On Display for 30 Years: 1967 Pontiac Tempest Convertible
This Pontiac Tempest Convertible has spent the past 30 years on display in a local museum. It has left its temperature-controlled environment and is now looking for a new home. You will find it listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Wilson, New York, and comes with a clear title. Bidding for the Tempest has reached $5,500 at the time of writing.
Having spent decades in a dry environment, you would expect there to be little rust in the Tempest, and there doesn’t appear to be huge amounts. While we get no photos or mention of the condition of the floors or frame, the outside of the car looks quite clean. There are some small areas of rust visible in the trunk floor and in the battery tray, but the rest of the car looks quite clean. The car underwent a repaint before it went on display, and this has held up quite well. The soft-top also looks quite good, although the rear window is quite cloudy, and could probably be replaced. The snow tires fitted to the back of the car tends to indicate that the car’s life prior to becoming a display piece was less than ideal. The rear bumper has a dent in it, while some of the chrome trim is also a bit pitted.
The interior of the Tempest is actually quite tidy but is in need of a really good clean and detail. I think that it is fairly safe to assume that the car was displayed with the top down, as there is a fair coating of dust that will need to be removed. There are also some small details items that may need to be addressed if you want to be meticulous, such as the wear on the wheel and the worn chrome trim around the gauges, but these are only detail items.
Judging by the state of the engine bay, I think that it is also fairly safe to assume that the car wasn’t displayed with the hood open. You can see that the engine seriously needs a hit with some degreaser, while you can also see the rust in the battery tray. The car is fitted with a 326ci V8 engine and automatic transmission. The car hasn’t been run since it went on display more than 30-years-ago, so there will be a bit of work required to get it back up and running. Hopefully, it won’t be a lot.
The value of ’67 Tempest Convertibles can vary quite widely, depending on condition. I know of quite a nice looking one that needs some floor repairs that is currently for sale for just under $15,000, while an immaculate example can sell for upwards of $30,000. This one looks nice, and if it is solid and can be made to run and drive fairly easily, its direct competitor would be the example for $15,000. If it sells for a reasonable price, then it could be a great buy for someone.
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Comments
I can’t believe they displayed this car with those tires.
They do nothing for the car.
migual can you send me pictures of that 1962 Pontiac catalina in mexico for 9000 the black one. or barn find day of the other Pontiac with the rust. I lost the article thanks if you can tommy
Never heard of a Tempest, must be rarer than a GTO and really valuable!
s/
Assuming you are serious Redwagon, Tempest was the intermediate model Pontiac and at the time much more common than GTO. Years went by and Tempest were scrapped while GTO’s were saved.
The Tempest was the entry level model for the Pontiac A body. Up from that was the LeMans, then the GTO. I guarantee you many of these found themselves with a GTO hood and emblems transplanted on them over the last several decades
@ Fred w, sorry could not resist the chance to be a bit sarcastic (s/) since we only seem to see gtos for sale and verdano green ones at that. i should know by now that the internet is a poor place to practice sarcasm.
thanks for explaining it to me anyway!
You must be very young. most cars back then were plain 2 or 4 door sedans
That average people drove
On a hot day Cadillac, Lincoln ,imperial would have there Windows rolled up
And it would be something to point out ,
Wow they have the a c in the car on!
Not everyone drove a performance car loaded with options
Even if the car had a/c, we would leave it off to save money. Some said the increased drag of having the windows down cost more than running the a/c…need mythbusters to figure it out!
The tempest was the family grocery getter,blue collar car,..not rare and not valuable…its a 67 got with different badgering ,same sheet metal as the gto
The GTO was built on the tempest body , it was a up grade with different engine and Tempest was a 326 verses a 389 for GTO, same body to make GTO with different up grades and badges.
Thomas, thanks for clarifying that. Most people have no clue …
The 67 GTO had a 400 CI engine.
IDK, any more i would prefer that Volvo 1800 S in the garage.
This car’s just a short hop from me. The 73-86 plates & reggie decals lend credence to it being off the road about 32 years. Get it running, clean up the interior, replace those awful tires & take some Plast-X to the rear window… If I were in the market & had a place to put it, I’d be all over it.
I had a red tempest convertible, great car! Got it 71 for Christmas! Got married in it in 72! Jacked all around ,with Cragers all around ,and trick out paint job! Had it until i drove my sister in law 73 Cutluss, traded it in for a 73 all black Cutluss Supreme! I had some good times in that Tempest!
How did you fit the whole wedding party in your car when you got married in it?
lol.
I had the same color, 67 four door, green interior. Bought for $100, non-running from a little old lady in 1988. Mine had the overhead cam 6, and I got it running in her driveway and took it home. Back then, no internet, took me several months to find a decent cam, and get it running well. I was in college, so I had no money but a lot of time. In the end, it was a beautiful, cherry car that I drove for a few years. Finally gave it up for a convertible 1975 Pontiac.
The car taught me a great lesson about starting with the best car you can afford. $1500 and 1500 hours of labor I had a $1500 car. I’m exaggerating, but it was a good lesson. If I were closer I would definitely look at this. Hope nobody goes the gto clone route and keeps it for what it is. Keep the powerglide, dye the carpets, and enjoy. I love this body style in a convertible.
I can just see Mom and the girls tooling
around town enjoying our great Florida
weather in this car! All the flaws I see
are very minor and would be addressed
as needed. Just get it running and driving, and then enjoy the fruits of your
labor. Sorry Mike, but I’m not seeing the
Volvo you’re speaking of. I like the rolling
bricks too, but you can’t get parts here in
Polk County and Sis says that Volvos
look too much like an old fogey’s car to
suit her anyway. She just don’t know
what she’s missing! Take care folks.
got a full day tomorrow! Time for bed.
Hi Ken, the Volvo is in the shed behind this car in the Ebay listing. It is listed for sale also, in there see other items.
Snow tires are a bad sign. The battery tray and upper control arms are likely the miner’s canary for the rust situation under the car. This one could be a good resto candidate for the right price, however; I would stay away from something coming out of the North. Been there done that. I had a driver 65′ Tempest with 40k documented miles in much greater shape from New Jersey this year. However the frame was soft to the touch. It was in better shape than this and I couldn’t give it away for under 5k. Doors look good, trunk not bad either, but It would scare me personally.
After 30+ years of sitting, the engine may or may not even turn over. If it does this is a good start for a fun car to drive. However, I would like to check out the frame and floors. Snow tires are not a good sign. The battery tray tells a story too.
HAHAHAHAHA….The “local museum” must be the hill-billy hotel of yore run by the infamous MOE, LARRY, & CURLEY ! Yea, and I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell ya, too !
WHOA! Cannot believe the condition of the engine compartment with the rust and crud, also the condition of the battery tray. Doesn’t Look like it was detailed before being placed in a museum. The trunk is in poor condition, upon enlarging the pictures, looks like serious rust that will need to addressed. A $3,000 car at the most with the work that needs to be done and how much rust is elsewhere? Have never seen a car in this condition that has been on display in a museum….
From the looks of the landscape in the background I think it was Ol’ Clem Miller’s Museum………OR maybe it was a really nice car and they restored it with “Patina” to make it look period and age correct……wait it think it might have been John DeLoreans company car …….maybe it IS a GTO made to look like a Tempest …..a reverse clone….if you will ….to protect it’s true Identity.
Ok, sorry. I’m done.
Museum display car, really? The thing is filthy inside and the engine bay is a disaster. The tires look as if they were used on a pig farm. Hope they don’t charge admission to that museum.
Dig the cheater slicks. I believe the car needs some chemo- therapy..
Found it!
https://www.facebook.com/wilsonhistoricalsociety/photos/a.561623537298317/561624227298248/?type=3&theater
There are a few decent cars in their collection, maybe why they are dumping this weak link?
was hoping it was the OHC 6 under the hood. the sprint version of the OHC 6 was the hotter model, though. high revving motor.
spartanpride… none of us believed it was in a museum. There it is.
I’d go with “collection”
All summer there was a 4 door Tempest around the same year as this parked in someone’s yard near work. It was a tan color and much nicer condition than this one.
Not that they would want to put a 4 door in a “museum”, but it was really nice.
Hi, I bought this car on ebay and it closed at $6850. I am in the process of re doing alot of the mechanics but it is way better than average condition. Many things needed to be addressed but for the price I am happy and it will be on the road next summer.