1966 Pontiac Bonneville Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Will be a daily driver when I am done with it. Needs an engine and transmission installed, will be a 76 Chevy 350, with 350 Turbohydro. Have to replace right front spindle(have one) and do brakes all the way around, flush gas tank. Biggest challenge will be finding windshield. This is a high-top, the windshield is about 4" taller than standard. Dealer installed A/C, will try to restore that. Original knobs intact, will try to find original radio. Most stainless trim still there. Very little rust. Very heavy car.Jan 28, 2012

Greetigns from Texas. The 1966 Bonneville convertible remains one of General Motor's best efforts from an era of American auto building dominance. COST OF OWNERSHIP: I believe it is in line with anything else one may drive even as a weekend driver. Insurance is about $250 per year for a classic car policy which gives me enough miles for car shows and Sunday drives. Mileage is 14 MPG highway from the 421 H.O. Tri-power which is 25% better than my 1973 Coupe DeVille with the 472. BUILD QUALITY: Reliability from that bygone era has been fantastic. This is the 3rd 1966 Pontiac our family has owned. Two Bonnevilles and 1 Catalina. Even at 40 years on it could be a daily driver for my 30 mile per day round trip commute to work if I wanted it to be. When we have taken long trips in it to car shows, at 44 years old it runs as well today as a new vehicle. Smooth, comfortable air conditioned ride. Very little wears out. Maintenence has been minor to include occasional fill ups of the freon as the A/C system works and blows cold, some suspension work which was just replacing parts that succumbed to normal wear and tear ( centerlink), new battery, and pretty diligent checking of the oil. The 421 High Output does like to eat a little oil on long road trips at sustained highway speeds but never shoots blue when I start it up. The turbo-hydramatic transmission remains smooth and never slips or whines. The rear differntial does not whine either. It's easy to have good build quality when everything is made of real iron and steel. The real wood dashboard is still looking as it should and the plastic facing over the glove compartment that contains the silver BONNEVILLE lettering is still clear, non oxidized and not cracked. It does have some road noise at highway speeds driving with the top up, but I think that is endemic to the covertible body style as the trunk compartment is continious with the passenger compartment. PERFORMANCE: The 421 H.O. will really run when I want it to. It makes a wonderful deep rumble thru true full length dual exhaust. Braking is withing the range of normal for a big vehicle of that era with drum brakes contained in the factory original 8 lug rims. It handles like a big car of the 1960's era. Some body sway in turns, but a nice ride. Not stiff like my 1990 Trans Am GTA with the WS6 suspension package. APPEARENCE: The interior contains some very rare upgrades for the Bonneville. Mine has the factory tachometer, oil pressure gauge and temperature gauge cluster. I have read that in this combination with the 376 horsepower 421 H.O. there were less than 1000 1966 Bonnevilles produced. It has black and plush new carpeting. It has the top of the line Brougham interior. Power seats, power windows, power door locks, power rear monunted antennea and reverb speaker located in the middle of the upper back seat. The seats and door skins are leather. The interior is black. The exterior has been repainted. It is black raven with a matching black top. Nobody makes quarterpanels like that any more!!! Full compliment of brightwork, over and under headlights, bold capitalized "BONNEVILLE" lettering on the driver's side grill, front quarter panels/doors and trunk lid. Fender skirts, and chrome rocker panels the length of the vehicle finish out the look that exemplified the era of Pontiac muscle and dominance. FUN FACTOR: I have people pulling out their cell phones and snapping pictures as they pull beside me on the highway. Somehow I know it's NOT me they want a picture of!!!! It is a lot of fun to drive. I take the top down every time I can and just enjoy mile after mile of the Texas countryside. Yeah, it's fun to drive....... 43Mar 09, 2010

A beautiful design is timeless. Perfect lines. Remaniscent of the glory days of American steel. 421 cubic inches of Pontiac Excitement. 376 horsepower Tri Power 3 double barrel carburatior set-up. 10.75-1 compression ratio. Runs like the wind!!!!! Smooth, quick acceleration. Deep satisfying rumble of a large V-8 under load. Black on black. Air conditioning. Leather interior. Dash mounted factory tachometer with oil pressure and engine temperature gauges instead of the standard lights. Power seats, power locks, power windows, air conditioning and real burled oak wood dashboard. The clock even still works. Original top of the line for '66 Re-verb sound system. 12 disc CD changer mounted in the trunk plays through original sound system. Full engine rebuild with chrome valve covers and chrome A/C compressor. Full frame off restoration with dunked/coated undercarriage and floor pan. Eight lug sport rims. Chrome stripping the length of the vehicle and door and front quarter panel BONNEVILLE lettering. Brougham interior. New plush black carpet. Oh, and did I mention it's a convertible..... Built like a tank. 4000 pounds of American steel. Minimal maintenence ever. Mileage is what it is. Don't buy a 421 HO six-pack to worry about fuel consumption. Is the car fun to drive. Yes....always sad to put it away after the weekend. But then I always have something to look forward to. Mar 24, 2009