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Absolutely No Rust: 1978 Pontiac Bonneville

GM downsized its B-Body cars for the 1977 model year but this 1978 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham is still a big car. Although, at almost 18-feet in length it’s one foot shorter than the previous generation cars were and 800 pounds lighter! This big, burgundy beauty can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $6,500 or best offer. It’s located in Scarborough, Maine and it sounds and looks like a car that a person could drive home. Thanks to Jay for tracking down and sending in this great looking Bonneville tip!

This angle really makes this two-door Bonneville Brougham look long. I’m a wicked huge fan of this elegant two-tone paint scheme, I think that’s a great feature. Also, being a two-door model is unusual to see in these big luxury cars. There aren’t many companies today that offer a two-door luxury car.

The seller of this beautiful, sixth-generation Bonneville says that it was “stored for 15 years absolutely no rust drives like new 49400 miles”. Those are the best words this side of “Scotty G, the Powerball office is on line 1.” And, if I ever did win I would have a gigantic Amazon.com-like warehouse full of cars like this, all with trickle chargers on them and ready to go. The dreaded malaise era often comes up when showing cars of this vintage, but this is when I started driving, at least legally, and this era is forever burned into my soul, good or bad.

Wow, now that’s an interior! Give me a red interior every time. This is one gorgeous car. There are no photos of the back seat but I imagine that they’re in even nicer condition than the front seats are, which look like they’re brand new and wrinkled-by-design. What an era. There are no engine photos, unfortunately, but this car has the standard 301 cubic-inch V8 with 135 hp. This really looks like a time capsule and a beautiful, unique one at that. I hope that I’m not the only fan of the sixth-generation Bonnevilles here?

Comments

  1. Avatar LT1 Mike

    Like sitting in a La-Z Boy recliner crusin’ down the highway, with enough power to haul 5 adults and trunk full of luggage.(or groceries) I like seeing time capsules like this, and with continued proper care will give years of driving comfort and reliability. Good luck to the new owner.

    Like 13
  2. Avatar Sam61

    Ditto….great fair weather driver, original sticker was probably around $8,000. We had a 77 Delta 88 sedan. There is a pristine 77 Delta 88 coupe Indy pace car in our town.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Thomas

      I have this exact car including color scheme except it is not broughm and sticker was 6300. My parents bought it brand new for 5592.00. I still have the window sticker. Car runs great 181000 miles.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar rmward194 Member

    I was 17 at the time this car was new and working as a porter at a Pontiac dealership. Most of the Bonneville Brougham’s ordered by our dealer had the padded landau top and Rallye Wheels or Wire Wheel Covers. The two-tone paint and finned wheel covers make this somewhat of a rare bird. And finally, a car with some options that was saved and pampered. Seems like so many of the low mileage cars are basic grandma optioned cars.

    Nice Bonneville Brougham! If I only had the room.

    Like 7
  4. Avatar Ron

    My mother had one just like it. It had a 400 in it and drove really smooth and still plenty of torque. Great car for sure. I had already been driving for some years and had already had my share of cars but I still loved driving that car. She had moved to Florida and took it with her. I used to go down there and tune it up for her and made sure it was working perfect.

    Like 5
  5. Avatar Herbee

    Make a good lo Rider

    Like 1
    • Avatar Thomas

      No, that ruins nice cars like these.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Justin Plant

    My second car was a 78 Bonneville. It was brown. My friends called it “The Big Ugly” it had a 301. It was a complete turd. The best it ever ran was the day it drove off in someone else’s hands.

    Like 4
  7. Avatar 71FXSuperglide

    301 CI/135 HP? To move that boat along? Wow.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Mark Evans

    Had this identical car as a rental in Florida. Absolutely loved it & was quite impressed by the 301. Came back home ready to buy one. Found out they were only available with the 305 turd of an engine in Canada. No Sale.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Ralph

      Impressed by the 301?..you could have had a 403 in this as well..

      Like 1
  9. Avatar Moparmann Member

    Not a fan of wheel covers; I’d put a set of Rally II’s, or color matched Snowflakes upon it and RIDE!! :-)

    Like 2
  10. Avatar Vance

    A 301 engine with 135 hp pulling what, 4000 pounds? That’s like running 100 yard dash wearing a snowmobile suit with boots on. I too began driving in 1979, nice car but negatory on the 301.

    Like 2
  11. Avatar Rustytech Member

    You must remember the 135 hp was net. They had just changed the rating method a couple years before this. The 301 was no rocket, but it did ok, and gave decent MPG for a car this size, and at least it was a Pontiac sourced engine! I ordered an Olds. 88 in 77, and the only way I could ged an Olds. engine was to order the 403ci. which with other mandatory options raised the price significantly. It also got 14 mpg. Compared to this engines 20mpg.

    Like 2
  12. Avatar Mitch Ross Member

    Less than 4000lbs, I’d say around 3700. Nice ride, beautiful and fairly priced. This a a car you could actually use in nice weather to go out to a nice restaurant and have it parked in front.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Mark Evans

    Ralph, Canadians look at gas mileage much more than our American cousins because we’ve been getting gouged at the pumps for decades. The 301 was a nice compromise.

    Like 2

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