The sixties, especially the early sixties were an exciting time for Pontiac, they were at the top of their game with unique designs and performance. The 2nd generation Bonneville was no exception. This very unique 1960 Bonneville Vista 4-door hard top was a special order model equipped with a Tri-Power 389! Find it here on ebay in Landenberg PA for 10,495 BIN. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Jamie for the tip!
The 4 door hardtop Bonneville Vista is really a sharp design, and a rare sighting. The way this particular car is optioned makes it one of a kind. According to the ad this car was ordered and delivered to Union Park Pontiac in Delaware, a dealership known for its NHRA cars at the time. The car was optioned without power brakes and power steering but with the triple carb 389, a setup usually reserved for the Bonneville Convertible.
Here is what makes the car so special, its ironic the very thing that makes the car unique is responsible for its removal from the road and long term storage, which is ultimately what preserved the car. The car suffered a fire in the rear carburetor which damaged the hood and fender. After the fire the vehicle was put into storage around 1970. At some point the owner removed the Tri-Power setup and installed a 4 barrel, and replaced the front clip. The project stalled for some reason and was never finished.
The car looks to be in good original condition, mileage is listed as 66,157. If the vehicle was indeed taken off the road in 1970, referring to the oil service sticker in 1969 makes the mileage check out. I always enjoy seeing these stickers in a vintage car, it helps to validate and tell a story. I also like the Union Park dealer emblem on the trunk. The vehicle does not run but all original engine parts are included.
The ad states the interior is in very good original condition, the dash is showing some cracking and a replacement is included. The carpets need replacing and the floors are said to be solid with only surface rust due to a recently developed windshield leak.
The seats, door panels and steering wheel are in very good condition. Pontiac had a very attractive interior, hopefully all of the hard to find interior trim parts are all there. It would be nice to see this car restored using as much of the original paint and interior as possible. This Bonneville would be a stunning addition to any collection or car show.
I could swear this car was featured on this site several months ago, maybe even late last year.
Steve R
It looks like it was only a month ago:
https://barnfinds.com/super-rare-1960-bonneville-vista-tri-power-389/
Thank you.
Steve R
Probably the best looking car in 1960.
i dont understand how they claim its one of one? no mention of how they came about this number
Not hard to believe at all – at the time, ordering a four door with tri power was considered insanity, unless you were a rum runner.
My Dad ordered a ’58 Pontiac Star Chief 4-door Catalina hardtop with tri-power 370 new in April of 1958. It even had a/c, rare those days. He drove it for 6 years then I got it at 19 and drove it until I was 25, when he traded the ’58 in on a new 1970 Bonneville and I got his ’64 Bonnie. Dad owned a successful CPA practice and probably would have driven Buicks or Chryslers but we had a family connection to a Pontiac dealership so he could always get them at cost.
I miss that old Star Chief. Not long after I got it in ’64 a bunch of friends were heading to the Jersey shore, split between my “new” car and my roommate’s brand new Mustang convertible. Everyone flocked to the Mustang, fighting for a seat. I had my eye on my roommate’s girlfriend’s sister. I suggested to her that 2 wind-blown hours scorched by the sun and 95 degree heat might get old, and that my car had air conditioning. Being a smart girl she chose to ride in comfort. I had that a/c cranked as high as it would go. It worked, and mile after mile the petite girl in shorts and tank top snuggled closer and closer. Three years later we married, and just celebrated our 51st Anniversary. By the way, her sister dumped my roommate a month later for a guy with a Lincoln.
While the 1960 Bonne was a nice car, it was no muscle car. It was a barge. I’m sure over-zealous salesmen probably tried to get Tri-power( since the fuel injection was a flop) on everything that went out the door, when really, all that was needed was a 4 barrel, and due to the fickle operation of the 3 deuces, many went the 4 barrel route anyway. It wasn’t until backyard mechanics put these motors in Tempests, is when things got interesting.
OMG Sinclair? Talk about a time capsule.
Well, 2 1/2 carbs now…
Does it have the original rear seat? Moonshiners usually left those at the dealership when they bought a new car.
Since Pontiac no phs document. No proof. Nice with Pontiac spend 25 bucks ,used to be. find out what it is or isn’t.
PHS docs are available for 1961-86.
The E-Bay ad mentions the tranny as a 4 speed Hydro-matic.
Typing error me thinks?
As I recall the old Hydramatic was a 4-speed auto, which was supplanted by the 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic a few years later.
What makes it so special to command a asking price like this?
I remember seeing a 65 Bonneville 4 door hardtop equipped with a bench seat / 4 speed / factory tach back in 77/78. Was certain that someone had made the switch to the floor shifter but the column was correct for a non-automatic car. Guess family man still had some teenager in him. So maybe this one isn’t really a 1-1 as claimed. PHS as previously noted would confirm.
Dallas, unfortunately PHS is for 1961-86 only, so in this case, documentation, body tags, and stampings will be what the buyer will need to look at to try to authenticate. Not sure how far that can get you though.
Doug I believe the Buicks of 1960 were far and away the most attractive of GM’s corporate line-up.
My grandmother gave me her 1960 Pontiac Boniville 4 door, 389 tri-power, white w/red interior in 1973 when I was in high school. The motor mount broke on it one day and scared the $&\% our of me and my buddy’s. Someone shot out the back window one night while it was parked on the street. I couldn’t find a replacement that I could afford so in 1976 I sold the car for $50.