1958 Pontiac Bonneville

Description

A great rolling example of automotive Americana, this Pontiac Bonneville occupies an exalted place in General Motors' history. As a '58, it's a celebration of the nameplate's graduation to becoming a model unto itself, starting its life equipped with state of the art options, rolled out in celebration of GM's 50th anniversary of production and deriving its name from the Bonneville Salt Flat proving grounds in Utah.

Even among its late '50s counterparts, this Bonneville stands out with its incredible array of chrome. Restored some years ago, the loving care it has received is still evident. That extensive front grille and sturdy front bumper, those prominent and sturdy front headlight bezels, the trim running across the tops of its front fenders that seem to point the way forward and the long trim on its sides leading to the back all combine to make it a veritable nostalgia machine - as tastefully ornate a car as you're likely to find. All that chrome contrasts nicely with the red shade of the exterior, a hue that, though replacing the original two-tone scheme this Pontiac started its service with, looks very era-appropriate. Pontiac intended this model to compete with GM's own venerable Cadillac brand and the attention to quality aesthetics is obvious - it's a great looking car. The relatively low and level stance gives it an air of agility in spite of its considerable size. After its nearly 60 years of life, an obvious amount of care has gone into getting its body panels into accurate alignment and it's a good thing - on a car with trim as extensive as this one, any shortcomings in this area would be pretty glaring.

Inside, the reimagined red and white leather interior evokes images of those '50s diners so often immortalized in movies. Featuring split bench seats in front and back, with the latter divided by a plush armrest in the middle, this is one impressive interior. An expanse of matching red carpeting runs under the seating and, as you look past the original steering wheel, you'll see a set of futuristic gauges that remain easily readable, set inside the backdrop of an expansive chrome dashboard that's bordered on top and bottom by red steel matching the exterior. A couple of welcome, more modern creature comforts have been added, including an A/C system (needs servicing) seamlessly fitted under the dash, as well as an AM/FM/CD player situated just below the original AM radio this Bonneville started life with.

Bonnevilles were intended all along to feature what were then state of the art performance options and one look under the hood will bear proof of that intent. The original 370 cubic inch V8 sitting in that freshly detailed engine compartment was capable of putting out 300 horsepower in stock configuration some 60 years ago, and it's now sporting a 4 barrel Edelbrock carb on top. The revolutionary Tripower carb configuration this Pontiac started out with comes with the car and it's certainly no slouch in its own right. Featuring three two-barrel carbs mounted on an intake manifold, this feature unwittingly rendered Pontiac's heralded fuel-injection option (yes . . . fuel injection all those years ago) somewhat inconsequential, providing more power at a much lower cost. Stopping power comes via power brakes all the way around, with disc brakes in front, and a very responsive power steering system makes navigating this classic an easy task. This outstanding example of late '50s automotive styling and engineering sits on a set of stock Pontiac 14" wheels, outfitted with Firestone whitewalls.

Looking for an outstanding cruising machine that's also the perfect embodiment of its era? You have to check out this 1958 Pontiac Bonneville. Call today!