Here’s a nice and rare find from L Seddon at the Cohort; a 1969 Bonneville convertible, found in the UK sporting ‘Texas’ license plates. Thanks to available online info, the poster informs this Bonneville is one of about 5,438 built that year and that it comes with the factory 400-CID V-8.
There were no more shots of the ’69 Bonneville at the Cohort, but let’s bask some more in Pontiac’s past. Here’s one more image, this one from the ’68 brochure, showing the cleaner Pontiac beak of that year.
While Pontiac was about to start its slow decline, the late ’60s models still had a lot of flair. And whenever a ’60s Pontiac appears, I pay notice. While I didn’t live during their heyday, their models looked awesomely stylish years later. Proof of that admiration? Most of the wallpapers on my desktop are none other than Pontiac brochure images.
More Bonneville convertible:
In-Motion Classic: 1969 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible – Time Flies, Especially During Summer
I love Pontiac as a whole in the 1960s and early 1970s, but the front end of the ’68 and ’69 full-sizers look very reminiscent of the 1959-59 Edsel! What were they thinking. I know a lot of people will disagree, but I much prefer the front end of the 1970 Catalina/Executive/Bonneville to this.
That’s 1958-59 Edsel above. No option to edit original posts or I would have done so.
I remember a Collectible Automobile article who compared the full-size front end to the 1958-59 Edsel and some even compared to Packard!
Also, Canadian 1969 full-size Pontiacs was still “Cheviacs” or “Ponvrolets” with Pontiac bodies with Chevrolet chassis and drivetrains. While the 2+2 left the building in the United States, it was still available in Canada in 1969.
http://oldcarbrochures.org/Canada/GM-Canada/Pontiac/1969-Pontiac-Full-Size-Prestige-Brochure/slides/1969_Pontiac_Full_Size_Prestige_Cdn-06-07.html
And enjoy that vintage Pontiac promo I saw on Youtube.
Cool old ad! You can definitely tell it’s 1969 by the singers in the background. Notice how they all try to sound like the great group the 5th Dimension.
The 1969 Pontiac jingle was so popular it was decided to turn it into an actual song, “Breakaway”, with soul belter Jimmy Radcliffe adding new lyrics that made no mention of Pontiacs. The result became very popular in the UK, at least amongst fans of Northern Soul, a music scene somebody British will have to explain to this Yank as I’ve never quite understood it. Something about giving obscure vintage American soul/R&B/Motown ‘stompers’ a new life.
The actual 5th Dimension did some promos for Chevrolet in 1969.
My first car was a 66 Olds red convert with 425. Great car. Best friend got a67 GRAND PRIX convert for graduation. Among various cars, I have owned a 72 GRAND VILLE and 80 BONNEVILLE Brougham. Unfortunately both developed major mechanical issues. But they were overall good cars. To me the most striking was the 65 BONNEVILLE. Have never understood GM dropping both Olds and Pontiac, but then Cannot understand anything currently going on in the auto industry. As a side note, when Pontiac was dropped, that relatively new high volume dealer was given the Buick franchise, which was abruptly taken from very long term, lower volume Buick agency. So much for loyalty!
Incidentally, the Texas license plate on this car is not genuine – it’s most likely a souvenir-type reproduction.
The plate style it’s based on was issued between 2000 and 2009, however I don’t believe there were ever seven-digit sequences in that plate run (seven digits debuted with the 2009 redesign). Plus, in this particular series, the state outline in the center was either red, or overlayed with the red, white and blue Texas flag design – not blue as in this image.
Still an awesome car, especially given its location!
It’s ‘Texan’ then…
This is a british number, G suffix approximately indicates 1969 model year so it matches. I am not so sure the fake Texas plate is very legal though but the regulations are quite lax for design.
Aha! Thanks; I wouldn’t have guessed that. Just looked it up on the UK’s number plate database, and it’s in there, registered as a Pontiac.
I’ve never seen something like that before, and I’m curious whether it’s really an embossed metal plate or some other high-quality reproduction.
I was entering the comment below before I read your comment.
There are in theory strict rules around number plates, with the size and style of the letters and numbers, the plates themselves and their reflective coating. In order to get new plates you have to show the V5 registration document to prevent cloning.
However it is possible to get show plates which are not road legal. German style pressed plates are popular amongst VW owners for example.
Most autojumbles used to have a stall selling old US licence plates.
Correct . It’s a British age related registration number from 1st August 1968 to 1st August 1969. G reg. The sequence started in North London 1963. The plate is just a vanity plate style to look Texan.
One of the first ((thinking the first)) cars with “a/c” I was in was my mom’s friends “69 Pontiac full size” .
Imagine whipping around the side streets in the UK in this baby. You wouldn’t have to keep to the left. It’ll take both sides!
That’s a valid UK registration number for Pontiac, green 1969.
As it’s over 40 years old it doesn’t need and hasn’t got a current MOT certificate – the annual road worthiness test for vehicles between 3 and 40 years old. This means no one has checked the legality of the plate, I suspect that it isn’t legal, but you would be unlucky to get stopped for that.
I would think parking it away from that drive is more difficult than driving it.
Per the DVLA this car is a 1969 build, imported in 2017, with a 6.9 litre/420 cu in engine, which does not chime with Wikipedia’s account of engine sizes.
The plate is borderline legal, as it is the correct black on white and the defence would be that the plate is the correct size with a surround that is not part of the plate. The rear should be black on yellow, and a similar argument could apply.
And indeed, most supermarket carparks and multi storeys would be effectively out of bounds.
The 69 Pontiac continues to fascinate me, and has from the time my grandma bought a new Catalina sedan. I still love the Endura front bumper section and the best integrated side marker lights ever, in the way they serve as tips to the long, vinyl-filled side trim.
Perhaps the Bonneville is nicer inside, but the Catalina interior was drab and not at all luxurious.
I cannot look at those wheelcovers without remembering the “tinkety tink tink” sound of tiny bits of gravel bouncing around inside of them on Grandma’s car, after they found their way in through those multiple small slits.
The 428 engine was standard in the Bonneville in 1969.
The interior was quite a come-down from the pre 1968 versions. Starting in 1968 all the nice chrome and heavy metal bits started being replaced by plastic and vinyl. However, this was true across the board and not just limited to Pontiac.
Due to safety concerns, no doubt. And while I hate government intervention, I do think the safer interiors that started to come into use in 1968 with the padded dashes, recessed or soft plastic control knobs, collapsible steering columns and low shine surface finishes were a good thing at least for safety. In terms of pure style, no.
The car in the advertisement is a 1968. On the 68 the hood covers the hump in the middle of the grille and the 69 the hood doesn’t. Also the 69 grille has vertical bars in the center, the 68 didn’t. I grew up in 60s in a Pontiac family.