Daily Pick: 1966 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible

Third in the industry Plymouth was rightfully in the spot, but two brands pushed Mopar out of third place during the 1960s: Rambler and Pontiac. Pontiac held onto that spot for most of the decade, thanks to our featured 1966 Pontiac Bonneville convertible today. A dealer in Des Moines, Iowa, has it listed for sale on ClassicCars.com. (Click the link to see the listing.)

1966 was a year of improvement for Pontiac’s full-size models, following a redesign in 1965 that was a huge success: the entire Pontiac lineup won Car TrendsPontiac was named Car of the Year for its styling and engineering. The 1966 model year saw a simpler, more elegant design, with no turbine headlights and a more angular grille. The overall effect was just as good as the ’65 model, which may make it hard for Pontiac enthusiasts to decide which year they like best.

The Catalina continues to play the role of the entry-level full-size model. Available body styles include two-door and four-door sedans, two-door and four-door hardtops, convertibles, and wagons. Catalina also offers the Ventura package (available on all Catalinas except the two-door sedan and wagon), which includes a fancier interior, padded instrument panel, and fender skirts.

The Bonneville was Pontiac’s top-of-the-line full-size model, sitting above the Star Chief Executive and right up there with the personal luxury Grand Prix. Available body styles included two-door hardtop, convertible, four-door hardtop, and wagon. In addition to a longer 124-inch wheelbase (three inches more than the Catalina), the Bonneville also featured a fancier interior. Externally, it was easily identified by the wider taillights and ribbed lower body chrome, which not only distinguished the Bonneville from smaller Pontiacs, but also accentuated the “Coke bottle” curves that made Pontiacs styling stars in the mid-1960s.

All of the available powerplants from 1965 carried over to 1966, except for the 338-hp 389 Tri-Power. Standard on the Catalina and Star Chief was the high-compression 290-hp 389 two-cylinder engine, available with either an automatic or four-speed transmission, but you could also opt for a low-compression 256-hp three-speed manual or automatic. Want a four-cylinder? The 325-hp 389 was available with an automatic, but horsepower was bumped to 333 if you ordered a manual, which was standard on the Bonneville. Then there were the three 421 engines: a four-cylinder (standard in the 2+2) rated at 338 hp, a Tri-Power 421 rated at 356 hp, and the 421 HO (also available in Tri-Power) topping out at 376 hp. Clearly, no matter how complex it seemed, there was an engine to suit every need.

This 1966 Pontiac Bonneville convertible was originally painted Martinique Bronze with a black roof, but is now Tiger Gold, which was an extra-cost color at the time. The interior is still original bronze vinyl, according to the data plate. The license plate also lists several accessory codes for some of the original equipment, such as foam bench seat cushions, TH400 automatic transmission, rear power antenna, rear-seat speakers, exterior remote mirrors, and deluxe seat belts.

Even better, the car comes with a PHS invoice confirming these features and noting several others, including highly desirable aluminum eight-wheel hubs, Super-Lift rear shocks, a heavy-duty battery, vanity mirrors, an anti-glare tilt mirror, power steering and brakes, and a 325-horsepower 389 engine (despite the 421 badges on both sides of the vehicle).

The seller says, “The interior is super clean and the dash is great with woodgrain trim, signature armrests, and lots of chrome, just like you’d expect in a full-size Pontiac.” We couldn’t disagree. This car is a great looking car in the best traditions of full-size American convertibles, all done up in Pontiac style. Sorry Plymouth, number one (you) can start driving number three (Pontiac) for just $36,900.

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