I found this highly optioned 66 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hardtop
with a Brougham package in a barn! It had been parked for
many, many years!
It has a 389 CI V8 4 barrel engine, turbo 400 automatic
transmission, 10 bolt rear end.
Options include: power antenna (works!) 6 way power front seat (works!) rear window defogger (works!) reverberator for the radio (works!) oil and temperature gauges (they both work!) excellent power steering and brakes tilt steering column remote control drivers outside rear view mirror Front and rear fold down center armrests (part of the upscale Brougham package) Under hood and trunk removable lights on reels (works!)
It is all there and complete, front fenders are
rust free and straight, floor
pan is solid and rust free,
doors are rust free, rear
quarters have had some work done on them at some point in the
past but I see no evidence of any rust.
All the stainless is still on the car and looks great! The
rear bumper has peeling, the front is in fair condition.
The filler panel beneath the rear window that was covered by the
vinyl top has rust and the trunk pan has rust. The
upholstery, headliner and dash pad are in desperate need of
repair/replacement.
November 2013
Fresh off the trailer. I love the front end. Reminiscent of the GTO.
Needs a good cleaning!
There is a very complete unmolested 389 4 barrel under the hood.
On the right is a Marvil Mystery Oil dispenser mounted on the passenger side near the radiator. Cool!
The Brougham badging on both sail panels. I have removed what little was left of the vinyl top for inspection.
On the right is the factory rear defogger!
Oil pressure and temperature gauges in place of warning lights. They both work perfectly.
Three switches mounted under the edge of the dash pad for the rear defogger, radio reverberator and power antenna.
Just above the glove box is the oh sh*t handle and a very cool Bonneville badge.
Getting Her Running
First things first. She hasn't run for many years, so we need to get rid of those old fluids and battery.
The engine turns over freely so that's a very good sign.
After just a few hours of work, some fresh gasoline and some new fuel lines she took right off! No unusual noises and even idled down smooth as silk. That's an awesome feeling to bring back the dead.
Oil pressure was strong and unbelievably no smoke from the exhaust.
But there were some mouses houses and what-not that blew out from the tail pipe.
The Ugly Truth About Vinyl Tops
After removing the trim and back glass this is what I found.
Moisture and dirt collect over time and lay on the metal like a wet sponge. Over time rusting through the metal.
After cutting out the rot with a healthy margin I fitted a new piece carefully.
I measured everything very carefully to ensure it was in the exact same location of the original.
After slowly welding the repair panel in place and dressing the weld, I used a thin skim coat of polyester filler to get it nice and smooth. I also wire brushed the entire channel that the back glass sits in and smoothed out some areas to promote better adhesion and sealing.
After a couple nice coats of epoxy primer the glass was glued back in and the trim reinstalled with all new retainers.
Like new!
Details
The door gaps are perfect. The doors open and close effortlessly and there is no play in the hinges.
Both door handles look amazing! They look nearly new, little if no pitting.
The emblems and badging are also in pristine condition.
As are the headlamp bezels and front badging.
The front door panels are in incredible shape, no rips, tears or water damage.
The windows go up and down smoothly.
This is a really cool Bonneville plaque above the glove box. As you can see the dash pad needs to be replaced.
The rear seat showing the folding armrest that is part of the Brougham package.
The trunk lid showing the removable trunk light that reels out on a very long cord and the factory spare tire storage instructions.
The trunk pan has rust. It's still solid enough to stand in but should be replaced for a proper restoration.
Both front and rear bumpers need re-chroming. You can see the backup lights on here.
These are the fender skirts for the rear wheel wells. They are in great condition cosmetically. One of the attaching levers is broken.
Definitely needs a headliner!
There is also a very cool under hood light on a reel that strings way out.
I resealed the timing cover and water pump and also replaced the thermostat.
There was some body work done on the drivers rear quarter many many years ago. It appears to have been a collision repair.
On the right you can see there is a crack in the body filler in one area.
All the glass is very good with the exception of this one rock chip in the windshield.
