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Big Yellow Bonnie: 1965 Pontiac Bonneville

When we look at cars on eBay we dream of finding a nice survivor for a reasonable price that won’t be too expensive to maintain. If this Bonneville that Damien found for us is as nice as the pictures, it could be a nice driver. Though some may not like the color of this Bonneville, Mayfair Maize, most would love the style. This and its GM versions was one of the most popular designs ever. Jeff wrote about a very similar Bonneville last fall here on Barn Finds also in Kentucky Kentucky. They do love their yellow Bonnies in Kentucky though not as well as their whiskey, no doubt. I prefer the black interior, skirts and yellow top on this one listed on eBay  It’s in Morehead, Kentucky with a buy it now of $9,500.  There’s not much information posted in the ad but the seller does say it has been repainted and had some mechanical attention. The seller describes it as a cruiser, inferring that the 389 CID engine runs.

It certainly looks nice and original inside. The dash is in incredible condition. I always loved instrument clusters like these that hint at performance.

This Bonneville looks great in the front view as well. The chrome all looks really nice and the trim is complete. Perhaps there’s lots of bondo under that fresh paint but hopefully, there’s not. A peek under the hood would have been nice. With chrome this nice and that beautiful interior, there is hope that this Bonneville is as nice as it looks.The asking price seems high, of course, but what would it take to get a typical $5,000 car to be this nice. I understand many would lower it and add custom wheels. A set of those cool eight bolt finned rims would be nice, but the hubcaps are just fine for me. What do you think you’d find if you were to inspect this big yellow Bonnie?

Comments

  1. Avatar Rob M.

    We could all live in a yellow bonnie! A yellow bonnie! A yellow bonnie! What a boat!

    Like 0
    • Avatar PatrickM

      Boat? Yes. But, I don’t like yellow cars. I’d have to repaint it, first.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Dovi65

    BEAUTIFUL! Decent price, too. I’d much prefer a 4 door in a more subdued tone, but still … WOW. Love the mid-60s Pontiacs

    Look at the amount of sheet metal used on those rear flanks; just one side is more than used on the entirety of my 2017 Ford sedan

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Classic Steel

    My friend in HS had this in blue and it was a great car to cruise distances to concerts ….

    I had a 69 Rally Z28 which was good but a lil tight for more than two in a car 👀

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Chuck Cobb

    8 bolt wheels were stylish but STILL DRUM brakes.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mark

      8 bolt wheels? I don’t think so.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Duffy

    Would like to see a picture of the vehicle before it was painted. That would justify the asking price. I am a Pontiac man, love those big Pontiacs. If the vehicle is as solid as the ad states, price would be fair. With out a picture or documentation before being painted it is a $5000.00 car. Seller, put up a picture of the interior, under the hood and a picture of the vehicle before being worked on. Justify the asking price. Only my opinion.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Michael

    One of the janitors at my high school had this car. One of my friends stole it right out of the parking lot. I saw him the next evening still driving the car. He stopped and said “get in”. I declined. He kept it for 3 to 4 days then finally left it at the train station unharmed. Love this car!

    Like 0
  7. HoA Rube Goldberg Member

    My uncle bought a brand new ’65 Catalina like this. It was green and replaced his ’61 “Bubbletop” Ventura. Aside from the gauges, it wasn’t much different than this. On trips to our cottage, it was always more fun when we took the Poncho. My uncle( unlike the old man) had a heavy foot, we passed every car in sight.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar ccrvtt

    Even though the 8-bolt wheels are drum brakes they complete the classic look for this car. The ’65-’66 GM full-size 2-doors are some of the most elegant designs from the golden era. They are BIG cars yet they manage to look graceful. They also had a 47-acre front seat – no need to climb into the back ;).

    Like 0
    • Avatar jackthemailman

      I have it on good authority (thanks, Becky!) that the front seats of two door coupes are wider than the rear seats. And I doubt if those hubcaps are hiding 8 lug wheels – those were all on the fancy aluminumnumnum jobbies.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Steven D Visek

      I agree, but those are just wheel covers. No 8-lugs on this Bonnie.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar john t

    here is mine

    Like 0
  10. Avatar EHide Behind

    There is a convertible in Longview Wa. That I would gladly give up to 17,500.
    But he won’t sell, second owner, interior and exterior green over white spotless.
    MOTOR, 389 OR 421?
    This one at cursory look, meager at that to a Poncho collectors seen go for 15k.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar charlie Member

    A great car. 19 mpg on the road, 13 around town. Had a ’69. Vinyl upholstery showed almost no wear at 175,000 miles. Big 400 cu inch (more or less I am told) was still running fine, automatic transmission still fine. BUT it ate water pumps, maybe 40,000 miles each. The ‘hydraulic’ (could have been compressed air) connection between the heater/AC controls and the actual parts failed to work frequently, especially when it was cold and you needed the heat, and, most fatal, the frame cross member that held up the rear of the transmission (as the 3rd motor mount) suffered from metal fatigue, not rust, and one nice summer afternoon, just dropped the rear of the transmission and front of the drive shaft onto the road. It had minimal ground clearance, I bought bigger junkyard Chevy wheels to add another 1/2 inch to the height and bigger tires for another 1/2 inch, so the tires would rub the wheel wells sometimes. But it was FAST off the line, and top speed was well in excess of 110mph.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Steven D Visek

      Morrokide is forever!

      Like 0
  12. Avatar newfieldscarnut

    My first car was a 65 Catalina Wagon I bought from my postman for $35 . It had a bad outer front wheel bearing . I was able to pound it off and smooth out the spindle . I had miles and miles of fun in that car . It’s 389 would light up the rear tires at 30-35 mph when I put the accelerator down ! I am actively looking for one preferably in dark blue to relive the good old days .

    Like 0
  13. Avatar EHide Behind

    Has everyone forgotten the 421 that was introduced 60-62 especially their dealer option 421 Super Duty mills?
    At first it had tripower and last ones could be had with Dual Quads.
    We replaced a 66 GTO 389 with tripower with one of these rebuilt with an even better solid lifter cam, 421 original tripowers while rebuilding old mill, 1.8 sec quicker in 1/4 mile..
    LATER WE PULLED the 428 out of 71 Grand Prix 4spd ?SCJ¿ and replaced with this 421 SD which had run hard for 2 years without rebuild.
    421 was built for NASCAR originally, but I saw a plain 63 sedan with one installed.
    Days when Corp made it easy, not like Chev later COPO years.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Jose Delgadillo

    Lush. Proof that GM knew how to style a car in those days.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Ken

    I had a beautiful white 65 grand prix. Loved that car. But quick , not even. They were fast out on the hiway. But huge. They were never meant 2 b quick. N. Fast

    Like 0

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