[Engine-Ear]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

May NOT be able to thoroughly test drive it tomorrow.....anything I can check before rolling the dice?...I believe it to be in GOOD mechanical condition...

The car may have been in good mechanical condition but static atrophy (as I call it) can take its toll quickly on the brakes or cooling system.

My answer to your question: remove the master cylinder cover in front of the seller. Is the fluid level proper? If not, point it out to him. Get a clean paper towel. Dip and swirl your finger in the fluid reservoir. Wipe it on the towel. Dirty? Point it out to him.

If the level is low, I would NOT drive the car. Convey that a list-price full brake job is gonna be $500 in PARTS and possibly that much in labor (10 hours @ $50).

IMO, the less emotion and the more problems (potential or present) you show the seller the better you will do price-wise.

Good luck. At the very least get pics and post 'em here...

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by Engine-Ear

The car may have been in good mechanical condition but static atrophy (as I call it) can take its toll quickly on the brakes or cooling system.

My answer to your question: remove the master cylinder cover in front of the seller. Is the fluid level proper? If not, point it out to him. Get a clean paper towel. Dip and swirl your finger in the fluid reservoir. Wipe it on the towel. Dirty? Point it out to him.

If the level is low, I would NOT drive the car. Convey that a list-price full brake job is gonna be $500 in PARTS and possibly that much in labor (10 hours @ $50).

IMO, the less emotion and the more problems (potential or present) you show the seller the better you will do price-wise.

Good luck. At the very least get pics and post 'em here...

Good negotiating point on the brakes.....

Any input on transmission...?

[Stuart]

It's hard to determine much about the transmission if you aren't able to drive it, but if you can at least start it and move it back and forth in the driveway make sure it goes right into gear - my experience with those transmissions is they can take a little while to engage if they're worn out.

[Engine-Ear]

Originally Posted by Stuart

It's hard to determine much about the transmission if you aren't able to drive it, but if you can at least start it and move it back and forth in the driveway make sure it goes right into gear - my experience with those transmissions is they can take a little while to engage if they're worn out.

X2.

Also true if the TV (Throttle Valve) rod/linkage is worn or out of adjustment.

[2manyT/A'S]

OK......went for a second look.

Found an invoice from Kantner in the GB....for NEW wheel cylinders...shoes...master,etc.....and master on the car looks recent...

Also found one for a fuel tank sealing/service AND a fairly recent invoice for four new 215 70 14 " WW tires...which are also on the car.

Apparently there is another engine that comes with it....in storage ...that I didn't get to see....

Hopefully it's correct dated 421...with all them carburetors....

I'm guessing there was NO partial vin stamp on the block back then....so it's the stamped code (on front) and cast date codes for ID in these years?

Anyways...I made an offer...and we made a deal....

Will be picking it up...in a week or so....and will post pics at that time....

[Stuart]

In 1961 they did stamp the full VIN on the front of the block, so it's easy to tell if it's original to the car.

[pfilean]

In 1961 they did stamp the full VIN on the front of the block, so it's easy to tell if it's original to the car

Mine only has the last digits that follow a letter. And not located with the code and sequence number. They are located near the outside edge of the block.

[lilabner]

Originally Posted by Stuart

8 bolt wheels.

Decent steering wheels are hard to find, they all crack sooner or later. You can get them recast, but it's not cheap. Tom S. has had a couple done, I believe - search this forum for more information on who does them.

Bonneville two door hardtops were fairly uncommon, they only built 16,906 of them out of a total production that year of nearly 341,000 cars.

Some pitting in the trunk floor is pretty common, they had rubber trunk mats that held in the moisture so they all get rusty there to some extent.

Harry Samuel was selling reproduction interiors. Last I heard he still hasn't completely retired, but I don't know if he still has anything available for 1961. You can get reproduction door panels from SMS in Oregon, and they also sell the upholstery material for the seats by the yard; the door panels take forever but they are reasonably quick on orders of the raw material.

I bought the material for my seats and the door panels from Harry Samuel four years ago. I had Just Dashes do my dash. When I told them where I got the door panels from, they asked me how I liked them. The guy there said they did them for Harry, so it's worth a try to get them sooner. The only thing I don't like about them is the silver vertical stripes don't have the outside edges bonded. You have to be very careful you don't brush them and break them off.
Quality Restorations just did my wheel..Beautiful job, $1400.

[2manyT/A'S]

OK....picked up my new toy today.....and I'm pretty STOKED....

Gave it a quick bath....and started making "the list" ......of things to do....

Don't like the fuzzy seats and carpet.....

Chunks of steering wheel were falling off....as I was taking the pics....

Steering wheel is bronze/translucent on a RED column.....is this correct....or was it changed out?

Very happy with it mechanically....SO FAR....but it appears that brakes are no longer power...

Are reman boosters available...or can mine be rebuilt?


Wheel trim rings are china chrome CRAP......I'm guessing that correct stainless one are available?

[Engine-Ear]

Now that is COOL. The interior may not what you ultimately want it to be but it seems usable for the time-being.

The back end of '61 Bonnies are SO cool...especially at night with the tail lights glowing.

RE: Steering wheel... For a long time I thought that Pontiac put bronze-colored steering wheels in cars with red dashboards, until I bought a Star Chief that rarely saw daylight. The color shift was JUST starting on the top of the wheel's hub area.

It turns out that (and seemingly independent of final assembly plant) the red pigment used in the spokes and hub fades to a copper/bronze color.

[Stuart]

Hmm...looks familiar.



Engine-Ear is right about the faded wheel, they all do that sooner or later.

[pfilean]

X3 on the steering wheel. Mine did the same and unless you pulled it and looked at out of the way places it was a nice copper. But copper would not have even been a stock color in 61. I got lucky and found a reman unit that looks great. If you have chunks falling out you may want to make an expensive change but it's common to see people driving around with bad wheels because they don't want to spend the money or haven't found where to get the good ones.

But it looks like a nice ride so just fix a little at a time and enjoy.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by Stuart

The seat upholstery was specific to Bonnevilles, they were available in either cloth or vinyl. Here's an example:

I'm guessing that these seats are a restitch?

How close to "correct" are they?

Was there any arrowheads on the backrests....or anything else that would be difficult to replicate?

[Alvin]

Late to the party - belated Congrats!

Here's a local CL '61 Ventura for comarison http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=778425

[goatmanmitch]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I'm guessing that these seats are a restitch?

How close to "correct" are they?

Was there any arrowheads on the backrests....or anything else that would be difficult to replicate?

The red looks too red compared to mine.

I'm also curious about the arrowhead on the seats, I'm familiar with a set of 62 tri-tone buckets that had them.

[goatmanmitch]

I can only upload one picture per post with my iPad. (And they are properly clocked in my tablet *rolleyes*)

[goatmanmitch]

My interior, the photo looks a touch darker than it really is.

[JC61]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I'm guessing that these seats are a restitch?

How close to "correct" are they?

Was there any arrowheads on the backrests....or anything else that would be difficult to replicate?

Leather was standard in the Bonneville Convertible

[2manyT/A'S]

Bump....for Matt.....see post #29

[61-63]

I'm late to this party too.

Nice car and a great catch IMO.

I've owned an all original '61 Bonneville bubbletop, a '61 Catalina, and still have a '61 Ventura that needs a complete restoration and I sure hope I last long enough to get it done.

"61 Bonneville seats did not have an arrowhead, as the other pictures posted by folks show, and as for the colors in the one Barret-Jackson picture they look correct to me but rather than a restitch they look new but internet pictures can always fool a person.

A bronze looking steering wheel on a Coronado Red '61 with the tri color red/maroon interior is the way one will look if it is original.