Winter boredom project

[Tom Kochtanek]

Unfortunately the Bonnevilles of that year are not quite as desirable as the smaller wheelbase Catalinas and certainly the Venturas. It's pretty easy to get upside down in restoring one. Cheaper to buy one already done or well preserved. But I really do like the looks of that 61 Poncho .

Now if it was one of those 62 GP 421 four speed Super Dutys, that would be a different story .

Ask Tommy Nolen what it costs just to restore a steering wheel, let alone the full tri-color interior...

 

[4onthefloor]

For sure Ventura/Catalina more valuable. Had a 61 Ventura that was beautiful but there are Bonneville exceptions. I had a 61 Bonny convert, 348 horse 4peed, 8 lug etc that needed total restoration from Cali. I sold it as is and it is now totally restored and stunning. I have never seen anothe “sport shifter” which was basically the 61 Corvette shifter on the floor. It was very cool. Bristol blue with 4 colors of leather hard back buckets. There are pics out there now of that one.one of a handful of california emission 348 horse 4 speed engines. Of that only a few were convertibles.

 

[4onthefloor]

Here it is. Had to take 100k to restore or close to it. The name Steve Marini in the article is the guy I bought it from. I got it running with a plastic gas can. The shit that came out of those mufflers took a half hour to clean up. But the tri power vacuum system worked and it ran. I sold,it back to Steve because I did not want to tackle it. He did a hell of a job. I found every piece of trim including tail light housings NOS. I bought all the leather from SMS and had the door panels made. But you could see your feet when you opened the trunk and I just said screw it.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hppp-1961-pontiac-bonneville/

 

[DonSSDD]

That is a beautiful 62 Bonne.

Rechroming the trim and doing the interior back to stock on this era Pontiac is an arm and a leg more than a Chevy.

That is a very nice 61 wagon you have too.

 

[4onthefloor]

The cost is kind of prohibitive unless its a Ventura tri power 4 speed or something rare. My old wagon is a 20 footer but its fun.

 

[1964SuperStocker]

The cost is kind of prohibitive unless its a Ventura tri power 4 speed or something rare. My old wagon is a 20 footer but its fun.

My wagon is a 200 footer and its a blast!

 

[409newby]

In high school I used to try and sell cars to other classmates, my Brother in law would buy cars from the Gypsies for resale, he said he had a 62 Grand Prix with a 4 speed he got for$500 if I could sell it for $600 I would get $25 which in 1971 was a good profit so I asked a classmate if he was interested he said he would ask his Dad, his Dad said a 4 speed car probably had the guts run out of it, The car was perfect tan in color 389 4bbl 4 speed I told him he better take a look so he talked his Dad into looking, they took one look and his Dad said we'll take it $600 the good ol days I wish I had that car now !!!!!