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Cool Rides: Stephen Fowler's 1967 Tempest a car that's hard to resist

July 21, 2008|CLAY JACKSON

Stephen Fowler always wanted a classic car from the 1950s or 1960s. That's what attracted him to the Pontiac Tempest.

"The Pontiac Tempest stands out from the crowd; the car is different than most cars you see. Everyone has Camaros, Chevelles or Mustangs," Fowler says.

The classic came from Bagdad - Bagdad, Ky., that is.

The Boyle County native enjoys the looks that he gets when he tells people where he got the car.

It's not a Pontiac Grand Turismo Omologato or GTO, but a clone, called a Tempest Custom built in 1967. The Tempest also is made by Pontiac.

Fowler bought the car in 2003, after it had been sitting in a barn for 10 years. The car still was running, but he did have to rebuild the engine soon after he purchased it.

The two-door convertible is special to him. The work rebuilding the engine was done with the help of his father, Steve "Wedge" Fowler.

The engine is a V-8, 400 big block with a three speed automatic transmission. The car has a wheelbase of 115 inches and a length of 206.6 inches.

Fowler feels the bright yellow car is "classy" and he loves the way it rides and how he feels in the car.

"Everyone has new cars and those little imports. It's nice having two tons of steel around you instead of the plastic you see on a lot of cars today."

He took a couple years off from working on it, but wants to get back to fixing it up. He's trying, and sometimes he feels that he's in a little over his head. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done. One goal for the car is to install a new interior and work on the trunk. Fowler hopes to continue the work with his dad.

They have worked on a few other cars together, including a 1978 Monte Carlo and 1983 Oldsmobile Delta 88.

"It was fun spending the time and working with him," Fowler said, adding it was the main reason that he got the Tempest.

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