Classic recollections: 1966 Pontiac Tempest
King Richard earned the title Richard the Lionheart by fearlessly leading his battle-hardened army before he was yet 16. Despite an unassuming outward appearance, he had the inward strength and fierceness found only in the large jungle cat.
To the casual observer, this 1966 Pontiac Tempest's basic GM A-body also looks unassuming. However, just like the boyish 15th-century warrior, this auto too has a mighty powerplant hidden inside that rivals those found in large felines.
This blue bullet has opened its hood, let the original tiger go, and in its place secured a 500-horse, 402 cubic-inch Chevy big block into captivity.
Bensenville resident Norb Neighbors spotted the Tempest long after this engine swap had taken place, first seeing the auto just blocks away from his weekly cruise spot at Mannheim Road and Grand Avenue in nearby Franklin Park. There it sat stoically for sale, neglected for years.
“Everybody knew this car — you couldn't miss it. It was painted bright red with white flames and could be seen a mile away!” Norb says.
Having passed up the humble hardtop many times because of its shoddy, rust-eaten condition, the do-it-yourselfer determined to challenge himself with his body repair skills, taking a bold move and purchasing the ramshackle ride from its elderly owner in the fall of 2008.
“Because it was so well-known, I felt it was my duty to resurrect it from the dead and get it back on the road.”
To remedy all that oxidation and years of salty winter corrosion, Neighbors replaced 23 different body panels, leaving this Pontiac's exterior metal with arrow-straight lines. The next item of business was finding a suitable color for the revived classic, and for that Norb choose to ignore the conventional palate and mix one up himself.
“I blended it just to my liking and christened it with a unique name, Tropical Storm, relating back to not only the car's model name but also to the way the color shifts shades in different light. Just as those over-sea typhoons grow in intensity, my car does the same — in the bright sun, it appears blue, in low light, green, and then at night, everybody swears its black!”
Another custom touch is in the tight steering setup, only requiring a minor switch of some relatively cheap components, getting this two-door's handling up to par with most modern-day machines.
“From the factory, turning the steering wheel from end-to-end required four complete turns. After the swap, it now requires just two, allowing me to cruise with one arm out the window and with just a simple flick of the other, change lanes safely and quickly.”
It took three years but Norb was able to ride out the storm, transforming the Tempest from a derelict heap into a gleaming head-turner. He even made the effort to show the former owner the finished product.
“Just as I had to restore it, I felt I had to show him the final result for the project to come full circle. Because his failing vision would soon make this impossible, the emotional trip was well-worth it to show him what I was able to do with his car.”
The end result certainly reveals Norb's talents for restoring classics and he gets plenty of opportunity to hone them further because you'll typically find him under hood, working at the Bensenville shop Next Level Kustoms. As with most things in life, deft hands don't come by accident and usually always with a great teacher.
“As a kid, I was always in the garage working on old cars with my dad, while Mom brought out the hot cocoa. It's because of him and all that he showed me those countless nights that I am what I am today and I couldn't possibly thank him enough.”