The Pontiac Tempest, a car originally envisioned for diverse automotive roles, unexpectedly became a contender in the high-octane world of drag racing. The Pontiac Tempest Lightweight Super Duty was engineered to dominate the drag strips of America, showcasing Pontiac’s commitment to performance and innovation.
By 1963, Super Stock drag racing had exploded into a major phenomenon. It captivated audiences and manufacturers alike, all vying for the bragging rights of producing the fastest car. Pontiac, having started the decade strong with its Super Duty parts program and factory-built SD Catalina and Grand Prix race cars, faced a growing challenge from competitors, most notably Dodge and Plymouth. Their formidable 426-cubic-inch wedge-head race engines coupled with lightweight bodies were beginning to overshadow Pontiac’s dominance.
A detailed side view of the 1963 Pontiac Tempest Super Duty Lightweight Coupe, showcasing its sleek lines and racing modifications.
Pontiac initially tackled the weight disadvantage—the Super Dutys were heavier by 200 to 300 pounds—by experimenting with aluminum body panels. This weight reduction program reached its peak with Catalinas featuring frames riddled with large holes. Automotive journalist Roger Huntington famously dubbed these frames “Swiss Cheese” frames, a nickname that quickly became popular due to its obvious descriptive nature.
However, these weight-saving measures proved insufficient. Despite the drastic frame modifications, which sometimes led to structural failures, the cars remained too heavy, especially as Chrysler responded with their own aluminum body parts. To decisively outpace the “Max Wedge” Mopars, Pontiac turned to the Tempest, hoping its compact size could be leveraged for drag strip supremacy.
The idea of installing Pontiac’s powerful 421-cubic-inch Super Duty race engine into the smaller Tempest body had been circulating since 1962. Independent efforts by racer Mickey Thompson, Detroit’s Royal Pontiac dealership, and even Pontiac Engineering itself explored this engine swap. While these independent projects typically used conventional transmissions and rear ends from Pontiac’s full-size models, Pontiac engineers aimed to innovate by retaining a rear-mounted transaxle. This design choice was intended to improve traction by placing more weight over the drive wheels, a critical advantage given the limited tire technology of the era.
The rear profile of the Pontiac Tempest Super Duty Wagon, highlighting its rear-mounted transaxle and unique wagon body style.
The major hurdle was the stock transaxle’s inability to handle the 421 engine’s immense power. Pontiac engineers developed a new four-speed transaxle called the “Powershift.” In essence, the Powershift was an ingenious configuration of two Corvair Powerglide two-speed automatic transaxles placed in-line to create four forward speeds. This complex project involved combining readily available parts with over 200 newly designed components specific to this transaxle, all encased in a newly cast housing.
While not indestructible, the Powershift transaxle was significantly more robust than standard production units. This rear-mounted four-speed system offered versatility to racers, allowing them to choose between a clutch or a torque converter depending on their racing style and requirements. A single 3.90:1 final-drive ratio was available. Only 14 Powershift units were manufactured—one for each car produced, with no spare cases made, emphasizing the bespoke nature of this racing component.
With the transaxle issue resolved, focus shifted to the engine. A lower-profile dual-quad intake manifold was designed to ensure clearance under the Tempest’s hood. Furthermore, the crankshaft was modified with six extra holes in the end flange to connect it to the curved driveshaft, a unique feature of the Tempest’s transaxle setup. This Super Duty 421 engine variant boasted a 12:1 compression ratio and was officially rated at 405 horsepower, although its actual output was closer to 500 horsepower.
To further reduce weight, these racing-focused Tempests were equipped with full aluminum front ends, and the doors had significant portions of their inner bracing removed. Production of these specialized race cars included two prototype Tempest coupes, six LeMans coupes, and surprisingly, six Tempest station wagons. The wagon variant was conceived to provide even greater weight distribution over the rear wheels compared to the coupe, addressing the persistent traction issues even larger cars like the Catalina faced. These high-performance compacts needed every possible advantage to effectively transfer their power to the track.
Tragically, all these efforts were abruptly halted. On January 24, 1963, General Motors, fearing an antitrust lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice, announced its withdrawal from all factory-supported racing activities. The “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” marketing strategy had become too effective, pushing GM’s market share dangerously close to the threshold that would trigger a federal antitrust investigation.
Pontiac’s Super Duty program was immediately terminated, leading many racing teams to seek sponsorships with Chrysler and Ford. The few 1963 Super Duty cars that had been completed before GM’s racing ban were sold to privateer racers and collectors. Today, these cars are incredibly rare and highly prized icons of the factory racing era. It is believed that only four coupes and one wagon still exist, and among them, only one coupe and the wagon, known as the “Union Park wagon,” have been restored to their original factory condition.
A front-facing shot of the Union Park Pontiac Tempest Super Duty Wagon, emphasizing its aluminum front end and racing modifications.
Originally named “Instant” and driven by Harold Ramsey, the wagon is widely known as the “Union Park wagon,” named after its sponsor, Union Park Pontiac. Currently owned by Randy and Jean Williams of Columbia City, Indiana, it underwent a meticulous restoration by Scott Tiemann of Supercar Specialties in Portland, Michigan. Faithful to its original factory specifications, the wagon retains its correct 405-horsepower 421 Super Duty V-8 engine and the unique rear-mounted four-speed Powershift trans-axle. The restoration process was characterized by extensive research and nearly two decades of parts collection, resulting in an exceptionally high-quality restoration.
The Union Park wagon made its post-restoration debut at the 1999 Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. There, legendary Pontiac racer Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick performed a gentle 12.4-second pass at over 112 mph—on its original tires—with Randy Williams as his passenger. Beswick estimated the car’s potential to be around 11.5 seconds. The Union Park wagon is now a centerpiece in the Williams’ Pontiac museum in Columbia City, alongside several other original Super Duty race cars, preserving a crucial chapter in Pontiac’s racing legacy.
