eBay Find of the Day: 1963 LeMans Tempest sells for $226,521

[thepackrats]

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/10/ebay-find-of-the-day-1963-lemans-tempest-sells-for-226-521/

Pretty neat story.

 

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[kc10bull]

Wow what a find, and to think I probably would have taken it to the scrap yard if it was me!

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Wild ,who would of known ...a 326 Tempest was fast

 

[Saturna]

Whoever buys it will probably spend another $100,000 restoring it with the correct parts and it will be worth $400,000 or more.

The Little Red Wagon (one of them) recently sold for $550,000.

 

[Excavator]

I wouldn't have predicted that price, with the car in that condition.

It is a unique car however. A drivetrain design used only that year, the '63 Tempest was a front engine with rear transaxle, using a Flex-shaft instead of a driveshaft, the Flex-shaft being similar to wire rope or cable.

 

[Saturna]

Don't forget, this isn't just an ordinary Tempest.

The car's plexiglass windows, unusual suspension setup and a dash plate bearing the name of a racetrack tipped the owner to its racing history. But what he didn't know is that the car is one of only six 1963 Pontiac LeMans Tempest Super Duty coupes ever made. Hemmings recently did a story on the rare cars in which they listed all ever built. This one looks to have been driven by Stan Antlocer and was the fastest drag car in 1963 before disappearing.

This kind of car is about as collectible as it gets.

 

[Excavator]

Looking at the pictures... The car has a solid rear axle, instead of the transaxle. If it came from the factory with that setup, that would add to it's rarity.

If those are all factory mods, then Pontiac went all out to be fast that year (and quite a few others). RIP Pontiac Motor Division