Restored Bonneville Sport Coupe Embodies Pontiac’s Mid-Century Extravagance
Allow me to start this story with an admission: I’m 30 years old and don’t recall a Pontiac ever being described as “extravagant.” From the moment I was aware of what a car was to the brand’s unceremonious demise in 2010, Pontiac was simply a hopped-up GM at best, and a bit of a head-scratching also-ran at worst.
But the more I learn about Pontiac’s history, the more fascinating the now-departed badge becomes. From introducing what is widely recognized as the first true muscle car to stints chasing titles in racing classes to earlier designs that still drop jaws, a new level of respect for Pontiac has wormed into my head.
Back in the middle of the twentieth century, Pontiac was undergoing a shift within the halls of General Motors, and beginning to place performance front and center. But the Bonneville, which debuted in 1957 as a high-performance convertible version of the Star Chief, was exempt from that mandate. It still represented the lavish side of the brand, placing style and elegance above outright pace. Along with the stylish design, the Bonneville also served as a rolling proving ground for cutting-edge technology.
By 1958, the Bonneville became its own model range, offering convertible and hardtop coupe configurations. The Tri-Power option for the car’s standard 370-cubic-inch V-8 was popular, adorning the eight-pot with three two-barrel Rochester carburetors. However, the Bonneville also offered a Rochester mechanical fuel-injection system, similar to that on the contemporary Chevy Corvette. At $580, the optional system was massively expensive.
Alongside the fuel-injection system, the Bonneville also offered another promising technology: “Ever Level” air spring suspension. Though futuristic, this system proved less popular with buyers, who favored the more conventional coil spring tech.
That brings us to this 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe, currently listed on Hagerty Marketplace. One of just 9144 Sport Coupes ever produced, this gorgeous Fisher-bodied coupe is finished in Calypso Green with a Patina Ivory inset along the rear fenders. From the factory, this car was equipped with the more reliable Tri-Power 370 cu-in V-8, but it also had the Ever Level air suspension—a rare option among these cars.
According to the listing, this Bonneville was treated to a thorough restoration using many original and OEM components. The Ever Level suspension system has been swapped out for a more modern and reliable Air Ride Technologies Ride PRO e3 air suspension system, although a complete set of the original components for the Ever Level system is included with this sale.
That Tri-Power V-8 pairs here with a Strato-Flight Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic transmission for easy cruising around town. According to the listing, the engine and the transmission were professionally rebuilt. The former now benefits from a Pertronix ignition system and new spark plugs. Other updates include a completely rebuilt braking system featuring turned drums, new wheel cylinders, hoses, shoes, brake fluid, springs, and seals. Front suspension components, including the tie rod ends, ball joints, and more are also new.
Along with what appears to be an extensive mechanical tune-up, there are plenty of neat features from the factory to enjoy on this example, including a Delco Super Deluxe radio, a two-tone green vinyl interior, a deluxe steering wheel, and more.
Despite departing with a fizzle, Pontiac will forever be a celebrated part of American automotive culture. And while GTOs and Grands Prix will always lead the way in discussions of the brand, there certainly ought to be a place in the discussion for jet-age stunners such as the Bonneville.
Nicely done on a year you rarely see.
1958 was also the year for the Sportable Radio, which was the Bensi Box of its day. Love those things…
This is a pretty ’58. As a purist, I’d prefer the original factory air ride system, but I know what a headache it can be to get working (and keep working).
Pontiac always had better style than Chevy, very sad that it had to go.
For some decades, the Pontiac and Oldsmobile divisions of General Motors were used as “experimental” companies; where new and not-fully-tested technologies were then tried-out (foisted?) on GM’s buying public.
In an accurate retrospect, the results were mixed.
Air Suspension — no… Front-Wheel Drive — yes. I know, the popular debate rages still.
So many more technological introductions saw their premieres then.
So many MORE of these have succeeded in the decades since.
I think that it’s BECAUSE those iconic ’50’s and ’60’s cars occupy such special places in our motoring hearts, that we tend to regard them as sacred and immovable representations of a Golden Age of American auto manufacturing, (which it was.)
Getting back to Pontiac and Oldsmobile, many of these new technologies were first installed into them; because the top-tier Buick and Cadillac could never risk the embarassment or experience of any sort of failure in their established standards (“of the World”.)
But for Pontiac or Oldsmobile?… Not too catastrophic. After all, they were INNOVATORS.
Along with the loss of these two marques, I also mourn Packard, Studebaker, Plymouth, AMC, Mercury.
Yeah, I know — business, capitalism and competition… plus incompetence and ordinary greed too.
So, who’s GM’s innovator today?
Who’s taking the risk of a black-eye, simply because they release a new technology some months/years before its acceptance, and another few years before its mandated inclusion in all new vehicles?
I don’t know. Do you?