In Henry Howard’s translation of an epigram from Roman author Martial, we are reminded to be “contented with thine own estate.” That’s good advice, but it’s hard to follow when one doesn’t have a big 1960s Pontiac in the garage. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted one; unfortunately, every last one of them is at least a half-foot too long to fit into my storage situation. That’s too bad, because our first-team Barn Finder T.J. has come up with another big eight-lug-equipped Poncho; this time, it’s a 1964 Bonneville Convertible being posted on Hagerty Marketplace with no reserve. That’s the good news. The bad news is, potentially, that it’s located in Marine City, Michigan, my home state, which is known (as you might know) for its use of corrosive salt as a wintertime road treatment. Will that affect bidding? It currently sits at $5,250 with 11 days to go.

We might as well temper our expectations a bit by looking at the rough side. There is definitely the typical Michigan scaly rust, and I’m sure this whole situation looks untenable for anyone who isn’t accustomed to cars from the salt belt; however, I can tell you that from my perspective, this isn’t that bad. I’m a little concerned about the corner of the frame in the upper left corner of the picture, and I’m definitely concerned about whatever used to be metal on the inside of the rocker panel at the top of the picture. The floors, on the other hand, don’t look bad at all, and if the rest of the undercarriage is limited to this kind of damage, it wouldn’t keep me from buying the car if I were interested. I’d just have to know what I was getting into going in.

There are some bumps and bruises on the car, too. It’s nothing too serious, but it’s important to note that you’re not buying a show winner. The odometer reads 49,000 miles, and while the seller can’t verify that, he believes it to be original. I’m inclined to agree; if it’s truly a Michigan car, there would probably be nothing left of it if it had 149,000 on it.

The interior is worn but functional. It might be worth it to note that the optional bucket seats seen here were upholstered in “genuine leather,” and the wear pattern matches that of many old leather seating surfaces. Also, notice that this car has power windows. The driver’s door panel’s lower carpeted surface is in sad shape, but I imagine that that would be a relatively easy repair, and the rest of the door panel is in good enough shape for a driver (in my opinion).

The Bonneville’s standard engine with Hydra-Matic was the 303-horsepower, premium-fuel 389, and nothing in the seller’s ad copy alludes to this car having any optional equipment in the engine department. It does appear to have an aftermarket plastic/aluminum radiator, and the seller says little more about its condition other than mentioning that it has an exhaust leak and could use an engine compartment detailing. Although the ad says that the car has a three-speed automatic, the Bonneville used the four-speed Hydra-Matic as standard equipment for the last time in 1964 (and the shift bezel supports the idea that this car has it).

The seller says that the convertible top is a replacement, and it appears to be in pretty good shape with a clear-ish back window. While the underbody picture raises a few red flags, I wouldn’t give up hope yet, ladies and gentlemen, especially if you live in the Great Lakes State and happen to be accustomed to what the tinworm can really do when it puts on its nasty pants. If the bidding doesn’t get too out of hand, you could end up with a perfectly usable top down cruiser come summer, and regardless of what Martial says, many of us will be envious.