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Salvage Yard Rescue: 1963 Pontiac Bonneville Safari Wagon

My 1980 BMW 320/6 project was a sort of junkyard rescue: the longtime owner considered sending it to scrap, but thankfully, the junkyard owner talked him out of it given how low the price of scrap was. That car is now happily restored, and hopefully the same future awaits this 1963 Pontiac Bonneville Safari wagon. The seller notes it spent many years in a Midwest junkyard before being exhumed, and the equipment list makes this one worth saving. Find it here on eBay with an $11,145 Buy-It-Now and the option to submit a best offer.

This Bonneville Safari wagon comes with a four-barrel 389 paired to a 4-speed Hydramatic automatic. The seller notes some engine parts are missing, like the carburetor and the radiator, but otherwise appears complete. The body is surprisingly sound, with the driver’s fender missing and some cosmetic damage all around, yet it still presents well for a car that’s spent some amount of time in a salvage yard. Glass is sound with the exception of the windshield, and the seller notes that although the tailgate is “bad”, the glass regulator is there and functioning. Nice to see the new tires and shiny hubcaps still mounted, too.

The interior is tattered but the seller notes the Bonneville “…was always closed up,” which is an anomaly in a salvage yard. Lots of the old-school yards I visit always have a yard owner barking out to close any doors you open up, and for good reason – cars like this show that even junked examples can survive intact if doors are closed and windows aren’t smashed out. The door panels and dash are rough, likely the result of sun damage, but it’s encouraging to see the window cranks and other trim still present. At the very least, this Bonneville hasn’t spent too much time being picked over.

The rear seats still fold flat as intended, giving you interior storage that rivals that of most pickup trucks. This Safari wagon also has power brakes and steering, and the seller notes that the floors and frames look solid. While I do think the price is ambitious, there’s a strong following for vintage American wagons and they are among some of the classiest cruisers ever built. Finding a solid project like this in a junkyard and saving it from parts pillaging or scrapping is a good day for any project car hunters, and the next owner will have a great story to tell once complete.

Comments

  1. Avatar Steve R

    At that price I was expecting this project to have something in the order of a 421 tri-power, 4 speed manual and 8 lug wheels.

    Steve R

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  2. Avatar Classic Steel

    So nice to save the salvage price of mid 300 dollars to 11400 dollars 🤡

    Bargain day …..winner winner chic dinner

    Or wow a flipper paradise profit

    Like 0
  3. Avatar John M.

    It’s absolutely worth saving but the asking price is a bit too much even if the seller is open to best offers.

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  4. Avatar Andre

    That’s a really nice car. Price is sort of depressing in the sense that it could be detrimental (ie: too high) to it being saved.

    Achieving the balance between a good gear head versus a good business person is a tricky one…

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Rod K

    A friends dad had one when I was a young-un and it was a great car. Would be great to restore but the decimal place on the ask has to move left one place.

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  6. Avatar Ralph Terhune

    The owner is smoking something seriously potent, if he expects to get that price!

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Ken Carney

    Sure could use it flipping newspapers, but that price is just too damn high.
    By the time I paid his rediculous price and then restored the car to driving
    condition, I could’ve bought maybe two running, drivable wagons for the
    same amount of cash and still come out ahead in the end. This car is a
    good candidate for a resto, but not for my money. I vote no.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Michael

    $11,400.00 for a non-running car with missing body parts, I think not.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar jw454

    Painted on wide white walls…. HA! That’s a good one. At best this is a two thousand dollar car. I like all the sixties Pontiacs including the wagons but, this one is way over priced.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    Just try to hunt down the missing trim, not to mention it’s flat line heartbeat…morgue trip. Someone is seriously reaching.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar PatrickM

    This is too far gone for me. As much as I like these old Ponchos, I have to say crush it.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Ralph Terhune

    I’ve never understood why some people always put the widest whitewall tires on a car that never came with them. They look ridiculous and retarded. Go figure!

    Like 0
  13. Avatar David montanbeau

    4 speed Hyd in 64?

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    • Avatar NMCarNut

      Yes, the automatic offered in the Bonneville and Star Chief was a 4 speed, dubbed Super Hydra-Matic by Pontiac, through 1964. Catalina and Grand Prix got the notoriously inferior 3 speed “Slim Jim”. The 3 speed Turbo Hydra-Matic was the automatic offered by Pontiac for all models starting in 1965.

      Like 0
  14. Avatar Dovi65

    First off .. I want to smack the person that sent this gem to the scrapyard. Second .. shake the hand of the person whom saved it from being melted down into a new Toyota
    $11,500 is more than a little ‘ambitious’ for what it needs. $5-$6k is about all the money. Hope she gets the resto she needs

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dan in TX

      Why would you want to smack somebody who was disposing of what at the time was a useless worn out piece of junk?

      Like 0
  15. Avatar mike D

    $11 + large nope. I like the car… but way too much! u/k if engine runs would need a serious redo , and.. what? new tires and wheelcovers are suppose to make it worth the price? ( turn the tires around and have blackwalls ) it would have to be a labor of love, you’d never get out of it what u put into it … and.. even admitting it was in a salvage yard no more than 2K.. maybe the high price is to deter someone parting it out, or using the engine in another 63? if you call about it even with the sky high price, you are truly interested in the car (??)

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Steve A.

    $11K???? WTF is wrong people!

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Gray Wolf

    Good luck finding a tailgate and glass! Maybe a same year GM would fit?? Too much jing for what’s there.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Alexander Member

    No grunt, no windshield, no friggin’ front fender, waterlogged door cards and cargo hold. NO SALE at any price higher than in the low $1000s.

    Like 0
  19. Avatar John Taylor

    Tell him he is dreaming, $500 yes but $11,000 unless that is a restored price, maybe he is going to restore it as well for you at that price, oh well maybe he will find someone with money and ambition.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Papa Jay

    $1145.00 maybe.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Bob S

    I want whatever this guy is smoking………..

    Like 0
  22. Avatar John Holt

    be fun to know what it sells for, less than half asking price probably, sheesh

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Rolf Poncho

    i call it madnes

    Like 0

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