My 1978 Bonneville after a detail.
Last spring, after letting my son start to use the 1994 Volvo 940 as a daily driver, I decided to jump again into the search for another vintage vehicle. I still missed the 1977 Chevrolet Impala sedan I used to own in Minnesota and scoured the local Craigslist ads for a similar box Chevy. Oddly enough, the PNW doesn’t have as rich a supply of older domestic cars as the upper Midwest, even though cars last a long time out here, so this ended up taking more time than expected. (I also considered online auctions and consignments, but, over the pandemic, prices have gone way up for well-kept vintage GM large cars.) Then, right around Memorial Day, I saw a C/L post for a clean, 84K mile 1978 Pontiac Bonneville coupe for $3600, located 40 miles away in Sequim, Washington. I felt like Captain Ahab spying the elusive white whale and swung into action.
In many ways, the Bonneville was the “holy grail” of GM large cars for me. When I was 11 or 12 years old, I started to collect new car brochures and I remembered the Pontiacs of the late 70’s. They seemed to incorporate, in a graceful manner, many of the design elements of older vehicles (like fender skirts and hood ornaments) with the newer boxy profile of more modern cars. This was a weird time for Pontiac – in the hierarchy of GM divisions, it represented a step up from the basic Chevrolet with a performance upgrade. But what did that mean in the era of increased fuel efficiency and emissions regulation? When GM downsized its large B-body cars for 1977, it tried to give each division the opportunity to express some aspects of their individual design personalities, yet, for the first time, started using common engines and performance platforms. While an overall successful engineering effort, as many have observed, not every division experienced the same sales success.
Like the other divisions, Pontiac had a long history of full-size coupes – but the body style was under pressure as buyers moved into the personal luxury brougham coupe craze during the 70’s. As a result, there was more competition from mid-sizers within the division (like the Grand Prix), outside the division (like the Olds Cutlass Supreme) and other manufacturers (like the Ford Thunderbird and Chrysler Cordoba). In 1978, GM introduced downsized versions of its personal luxury coupes with generally positive results in the market. (Other manufacturers did the same through the early 80’s.). Over time, the full-sized coupe occupied an increasingly smaller share of car sales. The last full-size Pontiac coupe left the market in the 1981 model year, ending the long-standing Catalina name and Pontiac’s production of V8 engines. The Bonneville name continued on as a rebadged mid-size sedan only until a shift to front-wheel drive in the late 80’s.
The Bonneville coupe I found on Craigslist had spent 42 years with the same owner, spending most of its time under a cover in a carport next to 4 separate garages filled with cars. The seller was an elderly man in his 80’s whose children had encouraged him to start selling his cars. They had each chosen other vehicles from his collection, which included mostly Ford Motor Company models, including a 1965 Ford 500 that was his pride and joy. While the Bonneville had been used years ago for road trips and other pleasure drives, it hadn’t been driven consistently in years. The seller liked to do his own servicing and the car clearly had been well-maintained, but increasing age now impacted his ability to keep up with the overall demands. The car overall was in very good condition – the claret colored full vinyl roof was pristine and the overall condition of the similarly colored body was straight with generally minor imperfections. The carmine red velour interior showed some minor wear on the seats, but the dash was pad was not cracked. There was some fading of the red trim and the headliner sagged, but nothing that couldn’t be repaired or refreshed. The A/C still blew cold, all the gages worked on the dashboard (the full-gage package option), and the cruise and tilt steering also worked. Finally, the tires were new, the 301 V8 and transmission worked well with minimal fuss, and the upgraded aftermarket dual exhaust sounded cool. In all, a wonderful time-machine.
Luckily, I was the first person to see this gem and quickly jumped on buying the car. For the price, it was a great deal. Even with putting some money into interior fixes, a new battery and some updated maintenance, as well as a great detail, I was way ahead. With the overall mild PNW climate, I can drive the car all year round and have begun taking it to some local cars and coffees. Later this year, I hope to make it to some more car shows and perhaps take a trip to visit one of my sons (either to Vancouver or a longer one to Los Angeles). Overall, driving the car has been a joy.
Photo taken by a local auto journalist – the evening light shows the car well.
My 78 Bonneville coupe represents the end of an era – when the car market was in transition and middle class folks looking for something luxurious and more indulgent still could find something they could afford on the market. It has the same basic honesty that I found in the 77 Impala sedan – a no-nonsense competence. Yes, it lacks the power accessories and design flashes of some higher-end Cadillacs and Lincolns from its time, but it offers the same comfortable ride in a package that still manages to keep up with current travel demands. To me, that is a car worth keeping.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham Coupe – Who Needs A Cadillac?
Why can’t cars today have ‘fully’ colour keyed interiors as shown in the Pontiac Bonneville.
A red interior should mean ‘red’ everything! Steering wheel, control knobs, seat belts the lot. European cars with few exceptions fail this test. Steering wheels and dash panels come in one colour ‘black’ regardless of the interior colour.
A real feature of 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s American cars was there fully colour coordinated interiors. The subject Pontiac is good example.
I was comparing ads and brochures of late 70s large Pontiacs just last weekend. I prefer the austere ’77 Catalina coupe exterior, but the Bonneville’s optional striped Valencia interior is the bomb, as the kids say. The mid-height bodyside molding was an option that 99.44% of buyers took but I wouldn’t. The Pontiac wears its big bumpers better than our ’77 base Electra did, and your seats look plusher and more comfortable than the Buick’s.
During the holidays, I watched a couple 1977/1978 Impala and Caprice corporate training videos for sales people. I was slightly surprised at the spotty fit and finish. Especially apparent, in close-ups. We’ve come a very long way.
A keeper! Not sure on the skirts, but it’s your car not mine. Trivia: Those wheel trims made it down under on Holden Caprices.
Oh my the skirts MAKE the car, giving it a longer, lower look!
Actually, was thinking the “fender skirts” don’t look so bad on this body style.
On the colonnade bodies, they do not work.
Fantastic – I love it. It screams for the rally wheels shown on that blue one. I think we need a pic of the full gauge package!
Thanks. Actually the car came with a set of period correct Buick hubcaps when I bought it. I found the Pontiac turbine wheel covers on EBay and thought they looked much better, Later on, I was able to send away for the build sheet and lo and behold, those were the wheel covers that originally came with the car. I do like the Pontiac rally wheels though…
Here is more of the gage package/dashboard.
These Pontiac were great cars. The comfort and luxury of driving one surely woke you up as to the drudgery of driving a Volvo. Not mentioned in the article, what engine did your car have? The engine choice can make or break these cars. 301, thumbs down. Olds 350, thumbs up
My father’s 1978 Bonneville sedan had the Pontiac 400 V8. It was definitely a “thumbs up.”
My Bonneville actually has the 301 which was standard. I know the engine gets a bad rap, but I have no complaints. It won’t win drag races, but the small block V8s of the time actually had decent torque output, which is what makes a difference off the line. This is a cruising car and so far, it seems to fit the bill. I know folks have other opinions and the larger engine would have more umph, at the cost of some mileage. Catalinas of the time had a base 231 V6 which would have been much worse.
Egads my Mom had a new LeMans in 79 and it had the carb’d 3.8L, as did a 2 door Gutless Cutlass that I had later on, about a 1984 model. Horribly underpowered, it’s remarkable that the later 3800 is among my favorites. Not to mention the Grand Nationals…..
“Attainable Luxury” is a good title for this post. My father has an unusual penchant for automobiles. He bought a 1967 Cadillac which went immediately from the dealership to the tire store to be fitted with radial tires and Monroe-matic shock absorbers. It might have been the best handling Caddy in town, if not the state at the time.
He eventually sold the Cadillac and bought a 1974 BMW 3.0 sedan (a Bavaria with leather upholstery and power windows). Wow! What a difference in the dynamics of the two vehicles. Besides the desire to try something more “continental” he was also looking for better fuel economy after the first oil embargo.
After four great years with the BMW Dad began to get antsy about the cost of maintenance and eventual repairs on that car. The downsized GM B-bodies were well received so it was off to the Pontiac dealership to acquire a new 1978 Bonneville Brougham. Dad has never been a first adopter.
Here is where affordable luxury with a bit of sportiness comes into play. Despite the car being the “brougham” version of the Bonneville with its carmine red pillow seats, the proper boxes where checked – F-41 suspension, 400 cu. in. V8, gauge package, and NO vinyl roof. Of course, no other transmission besides the 3-speed Turbo-hydramatic 400 was available with that engine.
Even with the 2.29:1 rear end the car accelerated very well for that era. It would even chirp the rear tires going into second in some instances. It also handled well for what is still a large American car, especially compared to its immediate predecessors.
All that said, it was comfortable and quiet and devoured the expansive highways of Texas like a magic carpet. Too bad the speedometer pegged at 85 mph. It would have been interesting to see what the top speed really was (drag limited of course).
The car did come standard with fender skirts. At one point they were stolen and the Bonneville did look a bit awkward without them. They were replaced.
If you fell in love with the ’78, i was a sophmore in high school and a friends father had the 4 door vista in medium green as pictured in the sports coupe with the 3 tone green interior!
WOW, my father was driving a Buick at the time but the pontiac had so much more pizzaz!
Always liked and still like the 1977-1985 GM generation of full-size cars. All of them. My favorites are the Pontiac Bonnevilles. Both two and four doors. Also really like the ’77-’79 Caprice Coupes.
Your car is beautiful and it’s a keeper!
Very nice! And a good catch. I like it with those wheel covers and the rear fender skirts, given that it’s a Bonneville.
Dear Steve, regarding your Pontiac: WOOF, WOOF! Beautiful car and you have preserved it well.
Thank you!
My father bought a new 77 Buick LeSabre Sport coupe, trading his 72 Bick Centurion 2 dr hardtop in. He considered the Bonneville, having owned many since the 59 he bought new in late 58. However. he said he got a better deal on the LeSabre at the Buick -Pontiac dealer. Less money/higher trade, (The 72 was a garage kept low mileage car) for 2 steps up the Sloan ladder. Probably, as was becoming increasingly rare, he bought it through the same salesman he had used since 59. when car sales was still a career and much less transitional. Last car bought through him before retiring was Dads 91 Lesabre.
Great story! And excellent photos-the picture of the interior could have come out of the 1978 Catalina/Bonneville brochure.
My aunt’s husband had a 78 Olds Delta 88 2-door he bought used, in comparable condition–except he bought it in 1980/81. It had GM light green, with a landau vinyl roof, the bench front with the GM “cloth/velour”. It had a 350 in it, and at the time, of all the cars I had been in, I considered it the ultimate highway cruiser.
Warm memories…my father had a ’79 Coupe, a black brougham with rally wheels, black landau top, and a gold pillow top velour interior…power everything, auto temp, the sport steering wheel and the bigger V8 (though it may have been the 350, not the 403). We all loved driving it…without a doubt the most pleasing American car he owned. You could joke that the bar wasn’t very high at the time, but this was so much better than the mid 70’s Pontiacs that came before it and far superior versus the competition…too bad this (whether Pontiac, Chev, Olds, Buick) was somehow a one off before losing their way again. Congrats and enjoy!
I’ve never been a Pontiac guy for some reason, but I will say that I truly believe that Pontiac had some of the best interiors of the Chevy, Pontiac, Olds and Buicks. At least in the Bonneville, Parisian and Grand Prix’s.
MANUAL WINDOWS ! WOOT ! .
This car looks very pretty and I hope you have off street shady parking so it remains this crisp for the entire time you have it .
Not my kinda Poncho but a sharp car all the same .
-Nate
What a great find! I will confess that I like these late 70s Bonnevilles – if you are going to go for broughamy baroque, then go for it! Which is exactly what these Pontiacs did. These might have done “traditional America luxury” better than the Olds 98 did.
My only disappointment would be the small 301 V8 – I would guess that a 350 (either Pontiac or from one of the other GM Divisions) would have been offered, and that would have really kicked my love for this car into high gear.
I thought this coupe body style worked really well wit the fender skirts. And I also have a real soft spot for those finned wheel covers. Great car!
Did you say $3600??? Yeah, that’s a no brainer – great find!
Wow – for $3,600 that’s an incredible find!
I’ve long had an affinity for these Pontiacs – maybe it’s the fender skirts and hood ornaments and interior flourishes, but these were always my preferred Big GM Car. Back in the 1990s, a friend of mind drove a ’79 Bonneville sedan in this same color scheme. I drove that car several times, and always enjoyed sliding behind the wheel.
Oh, and that last photo taken by the auto journalist is outstanding!
Wow, that’s a beautiful car inside and out. I always liked the ’77 thru ’81 Bonneville coupes. You surely got a good deal on that one. In 1981, I bought a ’78 Caprice coupe in carmine red and it was a great car. I think I should have been looking for a late model Bonneville instead. Those fender skirts and the sportier looking dash really look sharp to me. A bit of a step up from the Caprice.
This is my second favorite downsized full size GM car from the ’77-’85 era. My favorite is the ’80-’84 Olds 98. I love fender skirts.