79 bonneville-bucket seats?
 

Just saw a dealer, Carrol Street motors selling a 79 Bonneville with bucket seat , console, 12k original miles, for 17 grand. How rare are buckets on these cars?

I had a '78 parts car with buckets; $17,000 ? In this economy he's dreaming even if it is showroom new.

That's my old car! I sold it to him. Its the only one I ever saw with buckets.

Can't say that I ever recall seeing one... not that I've looked at that many '79 Bonnevilles.
I just looked up the brochure and I noticed that they call them "new bucket seats" so maybe not available in '77-78?

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/stati...Pontiac-15.jpg

I like it . Is the car as nice as it looks at any price?

'79-81 option only on 2 doors. Rare? Sure is. Worth a fortune? Let's not get ahead of ourselves here now...

As much as people like to talk up the classic car market and values, the '77-81 B-bodies will never be worth a large chunk of change. They're great cars, but there are just too many of them in nice shape still and the engine options were so lackluster after 1978 (despite the 4 speed availability in 1979) there just isn't a demand for them despite what dealers and dreamers like to say.

79 bonneville
 

What, are you saying you could get a 4 speed in a Bonneville in 1979?

Yeah,I remember when experts used to say that 71 Judges will never be worth anything because of that ugly front end and the compression drop. Now they are the most desirable ones. Good cars always sell. Sometimes you just buy them a little early.

Carroll Street Auto
 

If you're a Pontiac purist, you'll be disappointed to know the car in question has a Buick 350. But that just adds to the 'rarity'.
I've seen plenty of 301 powered LeSabres but this is the first Buick V-8 in a 77-79 Pontiac B-body I think I've ever seen. I knew about the bucket seat/console option but the Buick V-8 is a new one on me.
Perhaps the Buick was utilized as the 5.7 gas engine that year because PMD had discontinued their 350, and Bonneville buyers weren't expected to stomach a chebby under the hood. (pure speculation on my part)

I don't know about this dealer's prices, but they seem to have a steady turn around of nice cars. I've been there to window shop a couple times.
My brother lives 20 minutes from there.

http://www.carrollstauto.com/site/In...eville_blk.htm

Sweet looking car never the less.

There was some discussion about it years ago, I'd have to dig it up and see if I can't find the specifics.

That's why all the 1971-1976 B-bodies are worth a mint too now, right?

When they have 12000 original miles they are!

I like this car at 13k. Whatca guys thinking?

Mr Ram Air, where was the car originally from? Has the bottom ever been detailed that you know of?

If it a car that YOU like, and you plan to use it, it might be a good buy. I wouldn't pay the asking price, nor should you. If you bought it, and used it, it is a nice car that is a lot cheaper than most new cars. If you think you want to buy it and re-sell it at a profit as some rare and desirable car, I think you are making a mistake. It is not a 71 Judge, or anything close to it. Even if it is a one of one with bucket seats, that would mean next to nothing to the next potential buyer. Quite as few people bought 76 Cadillac convertibles and 25th anniversary Corvettes, put them away thinking they would make them rich someday, are still waiting.

Real world value is definately less than $15K. My opinion would be somewhere around $12,000. Their asking price is based on sensationalism and maximum profit.

It's just like the Pontiac brochere car come to life. With all the performance goodies you could get that year. THM 400, limited slip, F41....I wonder if factory tach was available? If so, this car probably has it.
IMHO it is worthy of a stay in the Pontiac Oakland Museum in Illinois.

Mastercraft tires are a nice touch also.
This would be my tour America car. It needs to be driven.

Neat car, all those 77-80 downsized fullsizers were great cars, optioned right with a 350ish engine and F41, Y96 type option they were (for their day) quick nimble comfortable cars.

These cars could show their taillights on straightaways and curves to most of their big blocked predecessors from the 73-76 era.
I never had a poncho version but a Buick, an oldsie, a caddy and two Chevies passed through my hands and they all were nice rides.

All that being said they seem to have zero collector interest. This car is neat because of the mileage, the non poncho engine is a negative and the buckets are a plus. But at the end of the day it's just another low mileage but non desirable car. Buy it because it blows your skirt or because your dad had one but don't buy it as an "investment"

I think that it's way high at $16,900. I've been watching these '77-81 cars since we picked one up for my son back in the fall. His is a '77 with 29,000 on it and a Pontiac 350 under the hood. His was a steal at $2250 even as a 4 door. With some TLC and few touch-ups it could be as clean as that '79. If you keep your eyes open there are quite a few of them out there with low miles. I've seen a couple that were close to the mileage of the one being discussed here. True, that one is very clean- but there are others to be had for less. Even if it were one of the last 400 cars in the same condition I'd have a hard time justifying that much.

But if it floats yer boat...

It's a nice car but way over priced. As stated before you can find a lot of these low mile cars for a lot less. These were very popular with the 60-70 something crowd because they were the last of the big car cars. But the price is way to high. There trying to get the low mileage thing going on it. The buckets are OK IMO but I like the split bench in the big cars. They are far more comfortable & make the car feel much better on long drives which is what these cars are made for. If you want a big car look on ebay there are lots of them for sale that are just as nice & close to that mileage. Don't let the low miles fool you. Low miles on that year means your going to spend money on new stuff to get it on the road & keep it there.

food for thought
 

Everybody agrees that the asking price is unjustly high.
But if you consider the current inflation/shrinking value of the U.S. dollar, the price is right in the ball park. People will drop more than that on a new 'full size' car without thinking twice. Today's cars are more fuel efficient but are they made better? I don't think so.

Now I'm going to nit pick a little.
The description claims a 'sport' steering wheel but that is a misnomer. The one in the brochure has the Grand Am style sport wheel.

Interesting that nowhere in the description does it mention the Buick 'corporate engine'.
I have to wonder if the staff at Carroll Street is even aware that this jewel is not Pontiac powered.
Could they have seen so few Buick cars go through their dealership that they didn't know the difference?
And since they possibly missed that, I have some doubt that the transmission is a TH400. If Trans Ams weren't worthy of a TH400 that year, why would GM put one in a 350 powered B body?
Anyone know if that was a reality? I don't have my Complete Book of Pontiac handy.

thanks everybody for the comments. I agree on one thing, the price is too high. Neat car yes, but I think a bench seat car with under 50k miles in a good color may be a better way to go. I just cant see 15k for that car as much as I like it. Ill find a bench seat car for 7-8 grand instead

Damn, it was a converted car and I got my specifics mixed up. Discussion was on CP about 10-11 years ago as I recall.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't a TH400 but almost guaranteed to be a TH350. I had a 400 powered '78 and it had a TH350. I found a few '79s & a '77 in the yard a few years back with 403s and 400s and all were TH350s (even a wagon with a rather long driveshaft).

For real world value, I'd expect to pay between $1500-3000 for a decent driver that may need some minor work in the cosmetic department and $4000-7000 for a really nice low mileage example. Upwards of $10k could be a justified buy if it has great options like gauges and comfy seats and is Pontiac powered (not 301). I just don't see the market supporting higher prices for these cars, especially when so many are still out there in decent shape still (same reason the '73-76 B-bodies sell for so cheap). There's 4 on eBay right now and on any given week there's 1 or 2 in the local craigslist.

I miss my '78, it was a great long distance riding car and got 19MPG at 75MPH with a 400 (and 2.41 gears).

AC3 Bucket Seats, 6-way power
Pontiac BN37 w/ A51
2,395 built

A51 Front Bucket Seat
Pontiac BN37
6,409 built

That's courtesy of the GM Heritage Center.

Initially, 8,804 sounds like a high number, but that's about right considering the volume of B bodies sold.
Do you have the production totals of Bonneville & Catalina coupes?

Isn't BN37 a model designation?

37 indicates two door.

My inquiry was pertaining to how many coupes were produced with bench seat compared to the 8,804 bucket seat opted coupes.

I imagined a combined total production figure of 70,000-100,000 B-bodies, sedan + coupe. Perhaps the B coupes weren't as prolific sellers as I thought by the late seventies, considering the success of the Firebird & Grand Prix.
In which case 8K-10K coupes could be all there were.:noidea:

A separate question:
Did A51 bucket seat option require floor shift?

Just saw a 78 Catalina on ebay with 13k miles in grey at a place called Thompson motors out of Missouri with a bench seat. Grey with a red interior. Bench seat car. No flash with a bench interior. Black Carrol Street Motor car has the look, and the high price

That dealer also wants a salty price for the Catalina. $11,999 and you get crank windows, standard wipers, etc. etc.
Although it does have the gauge pod, which is nice. And it's clean as a whistle.
Poncho 400 engine is the only trump it has over the black bucket seat Bonnie.

http://www.thompsonsales.com/Used-19...MO/vd/18529604

Yeah, you also get the base vinyl interior and the uncomfortable bench seat. A 400 and gauges are nice, but if I'm shelling out that much for a car I'd want it to have all the luxury options too. Overpriced in my opinion.