One of the highlights of the 1954 GM Motorama car show was the Chevy Corvette-based Pontiac Bonneville Special. The Bonneville Special was a two-seat, high-performance luxury coupe concept from the imagination of Harley J. Earl. It featured frameless doors with split upper and lower halves, the upper half formed into a Plexiglass roof. The name was taken from the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Two Bonneville Specials, one in Emerald Green, the other in Metallic Bronze, were showcased at the Motorama.
The Pontiac Bonneville name would return for the 1957 model year as the pinnacle trim level for the 1957 Pontiac Star Chief convertible. The Bonneville came with Rochester mechanical fuel injection and almost every available option except the continental kit and air conditioning.
The Pontiac Bonneville became its own model for the 1958 model year. The Bonnie could be had as either a two-door hardtop or a convertible. The 1958 Bonneville didn’t carry as many options as it did the previous year, making it much more affordable. Standard power came from a four-barrel carb-fed 370 cubic-inch V8 producing 255 horsepower. Fuel injection was an available option, but few buyers laid down the $500 for it. Tri-Power carburetion from triple two-barrel Rochester carburetors could be had for just $93.50, and boosted the 370’s output to 300 horsepower, while the mechanical fuel injection produced 310 ponies. Spent gasses left via true dual exhaust.
The Pontiac Bonneville continued to change with the rest of GM’s B-Body platform. 1959 marked the Bonneville’s second generation that lasted just two years, with 1961 bringing the Bonnie’s third generation, and the fourth generation bowing in 1965. 1969 was the penultimate year of the fourth-generation Pontiac Bonneville. 1969 was the final year of the wide grille with Pontiac’s trademark center beak. The body had become longer, lower, and wider, with flared fenders and a pinched waist, though a beltline crease seemed to lessen the visual effect. Power came from a standard 428 cube V8 yielding 360 horsepower.
Our feature 1969 Pontiac Bonneville is one of 5,438 convertibles built for the year. It is finished in its factory Matador Red hue with a white vinyl convertible top and red vinyl interior. Power comes from the 428 cubic-inch V8 backed by a three-speed automatic transmission. The Bonneville is equipped with power steering, power brakes with front discs, air conditioning, power convertible top, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an aftermarket CD stereo. It rolls on fourteen-inch steel Rally II wheels shod in radial whitewall rubber.
This 1969 Pontiac Bonneville convertible is currently being auctioned on Bring a Trailer, with the sale ending Wednesday, November 27th.
Comments
Great looking car. I wish Pontiac was still around. I owned Pontiac for years all good ones.
Love it. But they need to find the steering wheel for it.
1959 was the pinnacle of American Muscle.
edit: ’69