This 1964 Pontiac sales film is smooth

Produced by GM Photographic, Smooth Sailing for ’64 reveals many attributes found in the Pontiacs of that model year, but it centers mostly on the intermediate A-body versions of the Tempest and Le Mans, describing them as “brand new from stem to stern,” and larger than their Y-body senior-compact namesakes of previous years.

A new 140-hp 215-cu.in. six-cylinder engine is standard and is based on Chevrolet’s inline-six design, but it features a smaller bore than Chevy’s 230. The returning optional 250-hp Pontiac 326 two-barrel and 280-hp 326 four-barrel engines are briefly discussed as well.

With the subject matter skewed toward a “quiet and smooth ride,” the film delves into the myriad reasons why the new A-body and the full-size cars have improved in those areas. Views of the bare 1964 Tempest chassis and that of the larger Pontiac with exposed suspensions and drivetrains, followed by the close-up shots of their components, are worth the price of admission (actually more, since it’s free).

The early 1960s senior-compact Tempest and Le Mans featured unitized construction, a 112-inch wheelbase, a flexible driveshaft housed in a curved torque tube, a rear-mounted transaxle, independent coil-spring front and rear suspension, and a standard four-cylinder engine.

Conversely, the 1964 intermediate Tempest, Tempest Custom, and Le Mans feature a separate perimeter frame, a longer 115-inch wheelbase, and 14 “strategically placed,” “pillow-soft,” “butyl-rubber” body mounts, all of which are credited with better isolation of “road disturbances” and engine and transmission noises. Ride and handling traits are courtesy of a revised independent front suspension, a new four-link rear suspension with a solid axle, and the tuning of the coil springs and shocks. The transmission is mounted in the conventional location.

After praising the smoothness of the Tempest’s new inline six-cylinder engine, a jab was taken at Buick’s V-6 (also used in the Olds F-85). “One last reminder,” the host says. “An inline six can be perfectly balanced. A V-6 is inherently unbalanced and rough. And you know something else? Our six is lighter than most V-6s being used.”

Updates to the full-size car’s chassis are also illustrated, and Wide-Track is hailed. Revised insulation placement is discussed, and additional engineering advances in braking and more are shown.

To prove that the 1964 Pontiacs are quieter on the road than the 1963 models, reel-to-reel tape recordings containing noise tests of a 1963 versus a 1964 Tempest are played. Recordings of the full-size 1963 and 1964 Bonneville are also played. Oddly, the 1963 Bonneville sounds considerably louder than both Tempests. The 1964 Bonneville convertible was even tested against a 1963 Cadillac convertible and is quieter in the recording. Pontiac’s added “fiber-pad insulation” in the header area of the convertible top is stated as the reason why.

Though there’s little action in this particular production, there are at least a few road shots to present the various models. However, for some reason, station wagons don’t appear in it and neither does a Le Mans equipped with the GTO option. Whether or not the film was produced prior to finalizing the GTO option for production or it was left out purposely due to the political climate at GM at the time regarding its rule-breaking status of having an engine larger than 330-cu.in. (or some other reason) is anyone’s guess. Nevertheless, the film is still entertaining and nostalgic.

This film was posted by King Rose Archives.