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| Pontiac Bonneville 'Fuel-Injected' Convertible 1958 |
In an uncharacteristic move, General Motors introduced new bodies and chassis for all 1958 cars. In this shuffle, Pontiac made the Bonneville—previously a limited-production convertible—its own separate, top-of-the-line series, still limited to a ragtop and a new hardtop coupe. The car was lavished with chrome and gadgetry, typical of the period, and was most distinguished from what lay under its hood: a 370–cubic inch V-8 that came standard with 285 horsepower. Several performance upgrades were available, with the most potent being Rochester fuel injection, combined with 10.5:1 compression heads and good for an output of 310 horsepower.
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| Pontiac Bonneville 'Fuel-Injected' Convertible 1958 |
Fuel injection was still in its infancy and was the height of automotive engineering in the late 1950s; it was racing technology that GM just happened to offer on its street cars. It was relatively unfamiliar to all but the most performance-minded of buyers, and it was prohibitively expensive ($500) even for many of those. Accordingly, the number of 1958 Bonnevilles fitted with the fuel-injected engine is known to have been very low; it is estimated around 200 cars. Fewer still remain extant and fitted with the system today.
The Bonneville convertible presented here is fitted with the fuel-injected engine and is equipped with front and rear bucket seats; power steering, brakes, and windows; and dual spotlights. The dashboard contains the desirable Trans-Portable radio, a transistorized unit that can be removed from the car and toted with its owner on a picnic.
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| Pontiac Bonneville 'Fuel-Injected' Convertible 1958 |
Acquired by its current owner, a well-known connoisseur of 1950s convertibles, out of Tennessee several years ago, the car was previously the recipient of a concours-quality restoration, correct down to primered floor pans. The Rangoon Red and Graystone White paint scheme matches the trim tag.
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