Pontiac enthusiasts looking for a comprehensive DIY restoration “kit,” check out this 1964 Pontiac Bonneville Sports Coupe. The Benedict, Maryland classic never received the restoration its owner planned, but it comes with a host of necessary parts plus some extras, all for the Buy It Now price of $12,500 here on eBay. As ’64 Bonnevilles go, this baby is loaded! The original Tri-Power 421 is long gone, but a wrecked ’66 Grand Prix donated its 421 and Tri-Power induction to the cause. Well-equipped with air conditioning, automatic transmission, power seat, electric windows, eight-lug wheels, and more, this Wide-Track Pontiac will make a stunning entrance at the cruise-in with that Sunfire Red paint.
Pontiac offered two 1964 Tri-Power 421 cid (6.9L) “Trophy” V8s making 350 and 370 HP, and this ’66 GP version made a blistering 376 HP. The non-original motor may turn off collectors, but few Pontiac fans will turn their nose up at a nearly-correct triple-carb 421.
Pontiac meant high style in ’64, and plenty of bright metal and wood trim tells you this is no Chevrolet. Pictures in the listing are all extreme close-ups, none showing the entire vehicle, but what we can see looks shiny and well-kept compared to many of the “never got around to it” projects we see. Let’s hope whoever takes the baton on this one gets it across the finish line before another generation passes.
Pontiac’s optional eight-lug wheels incorporated the brake drum into a finned aluminum hub, and it’s often one of the first upgrades Pontiac enthusiasts notice as they walk up to your car. I’m not sure how these wagon-looking wheels mate up to the eight-lug hardware, but this is described as a factory eight-lug car. No undercarriage pictures made the listing, and several body panels show dents. With the condition of the donor 421 and three-carb induction parts unknown, count on more work here than simply bolting everything together and twisting the key. Can you picture yourself cruising in this Sunfire Red Bonneville?
Looks like a great project! I love the big Pontiac coupes of the sixties. Wish I had time for this beast or a car. Good luck to the buyer. Would live to follow the progress on this beauty.
Looks like a great project! I love the big Pontiac coupes of the sixties. Wish I had time for this beast of a car. Good luck to the buyer. Would live to follow the progress on this beauty.
I agree with all points, this looks really nice, and it is absolutely loaded, I love that in these old timers.
I am less enthusiastic of the project for the price
I think it appears to be a good project, just not for the price. While it does have many options, those are – apart from the 421 – mostly lamps this and power that. Not unusual at all that Bonnies came well optioned; rarest may be the rear defroster which again may be unusual but not really rare (I actually happen to have one sitting on a shelf somewhere).
If it were a loaded Bonnie it would also be equipped with buckets, the console housing the vacuum gauge, dash-mounted tach, posi and the mentioned 8lugs. The way I see it this is a normally well-equipped Bonnie for its day which happened to be born with a (gone) 421. IMHO as long as the original engine is lost it doesn’t matter any longer whether it was born a 389 or 421 car. It’s of course a treat that another 421 comes along though and I observe there’s a set of long-branch cast headers there too (are those Firebird pieces…?) and it’d be interesting to learn whether they’ll fit.
Could be a great project for that someone who can negotiate a better price
Great Poncho, the 8 lug wheels attached to an 8 lug finned brake drum, the 5 lug wheels would need a different brake drum, the 8 lug wheels also may be larger brakes than the 5 lug, so it may be more than just changing the brake drum to mount the 5 lug wheels
This baby has apparently been off the road for a long time, this ad was updated 7 years ago and shows her in similar condition…
http://www.2040-cars.com/pontiac/bonneville/1964-pontiac-bonneville-2dr-factory-421-tripower-loaded-no-engine-1-of-303-solid-946161/
Hopefully this time around someone will bring her back on the road where she deserves
…and here’s a period pic of the dealership she was sold new
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/anaheim-ca-casey-beckham-pontiac-car-85602479