What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The 1963 Pontiac Tempest Super Duty was a factory-backed competition car, not the production GTO. Its No. 50 racer won a major Daytona event in February 1963, helping put Pontiac’s big-engine Tempest concept in the spotlight; the 1964 Tempest LeMans GTO that followed was a separate street-car option powered by a 389-cubic-inch V8.
What the 1963 Tempest Super Duty was
Pontiac prepared Tempest coupes and wagons for Super Stock and A/FX drag competition around its 421-cubic-inch Super Duty V8. These were purpose-built racers, rather than ordinary Tempests with a simple engine swap.
A 2009 Hot Rod feature reports that Pontiac built six 421 Super Duty Tempests with aluminum front ends in 1963. That count applies to the lightweight aluminum-front-end configuration; it should not be treated as a total for every Tempest that may have received a Super Duty engine.
The 421 Super Duty engine
The same feature describes the 421 as producing 405 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 425 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, with 12.0:1 compression. It says 13.0:1 pistons were optional in a setup rated at 420 horsepower. The described competition hardware included a special block, forged crankshaft, four-bolt main caps, aluminum pistons, and a two-piece aluminum “bathtub” intake. These figures and details are the magazine feature’s account of the package.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
- Revell Model Kit #14574, Skill Level 4, Contains 104-Parts, Recommended for ages 12 and up
- Parts are included to build your 1964 Pontiac GTO factory stock or as a street machine.
- Carefully detailed 389-cube V-8 with Tri-Power carbs or an optional blower with dual four-barrels.
- Authentic interior includes front bucket seats and a delicately molded “four-on-the-floor” shifter. Tampo-printed redline tires. All-new decal sheet includes multiple sets of custom pinstripes.
- Molded in white, transparent red, and clear with chrome plated parts and soft black tires. Paint and glue required(not included).
The Automotive History Preservation Society catalogs a 39-page period document of 1963 Pontiac Tempest AMA specifications. The catalog identifies a useful period reference, but it does not establish that every modification made to Super Duty race cars appears in those specifications.
How No. 50 won at Daytona
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) says Pontiac chief engineer John Z. DeLorean directed the construction of the original No. 50, which Ray Nichels built and Paul Goldsmith drove. On February 16, 1963, Goldsmith won the 250-mile American Challenge Cup at Daytona. According to the Hall’s 2022 account, he finished two laps ahead of A.J. Foyt; the first Ferrari GTO was seven laps behind.
Rank #2
- Revell Model Kit #14545, Skill Level 4, Contains 122-Parts, Recommended for ages 12 and up
- Pontiac 400 c.i. Ram Air engine plus optional race engine parts and interior.
- Stock or Torque Thrust wheels and optional racing seat and roll bar.
- Authentic stock and drag racing decals.
- Molded in white and clear with chrome plated parts and soft black tires. Requires paint and glue.(not included)
Goldsmith later recalled, “Well, I lapped him twice if I remember right, and I waved at him both times!” That is his recollection, rather than an official timing record.
How the race car connects to the GTO
The MSHFA calls No. 50 “in essence the first Pontiac GTO” and says its success helped set the stage for the production GTO. The Daytona result, including the comparison with Ferrari GTOs, gave DeLorean a high-profile example of what a big-engine Tempest could do. The Hall connects that success to his choice of the GTO name for Pontiac’s planned performance option.
Rank #3
- Package Dimensions: 23.368 cms (L) x 17.018 cms (W) x 8.382 cms (H)
- Product Type: Hobbies
- Package Quantity: 1
- Country Of Origin: China
That makes the 1963 racer a precursor and publicity catalyst, not the production GTO itself or proof that the race car alone created the production program. General Motors says the GTO sport option package was announced in October 1963 for the 1964 Tempest.
1963 Super Duty Tempest vs. 1964 production GTO
| Comparison | 1963 Super Duty Tempest | 1964 Tempest LeMans GTO |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Factory-prepared competition car for drag racing and the No. 50 Daytona racer. | Production performance option package for the Tempest LeMans. |
| Engine | 421-cubic-inch Super Duty V8, as described by Hot Rod (2009). | 389-cubic-inch V8; GM says it replaced the Tempest’s standard 326. |
| Reported output | 405 hp at 5,600 rpm and 425 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm; the feature also reports an optional 420-hp setup. | GM lists 325 hp for the base GTO and a 348-hp Tri-Power engine option. |
| Scale | Six 421 Super Duty Tempests with aluminum front ends, according to Hot Rod; this is not a count of all Super Duty-equipped cars. | GM reports 32,450 Tempests sold with the GTO package during the 1964 model year. |
| Key date | No. 50 won the Daytona event on February 16, 1963. | GM News dates the package announcement to October 1963. |
The production car’s name is commonly expanded as “Gran Turismo Omologato.” GM’s historical account attributes the GTO concept and name to DeLorean through Jim Wangers’ account, while the MSHFA also links the name choice to the Ferrari comparison. The two cars belong in the same story, but their engines, purposes, and production scales were different.
Rank #4
- Revell Model Kit #14573, Skill Level 4, Contains 79-Parts, Recommended for ages 12 and up
- Build a factory-stock 1985 Pontiac Fiero GT or personalize it with optional side scoops and a wild track-ready ram-air scoop that sits above the roof.
- Detailed mid-mounted 2.8-liter V-6 engine can be viewed under the opening engine cover.
- Period-perfect details include Pontiac’s unforgettable high-tech wheels and a big rear spoiler. All-new decal sheet includes factory-correct details and red pinstripes.
- Molded in white and clear with soft black tires. Paint and glue required(not included).
Does the original No. 50 still exist?
The MSHFA reports that Mercedes-Benz bought the original after the race and took it to Germany. The car is believed to have been scrapped after testing in the 1960s, although that fate is not certain. The No. 50 displayed by the Hall is a near-perfect recreation, not the surviving original.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: Paul Goldsmith (2022 account of the Daytona race and No. 50).
- Hot Rod: 1963 Pontiac Tempest Super Duty (2009 feature reporting the aluminum-front-end count and engine details).
- Automotive History Preservation Society: 1963 Pontiac Tempest AMA specifications catalog.
- General Motors Heritage Collection: 1964 Pontiac Tempest LeMans GTO.
- GM News: GTO history.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
