follows:

Model: 1964 Pontiac Tempest Custom
Body: Post Coupe (2dr)
Engine: 326 CI
Carb: 2 barrel Rochester
Trans: 4-speed Muncie
Shifter: Hurst 4-speed on the floor (bench seat shifter)
Rear End: 3:23 Posi
Ext. Color: Marimba Red
Int. Color: Maroon

SWEET, No PS, NO PB, NO AC. with 4 sp & Posi and in a POST.. Be Cool if you could find the original owner and talk with him he knew what he was doing. Wonder why no 4 barrel ?? I have one that coded from a 1963 would have to dig it at to check for sure. Love the look with the Rally ones!!!!!!!!LES

FNG69 · 10-12-2010, 10:21 AM

Be easy to put new heater core in now. Just a FYI.... Les

Thor7352 · 10-12-2010, 08:50 PM

Made some progress today and yesterday.

I got the stainless trim removed from around the windshield:

I also removed the trim around the roof. (I was able to due it without unrepairable damage, so with some cleaning/polishing I can use them again)

The rear window trim also came off.

And the first sandblasted parts....

Daveh70, I checked on the rocker moldings. The car came originally with the rocker moldings but the wheel well trim was an additional option that, to my knowledge, didn't come on this car.

FNG69, I haven't decided whether or not the heater core will need to be replaced yet. I will definitely remove it and inspect really well prior to re installation.

Thor7352 · 10-13-2010, 09:52 PM

Progress continues.....

Started paint removal on the hood:

More sanding..

Found a "friend"....

Top side complete:

Was happy to see the lack of rust underneath the insulation that had never been removed since it was installed at the factory.

and removing the minimal surface rust on the bottom (I used the 4-1/2 angle grinder with a wire wheel for the structural steel and a DA sander for the back side of the sheet metal skin to avoid heating and warping):

Hopefully more progress tomorrow.