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Pontiac Bonneville 370 cubic inch V8, Tri-Power 1958

General description : Desirable and rare 1958 Bonneville with Tri-Power. Beautiful original color combination. Older restoration in fantastic condition, very clean and solid throughout. New Diamondback www radials. Is this the best car GM sold in 1958?

For reasons we don’t quite understand, the all-new 1958 Pontiac Bonneville sport coupe was a tough sell, as only 3481 were built—fewer than any other model except the station wagon. Seeing this stunning top-of-the-line coupe in person makes you wonder why more buyers didn’t fall in love, because it’s just a gorgeous car. GM’s one-year-only styling was a big success in 1958, transforming the automotive landscape almost overnight, and Pontiac was just discovering its swagger with big horsepower and fantastic design. Finished in Patina Ivory over Redwood Copper, it looks every bit the ‘50s cruiser that it is, packing luxury and performance into a right-sized package. Paint and bodywork are excellent, with good gaps and doors that swing closed with a precise-sounding THUNK rather than a loose rattle, a testament to both GM’s build quality and the restoration work. The paint shines up beautifully and lets the brilliant chrome trim do most of the talking. And yes, there’s a LOT of chrome on this car, all of which appears to have been restored at the same time as the rest of the bodywork. There are a few minor signs of age, but nothing really worth mentioning. Instead, it has an all-of-a-piece look that suggests it has always been lovingly maintained but also used as intended. This is a car that stops people in their tracks as they browse through our showroom.

The beautiful copper and ivory interior has that jet-age feel that makes these cars so special. Sparkling carpets are funky, underscoring Pontiac’s swaggering attitude in the late 1950s. The upholstery, carpets, door panels, and headliner were all restored with the rest of the car and aside from some minor comfort marks on the driver’s seat, it shows very little wear. And like the exterior, all the brightwork is in great shape, from the delicate horn ring to the band of stainless that spans the entire dashboard. Big, round gauges keep an eye on the engine’s vitals and they all work like they should, with secondary controls for the ventilation and heating system tucked underneath. The original Wonder Bar radio is still in the center of the dash, although it, and the clock above it, are currently inop. There’s new weatherstripping in the doors so they feel tight and rattle-free and a decent amount of sound-deadening makes this feel like the luxury car that it is. In back, check out that cool center arm rest that rises up from the center of the lower seat cushion, almost creating a separate set of bucket seats. And there’s a positively massive trunk that features a correct mat set and a full-sized spare tire assembly.

While Chevy’s 283 cubic inch V8 was getting all the attention, Pontiac was busily building horsepower with a considerably larger overhead-valve V8 and multiple carburetors. With 370 cubic inches and legendary “Tri-Power” induction, the 1958 Bonneville grunts out 300 horsepower and 385 lb-ft. of torque. There’s a reason so many engine builders regard the Pontiac V8 as one of the best designs ever. It’s over-built, under-stressed, and uses a forged bottom end, making it incredibly durable. Fully rebuilt with a trio of Rochester 2-barrel carburetors on top, this one runs superbly. It always starts easily and idles nicely, and under most circumstances it’s happy to cruise on the center carburetor. But push through the stop that you can vaguely feel with your toes, and the outer carbs come online and the big Bonneville feels like it suddenly lost 800 pounds. For a big car, this sucker is pretty quick! It’s also nicely detailed with Pontiac Turquoise engine enamel, a correct generator, and the right golden cad finish on the carburetors themselves. Backing up the rumbling V8 is GM’s bulletproof HydraMatic automatic transmission and a set of 3.23 gears, making this coupe a peerless highway cruiser that just loafs along at modern speeds. Power steering makes it incredibly easy to wheel around, even in tight corners, and the brakes are reasonably powerful for the era. The suspension rides like a luxury car, yet the dual exhaust has the faint rumble of a muscle car, perfect for the Bonneville’s split personality. Floors have been professionally replaced and the rockers are solid with no issues, and we just installed a fresh set of 225/75/14 Diamondback wide whitewall radials on the original wheels with factory hubcaps.

Pretty, fast, and luxurious, Pontiac knew the Bonneville wasn’t for everyone. But for the discerning client who wanted more muscle than a basic Chevy but wasn’t quite ready to drive his dad’s Oldsmobile or Buick, the Bonneville was the perfect choice. With great colors, a strong-running powerplant, and those legendary “Tri-Power” emblems on the front fenders, this car commands respect at shows and on the road. Most of all, however, we think it will impress the guy behind the wheel because it just feels right. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.

1958 Pontiac Bonneville 370 cubic inch V8, Tri-Power is listed for sale on ClassicDigest in Ohio by Harwood Motors for $49900.

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