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Original 455: 1975 Pontiac Bonneville Coupe

It is hard not to like a spotless classic car, especially when it is finished in black. That gives this 1975 Pontiac Bonneville a head-start when it comes to desirability. When you combine this with excellent overall condition, low mileage, and a 455ci V8 under the hood, it looks like a real winner. This striking Pontiac is now looking for a new home, so it has been listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Watertown, New York, with a BIN of $14,900. However, it looks like the owner could be open to realistic offers.

The seller says that the Starlight Black Bonneville was a special order by its original owner. It is hard to go wrong with a black-over-red combination, and this car would seem to prove that point. Under normal circumstances, the Bonneville is a model with presence, but the black paint merely adds to that impression. The paint isn’t perfect, but that is to be expected in an original and unrestored vehicle that is 45-years-old. There are a few tiny chips and marks, but there is nothing that would justify a repaint. The Starlight Black paint holds an excellent shine, with no signs of cracks or checking. The Black landau-style vinyl top is perfect, and there is no evidence of any bubbles that might indicate that it is hiding nasty surprises. Black paint will always show a multitude of sins and imperfections, but the panels on this car look to be wonderfully straight. There are no rust issues with the Pontiac. The floors and frame are perfect, and the panels are clean. The Bonneville has never seen a winter, which means that it has managed to avoid all of the obstacles that foul weather can throw at it. The chrome sparkles beautifully and provides a striking contrast to the paint. The wheels are free from visible damage, and there are no problems with the tinted glass.

When I look at the cars available on the market today, I wish that manufacturers were as adventurous with interior trim colors today as they were in the past. It seems that you can buy a new car today with an interior trimmed in any color that you like, as long as it is predominantly grey. This interior is in a striking shade of red, and it is in excellent condition. There is no appreciable wear on the front seats, and I doubt that the rear seat has ever been used. The remaining trim is spotless, as is the dash, headliner, and carpet. The wheel shows no signs of wear or cracks and seems to support the seller’s claim that the Pontiac has a genuine 61,800 miles on the clock. The interior isn’t loaded with luxury appointments, but an AM/FM radio and cruise control are nice touches.

Buyers in 1975 had a choice of two engines that could be slotted under the hood of their shiny new Bonneville. In this case, the original owner chose to equip his purchase with the largest and most powerful option on offer. That means that we find a 455ci V8, which is backed by a 3-speed automatic transmission. At a total weight of 4,521lbs, this is a hefty beast. However, that 200hp V8 should still be capable of pushing the Pontiac through the ¼ mile in 18.2 seconds. This Bonneville is a numbers-matching vehicle, and the engine bay presents beautifully. This is for an excellent reason. The engine and transmission have recently been removed from the car, and the seller says they were “restored” before being refitted. I’m not sure whether he is talking about a cosmetic refresh or whether both were treated to a rebuild. However, the news is positive here, regardless. The seller says that the Pontiac runs and drives perfectly. The 455 kicks into life at the first turn of the key, it is quiet, and the transmission shifts smoothly.

By the time this 1975 Pontiac Bonneville rolled off the production line, the 5th Generation was reaching the end of its model life. The new generation that was introduced for the 1977 model year saw a significant down-size across the board. Finding a clean 5th Generation car today is becoming more difficult. So many cars from this era were seen to be largely disposable. That means that once they had reached their notional “use by” date, a large percentage were consigned to the scrapyards. This one has not only avoided that fate, but it is a stylish and spotless vehicle that is begging to be driven and appreciated by a new owner. If you are hunting for a larger classic car, then maybe this one is worth investigating further.

Comments

  1. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    For a ’75, this thing is really interesting. The bumpers don’t hurt it that badly, the rims and wheels work perfectly with the black body, and the half vinyl roof and red interior are really cool.

    Like 12
  2. Avatar MoragaPulsar

    No A/C! Major cheap out in 1975 = regrets 2020. Unwanted without A/C IMHO.

    Like 18
    • Avatar Josh

      A/C wouldn’t work by now anyway; better to avoid the complexity and drag without it!

      Like 5
    • Avatar BRIAN

      its very common for a car in ustate NY to have no a/c from this era..

      Like 1
  3. Avatar mgreene

    Beautiful car and true survivor coming from Upstate. However, adding a polished 6-71 would top-off its stature and performance tremendously.

    Like 2
  4. Avatar Pete Phillips

    I had a summer job in Watertown, N.Y. in 1980. The Mayor at that time drove a 1975, black, 4-dr. hardtop Pontiac Bonneville with red interior–in other words, the same car except it was a four-door. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was his other car, but probably not. I can tell you that you do not need air conditioning in Watertown in the summer, which is why this car has none. But a black car, with rear quarter windows that don’t roll down, no vent windows in the doors, and no A/C would be unbearable in almost any other part of the country!

    Like 6
  5. Avatar Paul

    Mom had a fully loaded ’76 Bonneville coupe with a 350 under the hood. She managed to get 18mpg with that car. Boy did we all love that car!! We took a lot of trips in it. She drove it 230,000 miles until the Wisconsin winters turned the undercarriage of the car into swiss cheese.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar PRA4SNW

    Seems like a nicer car and better buy than that 25K Cutlass.

    Like 3
  7. Avatar George Mattar

    I agree with Josh. For those of you who don’t know, it is 25 below zero during winter in upstate NY. In summer, it doesn’t get above 80. You don’t need air cond. I lived up there and never needed air cond. The 75 big Pontiacs were and are the best looking big GM cars of that era. I almost bought a 75 Bonne conv 30 years ago, but passed. Wish I had. To have no rust on a 45 year old car in Watertown means it never saw winter driving. Beautiful car.

    Like 3
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      Ever see anybody driving a VW bug up there in the dead of winter?
      Could be a death sentence with its “heater”. & forget it, if you break down.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Keith

    No air but power windows to get some air in would have been nice. What a stripper but the 455 is a strange engine upgrade on a stripper.Maybe a drag car was in the future of this one.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar David Miraglia

    Beautiful, classic Pontiac. Desirable as hell.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Keith

    This is going to be a hard sell for not having any options and the no A/C is going to kill this car to ware nobody will want it. Too bad it is not the ragtop that would so much easier to sell without the A/C. Curious to see what they get for it because it is very clean

    Like 2
  11. Avatar Amishtrucker

    Dad had a 72 Granville, 4 door, 455 4 barrel. My brother, then myself would sneak it out, flip the air cleaner lid, then hang on!!! You could suck leaves off the tree lawn when that 4 barrel opened up. My friends would say, “hey, light em up!!!” I’d say ” ya want a 50 footer or a 50 yarder?” Yeah, they were tanks, but they still had plenty of oomph!! No need for A/C, Dad had the windows down on every road trip. Permanent left arm tan. I carry on that tradition in my 18 wheeler. Ok, enough ramblings, I’d snap this Poncho up in a heartbeat if I had the garage for it. Reminds me of a wonderful little film clip I’d like to share…..
    https://youtu.be/9vACWV5sRcY

    Like 2
    • Avatar Jcs

      Yep. Flipping the air cleaner lid was a guaranteed 25 hp on Quadrajet equipped GMs. Everyone knows that. 😉

      Like 8
      • Avatar Poppy

        Yes, not much if any power gain, but it sure sounded faster when the secondaries opened…

        Like 0
  12. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    There’s that long dimple again in the tire sidewall in a modern replacement high profle tire. Nothing to worry about, tho.
    http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GJEAAOSwZ3FflKcv/s-l1600.jpg
    Yet, this is a Cooper, not a Sears Guardsman, where i also see this.
    Why would today’s computer aided manufacturing result in this, while a stoneage made 1975 tire not have this? Less natural(or amount of) rubber in the tire(sidewalls)?

    Like 0
  13. Avatar John

    Ouch. No AC and crank windows. Beautiful car, but I’ll definitely pass on that one.

    Like 3
  14. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Hand cranking a window can be a challenge….

    Like 3
    • Avatar Amishtrucker

      This comment is comedy. That’s like having a 65 GTO in mint condition dropped in your driveway for your birthday, seeing crank windows and saying “no thanks.”

      Like 3
      • Avatar JoeNYWF64

        Probably a younger reader. Sooner or later, tho, his or her modern car’s power windows with plastic wheels & parts inside will break/fail & will wonder why my friend’s crank windows in his ’68 nova have YET to fail – big simple steel gears inside – not a thin cable wire wrapped around plastic pulley(s)! Power windows love to break, while they are down & it starts to rain – hard. lol

        Like 3
  15. Avatar Amishtrucker

    This comment is comedy. That’s like having a 65 GTO in mint condition dropped in your driveway for your birthday, seeing crank windows and saying “no thanks.”

    Like 3
  16. Avatar Midnightdriver2

    No AC, no options…I’m out!

    Like 1
  17. Avatar John Oliveri

    No A/C in 1975, no power windows, no am/fm 8 track, vinyl seats, guy should have ordered an Impala, Pontiacs of this generation are usually loaded, it wasn’t fast by any measure, just a mid level luxury car, w no luxury appointments, no sale for me

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Mike

    Nah

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Keith

    If this guy just put a Vintage air system in it it would sell right away.Car is still for sale.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Keith

    Car is back on eBay with no reserve. True sale value will be determined shortly

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Keith

    Car sold for $7700 on Ebay way under his 17k asking . The lack of options on this car really hurt is value. .

    Like 0
    • Avatar John Oliveri

      It was probably owned purchased by an older perso when new, kept by the family after he or she passed, cause when you hear Bonneville, that was like Grand Prix SJ, most were loaded, otherwise you bought a Catalina, and all of those had air in the 70s

      Like 1
  22. Avatar BRIAN K GOHLSEN

    Nice car though..Unusual car..you usually see Grandville which would have more equipment.

    Like 0

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