Vehicle 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!
