Antique & Classic Cars Blog

The BOP (Buick, Olds, Pontiac) 215 V8 is lesser known but not little known–especially if you’re into British cars. Its Rover-developed successor variants went in many cars, from the MGB GT V8 to R V8, to the TR8, the Rover P5B, P6, 3500, Range Rover… It was used by TVR, Ginetta, and many hot rods.

As to the original Buick, Olds and Pontiac variants, the Pontiacs are pretty rare. Lots of ‘61-’63 Specials, Skylarks and F-85s turn up with the aluminum V8, but the Tempests seldom were spec’ed with it. A GM history book I was reading once had a number for the 215 Tempests and it was about 200-something (should have written it down–and if I did, should have remembered where). Curiously, Wikipedia’s estimate is 3,662. Not sure where they got that… I’ve paid attention to the 215 cars for 15 years and over that time, I’ve maybe seen two 215 Tempests for sale.

Anyway, an eBay seller says he has one from a ‘61 Tempest. It’s very complete, though also stuck and with rust-through on things like the valve covers and a pulley. Obviously it needs a complete rebuild and it’s not a 4-bbl. Not advocating anyone buy it. If I was restoring a ‘61 Tempest, however, I’d want a V8 in it. How cool to get one that was really from a ‘61 Tempest.

Thanks to reader Jerome for sending in this photo of him and his son in their Model A trying–and succeeding!–to balance on a see-saw in a gymkhana event.

Guess they got ‘er balanced by getting the car’s center of gravity as close as possible to dead center over the fulcrum and then leaning back and forth in their seats to fine tune.

You know you’re a car lover when someone asks if you want to play on the see-saw and you reply, “Can I bring my Ford?”

They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. I have no idea what they mean by that.

But a change all Minneapolis classics fans will note—and rue—is the closing of Yesterday’s Auto on Lyndale. No, it hasn’t gone bankrupt. Owner Al Hagen has simply decided to move on, leasing the building he owns to other business interests.

I got lucky dropping by today. Al was around when I pulled up to leave the characteristic side-of-pinky-and-palm and tip-of-nose print on the big glass gawkin’ windows one last time.

He invited me in and I listened as he talked about the biz, the cars, the future. How strange to see that showroom, crammed with classics for as long as I’ve lived in this wondrous wintry state, now mostly empty.

He showed me the top floor, which he has businesses I can’t mention tentatively lined up to occupy. Once it was filled with storage-clients’ cars. It’s a coooool space, big and old with huge windows looking out on Lyndale and the surrounding neighborhood. To the northeast, the skyline is visible 3 miles away. Al paid for those windows, double insulated and made to look old, and they’re staying, retaining views future tenants will enjoy.

We ventured to the basement too, long a storage area for local vehicles from mint classics to roll-cage equipped Carrera Panamericana race cars.

The Mustang below got rolled on a shorter race, the Chihuahua Express. Yes, it might make more sense to get another body shell than rebuild a rolled one (though ‘66 coupes are hard to come by), but this car has sentimental value. Besides, anything’s fixable and the memories are more important to the owner than the money.

Only a few cars remain in a space that once held close to 100 on all three floors. Among them is this curious Corvette, a reproduction of a Greenwood IMSA racer, with genuine panels. Not my style–more David Hasselhoff’s, I’d say–but you can bet this thing sticks to the ground like a warm wad of gum.

Also on hand are a couple of Hagen’s own cars, including a Nash Metropolitan he bought for his wife, and the ‘62 Vette he’s owned since he was 20 years old.

There’s a bit of the vintage automobilia that jazzed up the shop still on hand too. I loved these three radios, two by Crosley–yeah, that Crosley, and the third a bakelite Montgomery Wards set with FM band from the late ’40s. One of the Crosleys is an old clock radio with a curious feature–a clock-controlled outlet you could plug your coffee maker into to kick on the old java machine at the early hour of your choosing.

Lot of great car memories still hang in the air, if not on the walls. Funny thing is, now that he’s getting out of the car business, Al finally has time to enjoy cars. He’s going to redo that Metropolitan, as well as his Vette. And he’s hoping to have a little fun on the Carrera Panamericana himself.

Best of luck to you, Al, and thanks for supporting the classic car hobby for so many great years.