1959 Bonneville Contrasts Optimism with Decay

1959 Pontiac Bonneville for sale This car is too far gone. No one will ever put in the work necessary to fix the extensive rust, decayed interior and frozen drivetrain. And it’s tragic, because a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville Coupe signifies American cars at their most bombastic. The wide track eight lug wheels and jet-age fins stretching over a gargantuan trunk all come from an era where more was more. Irony, self-consciousness, counter-culture and minimalism hadn’t been invented yet. Seeing it in this condition gives off a bit of an Ozymandias vibe.

1959 Pontiac Bonneville (1)1959 Pontiac Bonneville (2)1959 Pontiac Bonneville (3)1959 Pontiac Bonneville (4)

I’d love to say some version of “patch it up, get it running and drive it as-is”, but it’d be nothing but patch before you could so much as it in it. While it’s doomed, the right thing to do here is pull the useful/valuable stuff like those eight lug wheels and send the rest to The Crusher. Hopefully others might continue living from its donation.

And then the jerk seller has the nerve to ask for a $3000 opening bid. At least it makes optimistic lawn art.

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  1. boxdin Avatar
    boxdin

    The elongated truck reminds me of the business coupes of the 40s & early 50s. Big enough to sleep in there.

  2. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    It’s pretty rusty, but I’ve seen a lot worse. The 8-lugs weren’t available in ’59, so somebody cared for it at one time. It could be a decent parts car, but not at $3000.

  3. memikeyounot Avatar
    memikeyounot

    In 1971, my mom and dad bought me a 1959 Bonneville, 4 door sedan to go to work and school, and it was huge, but most cars then were HUGE. I only had it a couple of years and bought a used 1969 Roadrunner, which turned out to be a bad purchase. Wish I still had the Pontiac 🙂

  4. mr smee Avatar
    mr smee

    Man, that’s a gorgeous car. Was this the first ‘Wide-Track’ Pontiac? If I were to buy this, I’d wan it to have a V10 or V12 for some reason.

  5. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    Throw the frame and drivetrain away and nail the body to the ceiling of that bar you always wanted to open.

  6. Texlenin Avatar
    Texlenin

    Respectfully Disagree. That funky ferrous furball could easily be tamed. If the owner hadn’t been
    bedazzled by coprolitic automotive reality tv and thrice, nay, quadruple damned Barrett-Jackson!
    ‘Cause nobody is gonna drop 3k for a project car. Will these fleecy dunderheads never learn?
    It’s not what it’s potential worth as a resto is, it’s what it’s worth NOW…..