1963 Bonneville

Here's a page dedicated to the newest member of my personal automotive family. A 1963 Pontiac Bonneville. This car has been in the family since it was originally purchased from a Pasadena, California dealership in May of 1963. It belonged to my aunt and uncle who still live in the LA area and has been treasured since it was new. This car has made the cross-country trek from LA to New England about 5 times in its lifetime. From my earliest recollections of the car I remember thinking it was really cool, but it wasn't until I was old enough to drive that I really became enamored of it. When I was 16 or 17 I told my aunt and uncle that I really wanted the car if and when they decided to let go of it.

Well, it took nearly 20 years for that to happen, but in hind-sight I truly believe that things worked out for the best. As much as I liked the car back then, I know a 17 year old could not have taken proper care of this car and it would probably not exist right now. My aunt and uncle were kind enough to give the car to me and all I had to do was pay to have it brought back east via enclosed trailer. For that I contracted with Intercity Lines; and I have to say that I can't imagine anybody else taking better care of the car during transit, unless they owned the car themselves.

Back Story

I've decided to nickname her Baby since that is how my aunt and uncle often referred to her in phone conversations. To me she's a thing of beauty. I love the look of this front end. In '64 the full-size Pontiacs removed the "eyebrow" from the headlight bezel. Maybe it looked futuristic back then, but I think they just lost character.

Here she is getting her first bath. She's got a few parking lot dings here and there and she could use a new coat of paint, but I'm going to buff her out. I've already done some and it has made a remarkable difference in her appearance. 40 years in the Southern California sun, while not exactly kind to the paint, has most certainly benifited the over-all integrity of the rest of the car.

Talk about motorvation... You're looking at 389 cubic inches of Pontiac propulsion. It's got the optional 4 bbl carb (Carter AFB) and plenty of torque to push 2 tons of American iron around. I've been a Chevy guy since I can remember, but have always had a soft spot for all sorts of Ponchos. This is actually the 3rd Pontiac I've owned. Anyway, I'll admit I've got a thing or two to learn about the ins and outs of the Pontiac V8 but that just makes it more fun, no?

Installation of her new tags moments prior to her maiden voyage. After 40 years she still purrs like a kitten. She's a blast to drive but you have to be very careful when driving 'round town. Some people don't appreciate fine old Detroit iron and I've learned to give them a wide berth.

Cruisin'

Let me say, having a project car is so much more fun when it is a car that can also be driven and enjoyed during the time that you're working on it. Most of the work needed on this car is cosmetic. New seat covers, that sort of thing. Unlike the Nova, this car can be easily wheeled out of the garage to tool around town in.

Most of the work that I want to do first involves making the car easier to drive. The first thing that I plan to change is the ignition system. I will be upgrading the points distributor with a Pertronix Ignitor II kit. First and formost, I love the look and originality of this car and I will not make ANY modifications that cannot be easily UN-done. I want to upgrade the original front drum brakes but will not do that unless I can find an aftermarket kit that involves nothing more than bolt-on application.

The cockpit. Extraodinary shape for a 40 year old car with an original interior, if you ask me. I've seen photos of better but they're mostly restored and I've seen worse, far worse. This one is definitely a welcome sight. It's got that old car smell too. :-) Pure heaven

Just a little bit of a fun shot. Here's the hauler inbound on a cool and damp Friday afternoon. The driver called a few minutes before they entered town and we boogied over to the main route into town to catch them in the act. They, the driver and his wife, were somewhat bewildered by the flash of a camera when they caught it out of the corner of their eyes.

Uh, Oh.

Ahhh... THAT doesn't look right! Seems about 4 feet too far to the left, I think.

Well, darn it if the transmission didn't give out on me. Here it sits waiting for a rebuild. Click here to see how that turns out.