An $800 acquisition in 1973, this ’67 Pontiac Tempest has kept Bob Hinson entertained on the street and the strip for 25 years. Once powered by a Pontiac 326 and a two-speed automatic, the car now blasts the traps well into the 11-second range with speeds of a buck-fifteen. Are we impressed? Yes, but more so when you factor in that Bob does the trick with 455 inches of true Pontiac muscle.
It’s a fairly mild 455 too—it sees about 5,000 miles a year on the street. According to Bob, this is a real 11-second street car that’ll also cruise all day on the highway (turning about 3,200 rpm at 65 mph). Says Bob, “The appearance and sound of the car gets respect on the street, and it can be driven anywhere, any distance, and with the A/C on if need be.” Sure, the street is cool, but the strip is where the real action is. It’s also where we caught up with Bob at a National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) event held at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia.
Suspensionwise, the upgrades are basic but really seem to work well. The stock frontend uses springs acquired through the Buick GS Club of America (the Skylark and Tempest/LeMans ride on nearly the same chassis) and Competition Engineering 90/10 shocks. Out back there’s a pair of Koni shocks and Southside Machine traction bars. An airbag in each rear spring further helps in keeping the 12-bolt rearend in place. All suspension pieces also benefit from PST Polygraphite bushings.
Aside from the addition of a rollcage to stiffen the car’s structure somewhat, the body and interior are pretty much stock—the perfect appearance to have when the guy next to you at the local Green Light Nationals thinks his high-12-second car is quick. Inside, even the factory Pontiac vacuum gauge is in place and functional. In the cruise mode, Bob gets sounds from a Custom Autosound tape player and cool air from an “installed-in-1975 Sears A/C system that blows super cold.”
Motivating this straightforward but quick sleeper is the aforementioned Poncho 455 based on a ’71 455 H.O., four-bolt main-block. Its bored cylinders net 462 cubes with the factory H.O. crank. Connecting forged flat-top slugs to the crank is a set of Pontiac 455 Super Duty connecting rods. These rare pieces make up the main element that separated the ’73-’74 Super Duty 455 Firebird engines from a “normal” Ram Air IV 455. Above this bulletproof short-block are the factory H.O. heads ported according to NMCA Top Stock class rules. The stock 2.11-inch intake and 1.77-inch exhaust valves are moved by an Ultradyne cam with 296 degrees of advertised intake duration, 304 de grees on the exhaust, and 0.556-inch lift on both. The results when all these parts are put together are something Bob can be proud of. At one point during 1996, Bob’s career pass in the car was an 11.66 at 115 mph. This was done with the air cleaner on the car, a full exhaust system, and 28.5x9-15 Firestone slicks. His 60-foot times were also decent in the low 1.6-second zone. He didn’t stop there though; he told us the times would be under 11.50 before 1997 was over. Accomplishing his goal, Bob has squeaked his Poncho below the 11.50 zone with an 11.45 at 116 mph. We’re sure that Bob’s competition is impressed when they see nothing but Pontiac taillights wavin’ goodbye.