2009/06/22 Bonneville

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Wide was the word for 1960 Bonneville

In reverence to the grand marque of Pontiac, The FIN MAN™ brings you a story about another member of this once-proud tribe.

Talk about your ‘Wide-Track Pontiacs’! It was no secret that illustrators back in the fifties and sixties were known for exaggerating the long, low profile of automobiles in order to make them more visually appealing to potential buyers... but the artist who created the illustration of the 1960 Bonneville shown above took that form to the limit.

I’m fairly certain he had a group of marketing gurus standing over his shoulder coaching him on, because the guys who made us crave Pontiacs, were ardently devoted to the ‘Wide-Track’ mission, created by their chief, PMD general manager Semon "Bunkie" Knudson.

Pontiac’s top warrior, along with a couple of good friends, namely E.M. "Pete" Estes (prominent GM engineer and fifteenth president of GM from 1974 to 1981) and John DeLorean (then assistant to Estes and later founder of the DeLorean Motor Company), reworked the brand’s full-size chassis beginning with the fifty-nines, to better fit the wider bodies that had been introduced on the 1958 models. Upon close observation of the ’58 models, Knudson observed that the new bodies looked awkward because they were too wide for the track… the outside measurement of the tire footprints from one side to the other. The track on the 1959 models was widened by a significant five inches, not only making the package look better, but adding to the stability of the vehicle during high speed cornering.

It was a great idea not only from a marketing standpoint, but from the safety angle as well, but there was a lot more than just a pretty body riding on this expanded chassis. Pontiac, under Bunkie’s command, was betting that the ‘Wide-Track’ concept would pay off, and they were putting their wampum where their mouths were in an advertising blitz that covered television, radio, newspaper and magazine print ads... and I think even smoke signals.

Pontiac, under Knudson’s direction since 1956, had begun building a performance image that would continue for decades to come… some would say until this day. Packing the punch that put the Wide-Track chassis to the test, was an assortment of engine options, all based on the venerable 389 cubic inch V-8 that was fast becoming Pontiac’s staple power plant.

Starting horsepower figures were 215 for the ‘Tempest 66E’ version (‘E’ for economy), a 2-barrel carburetted version which ran on regular gas and was optional (at NO extra cost) on all models. This engine was only available with the Hydra-Matic transmission. Other horsepower ratings were 245, 281, 283, 303, 315, 318, 333 and 348... depending on carburetor, compression ratio and transmission choices. The engines which produced 315, 318, 333 and 348 horsepower were fitted with ‘Tri-Power’ carburetors, three two-barrel carbs centered in a straight line down the middle of the intake manifold. Coupled with either a three-speed, column-mounted manual transmission or GM’s tough Hydra-Matic, the full size Pontiacs were formidable competitors on both street and track. (A four-speed manual transmission with a floor-mounted shifter, was introduced mid way through the 1960 model year, though most of these went into professional NASCAR racing models.)

Styling was subdued compared to what had been offered in the late fifties. While basic styling between the four Pontiac model lines was nearly identical, the high line Bonnevilles had distinctive trim including front fender scripts; separate Bonneville lettering on the rear latch panel; a V-shaped crest on the lower front fenders and a unique stainless beltline molding ending with three chrome dashes on the rear quarter.

Gone was the split front grill introduced on the 1959 models, but that well-known Pontiac styling cue would return on the sixty-ones and continue, in one form or another, into the twenty-first century.

Interiors were conservative on the lower model lines, but no expense was spared on the division’s flagship Bonnevilles. The Sports Coupe and Vista models were trimmed in striped wool broadcloth and nylon faced fine textured weave fabrics with Morrohide trim, and were available in five tri-tone color combinations to coordinate with the fifteen exterior colors. My aunt Dorothy may have appreciated the exterior styling and luxurious interior trim, but what she didn’t like was that awkward dog-leg A-pillar which was guaranteed to jam your knee upon entry unless special care was taken.

The ‘Sports Coupe’ shown above was one of three four styles in the Bonneville lineup for 1960. Others were a 4-door, six passenger station wagon; 4-door, ‘Vista’ hardtop and of course a convertible. (These were the days when nearly every car on the market offered a drop top coupe.)

The ‘Vista’ four door hardtop’s styling was used across the board on every GM line in the 1959 and 1960 model years. One of the most popular four door hardtop styles of the day, it included a ‘flat top’ roof (a nickname which remains to this day), with an extreme wrap-around rear window.

Likewise, all GM coupes of the same vintage, had a high sweeping rear window which went by various names in each division. When sitting in the back seat, you could look straight up and seen the clouds by day and the stars by night... qualifying it for status as a FIN MAN Top Ten Prom Date Car. I know from personal experience as my late father had a 1959 Super 88 Olds with the ‘Scenicoupe’ rear window. (BTW, if you see my aunt Dorothy, keep that ‘prom date’ thing between us, okay?)

Entry level, full-size Pontiacs, which included the Catalina and Ventura models, shared a chassis which rode a 122 inch wheelbase, while the upscale Star Chief and Bonneville models rolled with a two inch longer wheelbase at 124. Overall length, however, was a full seven inches longer on the two higher end models, enough to make a noticeable difference in looks and ride. (There’s your answer to this week’s trivia question number one in case you hadn’t already found it.)

Popular appearance and convenience options for 1960 included:

air-conditioning ($430.00)
E-Z Eye Glass ($43.00)
Circ-L-Aire heater and defroster ($43.00)
Direct Aire heater/defroster ($94.00)
padded dash ($19.00)
bucket seats (available on convertibles only at $100.00)
Super Deluxe radio ($89.00)
a rear seat speaker for that great-sounding AM radio ($14.00)
a Wonder Bar radio (motorized, push button, signal seeking tuner) ($125.00)
and the new, ‘Sportable radio... a nifty, portable unit that came out of the car and followed you to the beach or picnic table ($129.00)
Power steering ($108.00)
Power brakes ($43.00)
‘Safety-Track’ differential ($43.00)
‘power window lifts’ ($58.00 or $106.00 depending on model)
‘Safeguard speedometer (a device which alerted the driver with an annoying buzz if he exceeded the dialed-in maximum speed) ($15.00)
‘Magi-Cruise’, a relatively barbaric, by today’s standards, cruise control ($13.00)
Custom and Deluxe wheel discs ($17.00 to $32.00)
windshield washer ($13.00)
cable operated, remote control mirror (driver’s side only) ($12.00)
factory-installed, ‘Continental’ spare tire and cover mounted on an extended rear bumper ($258.00)

(Somebody was really hung up on that $43.00 figure. Did you notice too?)

The factory base price of the Bonneville coupe was $3,257.00. Excessive indulgence on the order form could push that price into the upper four thousand dollar range if one was not careful. In terms of 2009 wampum, that equals roughly $37,000.00... not far off the mark for a well equipped, full-size, mid-line automobile in today’s market.

Pontiac offered fifteen different exterior colors for 1960 including:

Mahogany (a metallic, UPS-like brown shown on the feature car illustrated above)
Black Pearl (a metallic charcoal)
Coronado Red (metallic maroon)
Shelltone Ivory (slightly off white)
Stardust Yellow (a buttery, soft yellow)
Richmond Gray (metallic battleship gray)
Shoreline Gold (metallic fawn)
Newport Blue (metallic flag blue)
Fairway Green (metallic grass green)
Sierra Copper (metallic medium brown)
Berkshire Green (metallic medium green)
Caribe Turquoise (metallic indian turquoise)
Regent Black (well, how can I describe it? Black)

I was an enthusiastic collector of 1/25 scale ‘promos’ and friction model cars during my Wonder years and I still own a 1960 Bonneville coupe, like the one shown above (but much smaller), done up in Berkshire Green with a Shelltone Ivory roof... I just don’t push it around on the living room floor these days making guttural sounds meant to depict the roar of a V-8 engine! (But who knows? I may be doing that again in a few years!) Made by AMT (Aluminum Metal Toys), I picked it up from the Gorman & Raab toy store on the lower level of Northland Shopping Center in Jennings, Missouri. The original sticker price, which is still on the box, was $2.00… a far cry from the roughly four thousand dollars required to purchase a real 1960 Bonneville coupe, of which 24,015 found homes.

In case my story has put you in the mood for a number one, show quality 1960 Pontiac Bonneville Sports Coupe, be prepared to spend around twenty-four grand for the honor... this according to a recent copy of the Old Cars Price Guide. (If only a ragtop will satisfy, then plan on DOUBLING these numbers.)

The same publication indicates that you can probably pick up a good quality Bonneville Sports Coupe ‘driver’– a ‘20-footer’ for somewhere in the neighborhood of $11,000.00 to $17,000.00... that’s IF you can find one. Flipping through a recent copy of Auto Trader’s Deals on Wheels, one of my all time favorite ‘dream-zines’, resulted in nary a hit for a ‘60 Pontiac of any body style or condition.

Dropping ‘1960 Pontiac Bonneville’ into Google’s search bar, however, net a great looking ‘driver’ (incorrectly described as a ‘bubble top’ I might add), nicely equipped and priced right in the ball park at $17,900.00. You can check it out for yourself at www.americandreamcars.com. Search time: 5 seconds! Don’t ya just love this internet stuff?!?!

If you’d like more information on the ‘60 Bonneville, or for that matter, Pontiacs in general, contact the Pontiac-Oakland Club International at www.poci.org. Pontiac ownership is not a requirement for membership and these national clubs provide a wealth of information from history and repair advice to parts suppliers and classifieds, where you can find just the right collectible Pontiac to enhance your garage.

Trivia Questions (answers below)

Pontiac Bonneville Trivia Questions of the Week:

1. In addition to Bonneville, what were the other models in the Pontiac lineup for 1960?

2. Besides a big, bad Pontiac, to what does the name Bonneville refer?

3. What city and state was the first home to manufacture of the Pontiac automobile?

4. Here’s one for my friend and avid baseball fan, Jim Riganti. Who was Bill Mazeroski and what did he do that was so news worthy?

5. While we’re on the subject of American Indians, what British rock group performed the 1960 instrumental hit song, "Apache"?

6. Born Paul David Hewson on May 10, 1960, this famous Irish singer/musician was main vocalist for a rock band which performed hits including, With or Without You and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. What is his stage or nickname? What is the band’s name?

7. The average price of a new home in 1960 was:

A. $12, 700.00
B. $19,500.00
C. $26,900.00
D. $32,250.00

8. In 1960, the United States launched the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. What was the name of this ship?

(answers below)

Trivia Answers

Pontiac Bonneville Trivia Answers of the Week:

1. In addition to Bonneville, what were the other models in the Pontiac lineup for 1960?
(from bottom to top), Catalina, Ventura, Star Chief and Bonneville

2. Besides a big, bad Pontiac, to what does the name Bonneville refer?
Although the term or name ‘Bonneville’ has many meanings (just ask Wikipedia), surely foremost in the minds of car folks is Bonneville Salt Flats, an ancient lake bed of Lake Bonneville in Utah often used by early auto racers and the site of most of the world land speed record runs.

3. What city and state was the first home to manufacture of the Pontiac automobile?
Pontiac’s first manufacturing facility was in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac

4. Here’s one for my friend and avid baseball fan, Jim Riganti. Who was Bill Mazeroski and what did he do that was so news worthy?
Baseballer Bill Mazeroski became the first person to end a World Series with a home run on October 13, 1960

5. While we’re on the subject of American Indians, what British rock group performed the 1960 instrumental hit song, "Apache"?
Although numerous bands did ‘cover’ versions of this popular instrumental hit, it was the British group The Shadows which released the original song which made the Billboard top hits chart in July of 1960. (That was a tuffy. Score yourself a TEN and give yourself a big pat on the back if you got that one!)

6. Born Paul David Hewson on May 10, 1960, this famous Irish singer/musician was main vocalist for a rock band which performed hits including, With or Without You and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. What is his stage or nickname? What is the band’s name?
‘Bono’, lead singer for the band U-2

7. The average price of a new home in 1960 was:

A. $12, 700.00
B. $19,500.00
C. $26,900.00
D. $32,250.00

8. In 1960, the United States launched the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. What was the name of this ship?
The USS Enterprise

Half a century of cleaning and detailing show cars, and half a decade managing one of the largest detailing shops in the metro St. Louis area qualifies Bruce Kunz to offer you his

Detailing Tip of the Week:

All of the car washing product manufacturers tell you never to wash your car in the sun. That’s not always possible, however, so with that in mind, if you must wash your car in the sun, follow these important tips:

If you don’t have a shady spot to wash your car, try to wash it in the early morning hours or just before sundown, when the sun’s rays are less intense.
If you find yourself washing your car in the heat of the day, rinse it down thoroughly with a heavy flow of clean water before applying the suds.
Wash a small section at a time, e.g. one door panel; the hood, rear deck or roof... rinsing each section thoroughly with a flood of clear water immediately after applying the soap.
When you think you’re finished... soak down the entire car once again with a flood of clear water from the garden hose. Never leave the soap suds on your car for extended periods of time, even if you’re washing in the shade on a cool day. The chemicals in the soap can leave a residue which will dull your car’s finish and be difficult to remove.
And finally, use only soaps which have been designed for car washing. Do NOT other household cleaning products, especially laundry soaps and other harsh cleaners, to wash your car.

Favorite Detailing Product of the Week:

Here’s a product that’s on the FIN MAN’s ‘must have’ list of car washing tools and accessories.

If, like me, you prefer to do your own car washing, you owe it to yourself to pick up ‘The Original Jelly Blade’, a flexible, ultra-soft, silicone squeegee made by the Original California Duster Company of Chatsworth, California. It’s patented ‘T’ blade will whisk away the excess water on your car, saving you precious time every time. Fitted with a comfortable, flexible T-handle, this device will eliminate the majority of the standing water from your car’s surface without damaging its delicate finish. After that, you can finish up with your favorite chamois or soft, cotton towel and you’ll have a spot-free clean car in nothing flat.

You can pick up a ‘Jelly Blade’ at most local area auto parts stores including all Advance Auto Parts stores. And please tell ‘em The FIN MAN sent you!