[north]

I had an expensive spring-summer with three cars finding my garage. This one is a lowish option Bonnie out of Ohio. I've got a cottage on the Ocean so I wanted a solid but not too nice ragtop to keep in the garage there. Problem is the salt air (even in the garage) does its thing to metal so the rest of my cars never come here.

I had bought a Cat ragtop for the purpose but it needed paint, top and interior. This Bonnie cost less than what I would have spent fixing the Cat.

It was a two owner car with the last owner having it since it was a year or two old. Car has no body work but the frame is scaly and you can see a few small perforation spots showing at the bottom of the fenders and the lower quarters. Probably never got a full wash underneath when he bought it so the residual salt slowly did its thing for 53 years. Odo reads 69k, undocumented but based on things like good original balljoints and rear brakes along with obviously original stuff like armrest, pedals etc I'd say it's legit.

I'd guess it got that first Ohio winter or two but the second owner retired it to summer duty only. It is lowish option with just automatic, steering, PDB, STT and AM etc. Interior is original and very nice with no rips or cracks and even the original rug is nice.

I did my regular thing by adding an FM radio, 8 track, custom instead of deluxe wheelcovers, woodwheel to replace the regular wheel with the stickies. I just received a Waldron dual exhaust set up to remove the ugly looking single setup. Engine and trans run beautiful but pinion had a healthy leak and I had to do the noisy bearings front and rear.

Top is factory original but back window is blown. All in all it will make a nice family cruiser for ice cream runs etc without being too clean that summers in the beach garage won't push the guilt button!

[kingbuzzo]

very classy...

[north]

For once I didn't need a nose as it was already good. It is the later replacement style one GM issued shortly after 69 with the fat tapered lip. It is still very pliable as all those of that version are. Must have been replaced in the 70's when they were still available at the dealer. They must have switched to using the same ABS that the GTO and 70-73 bird bumpers are made of. Has a bunch of original papers but no mileage records.

[muscle_collector]

very nice is it a 428 car

[77 TRASHCAN]

Glad to see it has disc brakes!!!

[north]

It has the standard equipment 428-360, TH400 and 3.08 Safe-T-Track.

[johnta1]

Cool Bonneville!

What does it say is the Pontiac dealer? Doesn't look like Chenoweth?

[north]

Eckstein Pontiac
930 East Main st
Crestline Ohio

Dealer code 308 099

[johnta1]

Thanks, North!

I have Chenoweth Pontiac for that dealer number. (and from a 1967 Pontiac)

Possibly bought out by Eckstein?
I'll have to search this.

[Shiny]

Wow, you added some nice cars to your herd!

This one is quite striking.

Chrome looks great for a humid-climate car.

Congrats!

[north]

Dealers flipped a lot back then, Pontiac was at its pinnacle and many dealers probably cashed out.

As I mentioned the car probably only got a winter or two and then it went into summer only use and heated garage life. If the owner had given the chassis and inner panels a rust proofing or even just a really good rinsing out in 71 it would have made a big difference.

Reminds me rust wise of the really nice 69 GTO ragtop the guy in Texas shared in great detail the resto of on this site over the last two years. That car too looked really clean in most areas but had a few sneaky rot spots from its early east coast life before moving to the sunbelt.

[scottydl]

Absolutely beautiful! If I could snap my fingers and do one thing to my '69 Executive, it would be to turn it into a convertible. And fix the nose.

[MarkS57]

Nice! My aunt bought that exact car in May of 69. With the 428, it was no slouch, could chirp the tires going into 2nd although her car didn't have the safety track rear.

[north]

Midnight green is a lovely color. The parchment sets it off nicely. The Bonneville body in 69 likes darker colors .

[Mister Pontiac]

Gorgeous North! Luv the dark side too. I have a 74 Bonne.

But I'm curious... do you have a fav year Pontiac?

[north]

I haven’t decided my favorite year yet!

[will slow gto]

Very nice, north! Great shot with the fam munching lunch and the Bonnie holding sentinel in the parking lot.

[north]

And the Bonnie turned 55 last week. Seems like yesterday these cars were 20 years old.

[Mister Pontiac]

Originally Posted by north

And the Bonnie turned 55 last week. Seems like yesterday these cars were 20 years old.

Funny. I feel the same way about myself.

[MarkS57]

The 69 Bonneville my aunt bought was preceded by a new 62 exactly like the attached. She is the main reason I am a steadfast Pontiac guy. My brother inherited the 62 when she bought the 69 which I inherited from him in 73. Later I inherited the 69 in 79 when she bought a new 79 Bonne. All of those cars were winners. She also had the reputation as a real lead foot in our family, go figure

Originally Posted by Mister Pontiac

Funny. I feel the same way about myself.

Tell me about it....