Jack Hollowell wasn't looking for a compact Pontiac convertible, but as soon as he saw this 1963 Tempest, he knew he had found something special. `I just kept coming back to this car ... it is a great looking little car,' he said.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Jack Hollowell enjoys some early December sunshine at the wheel of his top-down Tempest.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A smooth-running 326 cubic inch Pontiac V-8 occupies the well-detailed engine compartment, which includes a factory-original glass windshield fluid bottle mounted on the inner fender. Don't look for a transmission under here, though -- it's mounted to the rear axle.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
One of the unique features of the car is its dash-mounted shifter, which controls the rear-mounted 2-speed automatic transaxle.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Hollowell believes the black vinyl upholstery is original throughout the car, although he is still seeking any history he can find on the car.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Stylists gave the Tempest a forward-motion look by including a trio of chrome spears in the fender coves.
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If you look closely, you'll see what the access plate in the trunk is for -- it reads `Remove Plate To Check Transmission Oil.' That's right, the transmission dipstick is located in the back of the car.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The distinctive Pontiac split grille carries the `326' badge indicating this car is V-8 powered. The following year, the Tempest would provide the platform for what most consider the first true muscle car, the iconic GTO.
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The owner says the black vinyl upholstery isn't as supple as it once was, but remains in serviceable condition, as the back seat reveals.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Fender emblems indicate this Tempest is a LeMans, with the checkered flag hinting at a competition background, although this car was built as a small family car for daily driving duty.
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The basic instrument panel would give rise to the classic GTO layout in following years, according to Hollowell. The big gauge to the right is actually a rally-style clock.
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December isn't normally the best time to get the family convertible out for a cruise around the neighborhood, but Hollowell's Tempest is in its element even this late in the season.
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One of the few upgrades Hollowell has made on the car since he acquired it about three years ago is freshening up the front and rear bumpers with new chrome plating.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Hollowell has thought about adding custom wheels to the Tempest, but almost everyone who sees it recommends against it, preferring the classic full-wheel Pontiac hubcaps. Tires are Cooper 205/75R/15 thin-line whitewall radials.
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With 108,000 miles traveled so far, the trunk of the little Pontiac shows how well the car has been treated, with the factory trunk mat still in place.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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