3-On-The-Tree! 1963 Pontiac Bonneville

The Bonneville arrived in 1957 as a special edition convertible of the Pontiac Star Chief. It became a series of its own in 1958 (adding a hardtop), and the car expanded beyond two doors in 1959 and remained a Pontiac fixture through 2005. The third generation ran from 1961 to 1964, with stacked headlights becoming a trademark in 1963 (but only through 1967). The seller has a one-owner 1963 Bonneville Sport Coupe that may not have run for 40 years. Yet, the body, interior, and paint are remarkably nice. With what may be a rare 3-speed manual transmission, this Bonney is available here on eBay in Hardy, Arkansas, where the current bid is $2,225 (reserve unmet).

Because the Bonneville is a luxury car, you would typically expect to find one with an automatic transmission. Or occasionally a 4-speed manual with a floor shifter, But a “3-on-the-tree” manual, which is the case with the seller’s car? Was it a special order car, or am I making an assumption that most people wouldn’t have ordered a ’63 Bonneville with a column-shifted manual? Just shy of 31,000 sport coupes were built in 1963.

We’re told this Pontiac retired to a farm shed in 1986, perhaps due to the engine. We see one of the valve covers is missing, and the seller admits the 389 cubic inch V8 will need to be rebuilt. The rest of the car is original, including the aqua paint and white interior, both of which only show minor wear at 20,000 miles (or 120,000). The shed may have been in Iowa, though the car found its way south later.

The backup lights are incomplete, and new online replacements aren’t cheap. The tires are ancient, but three of them will hold air for trailer loading. The seller would have gotten the Pontiac running again but is moving out west, and the Poncho isn’t going with him. If you need the car delivered, the seller will do it for $2.50 a mile. Other vintage autos are for sale, including a 1958 Apache pickup, a 1971 C10, and a 1954 Bel Air, all Chevrolets.