Hot Rods From Tempest to Model A?

I've read the entire thread. The Pontiac guys are howling "Keep the Tempest!" Zettle says it's gotten stale for him. I was in this position several times. The last time was when I just had to have this 70s Hurst olds. I hated that car. Drove weird, smelled, moon roofs leaked....was just too damned BIG! I swapped it to a buddy for a really clean 51 Vicky with a hotrod flathead/3 speed. Loved that thing...till it also got stale...mostly because it was too new!
Live life! Swap things up occasionally...have fun with it. Get what you want. I do.
And I happen to know you like Pontiac stuff so stuff your favorite Pontiac drivetrain in your new model A.

 

If your have to ask. I think you should keep the Pontiac. Hot Rods are not practical. They're usally loud noisy, unsafe, and don't hold their value very well. They constantly need attention. That's a sweet Tempest, and anyone would be proud to own it. If your a Hot Rodder, and can't live without one. Then trade for the A. All old cars are cool. But a Hot Rod is not for everyone. Kinda a Love or hate'm car. I've had my Hot Rod for over 40 years, and I love'm! This is a Rod and Custom forum. So we may be a little biased. Thanks Ron......

 

My father gave me a '64 Tempest when I turned 16 years old (1976) that he had owned since it was new. It still had the dimpled clear plastic seat covers on it. I drove it for about 18 months until i had to have a '70 LeMans sport, Factory 4 barrel 400. Sold the Tempest for $600 to get the down payment for the LeMans. Wish I had kept that Tempest. Loved that car. But that LeMans would straight up haul ass....the need for speed.....

 

Hello,

You guys have been around for quite some time. You are well versed in things hot rod. So, since there are two of you, keep the Tempest, start with some cool upgrades to make it a nice car and also purchase that mean looking Model A sedan. We have been partial to Model A’s since our introduction to the Reath Automotive Model A sedan back in those very early days at Lions Dragstrip.
The Model A grille, the stance, the look and of course, the sound...all made for a cool drag racing sedan.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lets-see-some-model-a-sedans.1177807/page-12#post-13484868



Your Tempest is one of the nicest from that era. The 64-65 years in So Cal, Inglewood Red Line tires were popular add-ons to any car. Then, the Redline style went ballistic for the rest of the USA. Your Tempest looks good, but there is little to do to make it brand and year appropriate. A California Rake would also give it some aggressiveness to keep it from going to “bland, stocker city.” Nothing else is needed, other than a powerful motor sound to go with the aggressive rake.

The Model A on the other hand is nice looking and if the price is right for you, buy it. But, like all Model A coupes, sedans, trucks, or roadsters, that huge 32 grille needs to come off and be replaced with a stock Model A grille. Why buy a Model A and try to make it look like a 32? The Model A is a stand-alone, classy style that needs almost nothing to keep it cool looking.

Great examples of a Model A...

Jnaki
So, yes, go ahead and buy the Model A sedan, get some down tube headers that get away from the door and run under or along the bottom of the sedan. Definitely change over that bulbous 32 grille and put in a Model A grille to keep the classy style that the brand was created. Now one brother can drive the Tempest and the other a cool Model A sedan. YRMV

 

I'd walk right by that Pontiac at a show to look at the A. How old are you? Do you have a family? I'm 66 and have an A. An A sedan affords you the space to put the seat back and be comfortable. Guess which I'd take....

 

That's close to what I actually wanted to say. But everybody was loving the Pontiac.

But I wouldn't look at the sedan for very long, and I'd be walking down the row to look at the coupes and roadsters.

Hot rods were my first love. From the time I was a little kid. But I got distracted with the muscle cars for a while, just like everybody else did. But I got tired of them. They're mostly just stripped-down standard slab-sided sedans and hardtops that do not have the styling of the early cars and do not tug at my nostalgic heartstrings nearly as much as the earlier cars do.
Just my personal point of view, of course... and everybody has a little bit different point of view... depending on age and influences.

I'm 63 years old and tend to like the older stuff, I guess. I've had quite a few pretty cool cars, but I want an early hot rod so bad I can taste it. And it almost has to be a roadster. I know that. Nothing else will truly fulfill my life dream as far as hot rods go.

 

... even if it's loud, dangerous, whatever. Maybe because it's loud and dangerous LOL

 

The biggest problem with a Model A tudor is that there is absolutely no storage. On a road trip all the things you bring with you such as food, suitcases, canopy, cooler, tools, etc. have too be humped over the front seats and stored on the back seat making it impossible to take kids or any friends with you. I learned that lesson with my 32 Ford Vicky. Coupes, roadsters and the Tempest at least have a trunk. Never had an interest in pulling a tag along trailer.

 

We used to do road trips with my buddy that had a 1940 coupe . It was great because he carried everyone’s cooler luggage and everything that didn’t fit into the roadsters . You learn to pack light in a roadster and amazing how efficient you get with a wonderful small hotrod.
To me the Pontiac is a old mans cars and I’m old lol . @Zettle Bros do you still have the 1927 roadster?

 

Model A's are a dime a dozen-------Hummmm, wonder were that is?
Model A "TUDORS" have absolutely no storage----------Hummmm, wonder if you have ever actually been in a Model A tudor?
Listen if you don't like model A's that's cool, you don't have to run down one of the Most important and popular cars old Henry ever built. Besides that man you are sure planning on getting a lot of stuff into that Tempest trunk, not to even think about the trunk in a Roadster or a Coupe. Food, suitcases, CANOPY, cooler, tools and etc------Hummmmm, wonder what all that etc could possible mean as you already have everything but the kitchen sink in there now. Also last time I checked a Coupe or a Roadster did not have a back seat, going to be real hard to get kids or friends in one of those. And did you know that they actually make seats today that fold forward? You actually do not have to hump anything over anything.

Barn Hunter actually said it all and I quote " I would walk right by that Pontiac at a show to look at that A" I only wish I had said that...

 

i sold my '64 super sport so i could buy a '67 camaro. still regret it!

 

Both are cool, you have to drive the A before you make a decision !

 

Others have questioned your post so I will not pile on too much. We have a tudor and have traveled with our kids. I put in three sets of seat belts for the back seat. You pack for how much room you have. The back of a tudor can hold more than one thinks.

 

You're in Illinois, Pontiac is an all weather car.

 

I'd have to drive that sedan before I would even consider it.

The Poncho has its drawbacks, one might think its too nice to modify to make your own, and that can sure kill off some fun. On the other hand, there is going to be a pretty big difference between the ride quality between the two choices.

I can understand the desire for a hot rod, but is this model A sedan the right one? Maybe you should look for a mid 30s hot rod Poncho, might scratch both itches. Gene

 

This is a single decision on my part. My brother already drives this:

 

I am 45 with a wife and two little girls.

 

John, sold the '27 a couple years back now.

 

If the whole family goes to shows, then you need a car that seats everybody. Sounds like the A possibly has the gas tank where the back seat would be, making it a 2 seater. If the A seats 4 then I'd want the A.

 

I strongly disagree. I've owned my '65 Lemans for 30 years and it never fails to attract attention each and every time I take it out.

 

That Tempest is nicer than the A.

 

So what did you decide to do? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

With the way the market is with what all that is going on in the world there seems not to be much interest in buying the Tempest. I guess at this point I'll hold on to it and my dreams of having a Model A will have to wait.

 

Another pic of the Model A.

 

I don't see a thing not to like about this little A Bone. Looks like a really nice car!!

 

One good thing about it, when you're ready there will likely be plenty of them still around.

 

...just caught this thread,..I'd keep that Pontiac myself and save up for an A down the line.
...got this 65 Malibu over 33 years ago, will never part with it....super drivers....by the time you sell the Pontcho, that A will be gone and you'll still be lookin for a "car"

 

Keep the Tempest...you can build an A that's perfectly what you want later.

#ruler

 

No way I'd let go of that Pontiac.