Thank you to Pixel
Cohort Pic(k) Of The Day – 1970 Pontiac Bonneville
– Updated on November 17, 2019
Thank you to Pixel
-
-
-
American Brands: GM 
American Brands: Ford 
American Brands: Chrysler 
American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others 
Automotive Histories and Misc. 
Asian Brands 
UK Brands 
Australian Brands 
European Brands 
Cars Of A Lifetime & Auto-Biography 
Buses 
Trucks, Pickups and Vans 
Design 
Trains, Planes & Ships 
Motorcycles, Trikes, Bicycles 
Engines, Transmissions and other Tech 
Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment 
RVs, Motorhomes, Trailers, Campers
When I first saw the hero profile picture, I thought it had some sort of custom bodywork to give it pointed fenders (like a 1961 Buick Special). Then when I saw the rest of the photos, it indeed has been customized, just not in the way I thought!
It is one of a kind! 🙂 This is actually one of the first Cohort contributions from back when that was started, we are currently up to over 500 pages of (visual) content. Not every car is in perfect condition, just like everything else we post here. I don’t know if the photographer for this one is still around, he (or she) may never know it got featured.
Reprise of the vertical grille. Which looks better (or worse?) . . . This or the Edsel?
I thought that grille was much more Packard-like.
When I first saw this front end I hated it. But I grew to like it. My parents had a 4 door and it was one helluva car.
At first glance at the top photo, I thought that it had some kind of custom spoiler – relieved to see that it was background. It does have twin antennae though, aerodynamically positioned. What baffles me, though, is how a vehicle can get to a state such as this and still (seemingly) be in use. I’ve sent cars to the yard in much, much better shape than this, simply because I grew weary of crawling under them to replace rotted brake and fuel lines.
Dude- It’s a rag top!
Really impressive! You just don’t don’t see degradation like that every day in a car still on the road.
On the lead photo, at first I thought it had a cheesy black spoiler. But it was the trash can!
It makes me think of an old punch drunk boxer. You can still see traces of his younger days when he was fit and handsome and turned heads, but you can tell he’s had one too many shots to the face(literally) and time has taken it’s toll.
I used to think the 1970 Pontiac couldn’t be uglier… and I was right, this is actually an improvement.
Wow. What’s left of a 1970 Pontiac Catalina convertible. I admire the individual’s level of optimism that keeps a car like this alive.
I imagine that when they close their eyes at night and they start to dream………
(Just in case I need back up here!)
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/column-he-she-they-grammar-rule
It looks like the car Uncle Buck traded in for his Mercury. 😉
How recent are these photos? I notice the registration sticker is from 2012.
Old, as I mentioned above it’s one of the first Cohort submissions so probably around that time. Gotta keep the hope alive for the early contributors to the Cohort!
How in the world did this pass an inspection?
WHAT inspection? Just don’t register it…a lot of people don’t. And don’t have insurance. And don’t have a driver’s license. And drive anyway.
Not every state requires an inspection. In fact, most don’t.
Massachusetts does and they are strict. There is no way that this car is legal.
Missouri just changed their first inspection to 10 years or 150,000 miles. Whichever comes first. Our roads are now less safe. Safe is used as a relative term to describe vehicles, not the dangerous roads.
Having dealt with crash investigations earlier in my career, the biggest culprit has always been driver inattention – and it’s only getting worse thanks to cell phones. Yes, I have told curious people, when pressed, their loved one pulled in front of an 18 wheeler. I have been at wreck sites with pieces of people lying around due to inattentive drivers. Unsafe vehicles? Negligible. Also, a ten year Camry et al with 150k in 2019 is much likely to be in better condition than was a ten year old Malibu in 1985. Things have simply improved over time.
And to think…I simply made that original statement in some degree of amazement. We see a 1970 Pontiac convertible, a rare sight. But some decide to focus on its condition. Had Jim posted “Damn, look at that POS” I can see the point of the whole safety discussion.
But then again, I’m just some backwoods hick from Missouri who hopes to have indoor plumbing by 2025 and who hoped, naively, to keep things on the subject of said Pontiac.
I didn’t mean to knock the cherry off of your sundae, but having driven extensively in Massachusetts, finding any vehicle this decrepit in this century, is even more rare than finding a 1970 Pontiac convertible. It’s just not possible not to notice it’s condition. Good luck with the indoor plumbing. It’s worth the wait.
HE&N: Safety inspections, like other things, can easily be pencil whipped if the right person is approached.
That said, I have researched safety inspections in MA. I even wrote about it. http://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/is-safety-subjective-a-sampling-of-vehicle-safety-inspection-requirements/
In regards to indoor plumbing, I do have it. But after having to snake a drain earlier today I have concluded it’s overrated. 🙂
Pleasant dreams Mr. Shafer.
You, too, HE&N.
Maryland doesn’t require any inspection to drive your car beyond emissions testing every two years, and cars built before 1995 are exempt, as are cars driven less than 5,000 miles each year and some other exemptions. You do normally need to pass an inspection to sell a car though.
Zero inspection requirements in CO and CA beyond emissions (in CO) which in CA though this car is exempt from due to age anyway. This car can keep going until it just can’t anymore. And visit any other state and likely drive through Canada as well.
Inspection? What is that? Indiana eliminated the requirement around 1979.
“Well, I’ve got to run to keep from hidin’
And I’m bound to keep on ridin’
And I’ve got one more silver dollar
But I’m not gonna let ’em catch me, no
Not gonna let ’em catch the Midnight Rider”
I suspect this Pontiac is no longer of this world. Given these pics are several years old, and that rust/body damage looks terminal. The roof was needing replacing, the rear bumper is painted with primer, etc.
Not quite this rough, but this is the near final state I remember many of these late 60s/early 70s big cars, fading away circa 1980 or so. Only seeing a hint of their former glory helping to ease seeing their passing.
There’s a ’78 Pontiac Ventura that hasn’t been around for a few months that reached the same level of ‘how did that pass inspection’ decrepitude.
The headlights are aiming at four different heights. With proper wiring and switching, it could be quite a feature. A four-way dimmer switch: expansion joints, cars, semis, overpasses.
Busted in all the right ways.
Maybe the owner dreams of this…
Is that model, and the the Chevy behind it, demonstrations of your model building skills? If so, I salute you, sir!! 🙂
(And this is my first comment, so I AM NOT posting too fast!!)
Red+White. Is there a better combo for a convertible? Great model too, and as fellow modeller I salute you!
That’s some serious ouch going on.
Driver’s side headlamp aim looks off…
I’d say drive it till the doors fall off, but by now they probably have.
Body on frame does have some advantages. A unibody with this much rust would be sitting on the ground.
But. I’ll bet all the window risers work. It has decent fresh air ventilation so it doesn’t matter if the a/c is kaput. The basic driveline was durable as all get out and transmissions are cheap and easy rebuilds/swaps. The wiring harness does not eat itself. It will never need a timing belt. You can buy everything you need to keep it on the road for another month.
There is much to recommend modern cars, but there was a combination of durability and simplicity to cars like these that made them fabulous beaters until waaaaaay after they looked respectable.
Beater Challenge candidate