1961 Pontiac Bonneville Bubbletop Sports Coupe

Description

1961 Pontiac Bonneville Bubbletop Sports Coupe

Shunning the tailfins and excess chrome of the late 1950s, GM styling headed in a fresh, clean direction in the early 1960s under then-new head stylist William L. Mitchell. From its quad headlights to its two pairs of triple taillights and slim roof pillars, this Pontiac was no exception. MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to present this 1961 Pontiac Bonneville Bubbletop Sports Coupe. This example is equipped with the BB-code, high compression 303-horsepower, 389 CID V-8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor and the Super HydraMatic automatic transmission.

Built in GM’s Wilmington, Delaware factory. The Bonneville is finished in white and the paint and trim are in overall excellent order, with a few minor blemishes visible upon close inspection. The car’s bodywork is sold and straight, the engine bay is very tidy, the battery appears new and the car’s chrome bumpers fit tightly to the body and look fantastic. Note that the driver’s sideview mirror is mounted atop the front fender, not to the driver’s door or at the driver’s A-pillar. Car is equipped with a full set of original T3 headlights.

This Bonneville rolls on Kelly Explorer whitewall radials, size 215/75R14 at all four corners. Each tire surrounds a unique, factory finned, eight-lug alloy wheel, which aids in cooling the drum brakes. The wheels are in great shape while the tires in are in very good order.

Under the hood is the correct BB-code, high compression 303-horsepower, 389 CID V-8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor that puts out a 10.25:1 compression ratio and it breathes via dual exhausts. Mated to this Pontiac powerhouse is a Super HydraMatic automatic transmission. Driver convenience features include vintage air-conditioning, power steering and power drum brakes.

Inside, the car features a Fawn interior (code 251) with reupholstered Chocolate, Ivory and Copper-Beige front and rear bench seats. The seats (with center fold-down armrest in back) are in overall great shape but there are blemishes on the passenger side rear side at the top of the seatback, near the rear radio speaker. The corresponding Fawn carpet is in satisfactory order while the three-spoke, wood-rimmed steering wheel lends a sporting flair and looks great. The inner door panels are in satisfactory shape while the instrument panel is in very good condition. Completing the interior is a factory tube AM radio that functions but does not pull any channels clearly due to inoperable exterior antenna. The blower motor for the heat is functional and blows hot air.

The Bonneville remained Pontiac’s costliest and most luxurious model throughout the 1960s and was instrumental in pushing Pontiac to third place in sales from 1962 to 1970.

The distinctive protruding grille made its appearance on all Pontiac products during the early 1960s and was a modern revival of a similar appearance on Pontiac products during the 1930s and early 1940s, as demonstrated on the Pontiac Torpedo.

The Bonneville differed from its lesser Catalina and Star Chief counterparts by featuring more luxurious interior trim with upgraded cloth and Morrokide vinyl or expanded Morrokide upholstery in sedans and coupes, expanded Morrokide in Safari wagons and genuine leather seating in convertibles. Bonnevilles (with the exception of Bonneville Safari station wagons) were also (along with Star Chiefs) built on a longer wheelbase version of GM’s B-Body. Also found in the Bonneville were instrument panels and door panels with walnut veneer trim, carpeted lower door panels, grab bar on the passenger side of the dash and courtesy lights and a rear arm rest. The two-door hardtop was marketed as the “Sports Coupe.”

Bonneville models were standard equipped with Hydra-Matic (through 1964) automatic transmissions. Other options included power steering and power brakes as well as air conditioning. Other popular options included power windows, power seats, radio, cruise control, and eight-lug aluminum wheels that included integral brake drums for improved stopping power. The Bonneville also had more powerful standard V8 engines than other full-sized Pontiacs including the 389 CID or 400 CID V-8s with four-barrel carburetors such as this example.

Competition to this Pontiac in 1961 included Buick’s Invicta Coupe, Dodge’s Polara Coupe, the Dual-Ghia L, Mercury’s Meteor 800 Coupe and Oldsmobile’s 98 Holiday Coupe.

If you’re a fan of GM’s early 1960s big B-bodies, you owe it to yourself to stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars and check out this Pontiac Bonneville Bubbletop, an example of GM’s golden period of styling, engineering and power.

VIN: 861W2166

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 61,572 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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