1969 Pontiac Bonneville Project

[99 galant]

So yesterday I bought my dad's 1969 Pontiac Bonneville. I know for a fact that it use to run and be in mint condition. We have had it since 1995 and it went to a Pontiac only mechanic who full rebuilt the 428 7L engine. It is pushing about 600 torque, which is very important on a car this big.
Well today I change my first spark plugs (NGK) and I have a huge list of whats needs to be fixed. Luckily, the body only has a few minor rust areas which I will eventually get a re-spray on, and the engine only has 25K on it, but the interior, top, and floor boards are the major areas of fixing right now. I have videos that I will eventually post of todays runs. The first run is horrible because I didn't change the plugs yet and the second one had a huge puff of black smoke come out of the tail pipes because it has been sitting so long that it needs a well needed oil change. I don't plan on finishing this next month. I want to keep my savings just incase something goes wrong with the Galant or another issue in my life happens, so I am trying to play it safe whiles I slowly get what I need for it.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/Front1.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/Front.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/38058_453833120287_560210287_654837.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/Rear.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/4287L.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/Interior.jpg

More pictures and videos to come as we get more work going.

[keith6110]

looks clean. My dad had one of these as his first car. Kind of funny to look at this thing and think about it. Good luck with the rebuild. Looks like its in good shape.

[99 galant]

Good shape minus the no floor or interior lol, but yes, the major stuff is done for the most part.

[RAZ_76]

Nice project but it's going to cost at least 10K to restore that, you know that. That engine is trash, you need a nice crate engine from a 442 or something. That looks liek a stock V6 engine in there that it came with originally so you see, there's no way that engine made 600 foot-lbf of torque with a 3.8L V6 engine. That engine made 240hp and 280 ft-lb of torque. Oh and the rust cant be removed and sprayed on, whatever that means. You have to replace the rusty areas with new sheet metal. Anyway, good luck with it.

[Joshua42007]

:cool: Throw sum D`s on it.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp326/joshua42008/donk.jpg

[99 galant]

Nice project but it's going to cost at least 10K to restore that, you know that. That engine is trash, you need a nice crate engine from a 442 or something. That looks liek a stock V6 engine in there that it came with originally so you see, there's no way that engine made 600 foot-lbf of torque with a 3.8L V6 engine. That engine made 240hp and 280 ft-lb of torque. Oh and the rust cant be removed and sprayed on, whatever that means. You have to replace the rusty areas with new sheet metal. Anyway, good luck with it.

We had a guy completely re-do it and it does have the 428 in it. For this pontiac, there was only 2 engines, the 6.8 and the 7. This car has been in my family for 15 years and I know what it has and what it was. I know its going to cost a lot, but I don't plan on finishing it tomorrow. The engine is not going to need to be replaced. Also, when I buy any parts from Napa for it, their system only has the 2 engines that I mentioned.

[99 galant]

I would never do that picture to my car. That is just hideous.

[RAZ_76]

Even a 428 will not make 600Foot-lb of torque. There were 3 models with 428 and the torque was, 390hp-472tq, 360hp-465tq and 390hp-472tq again. I don't care what NAPA said.

[jimmy_o2]

hey ray it does have a v8 look at the pics and take a closer look at the wires u will see 4 on each side, but i will agree with ray not pushing 600 torque.

On a side note i big fan of classic car good luck on the project. I'm trying to get my dad's 66 mustang coupe with 289. My dad's the original owner got it when he was 18 with 0.3 miles on it

[jimmy_o2]

:cool: Throw sum D`s on it.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp326/joshua42008/donk.jpg

and that's just gay

[M-Rod]

Yeah Ray is correct with those numbers. Trust me, when I had my old pontiac, I researched the crap out of it when I built my 2nd engine for it.

[RAZ_76]

hey ray it does have a v8 look at the pics and take a closer look at the wires u will see 4 on each side,

Yeah, we've already established that. At first glance I thought it was the V6 but I was wrong.

[99 galant]

Okay well maybe my dad had the wrong numbers for torque but I know what engine it is. Anyways, once more work gets done ill post it. In the mean time, here is a video of how the car sounds. I was too close with the camera so it is really muffled BUT it is not actually that muffled.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/th_CIMG1045.jpg (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/?action=view&current=CIMG1045.mp4)

[RAZ_76]

Sounds good, it won't idle by itself?

[99 galant]

Not yet, my dad thinks the timing is off. So a guy he works with is coming today to look at it. It also needs a much needed oil change but i dont think that will effect the idle.

[RAZ_76]

Pull the engine and rebuild it. Don't you want to pull it out anyway if you're going to rebuild the entire car?

Here is what I think you should throw on the car as far as wheels.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-GTO-GTO-1968-Pontiac-GTO-4-Speed-Convertible-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2c55f5e7c7QQitemZ19042 0740039QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks#v4-38

[99 galant]

I agree on the wheels. Those are a great choice. I have never actually seen anything normal on the car besides the back wheel in the picture from the other thread. I'm going to keep looking into wheels and hopefully find something that will flow well.

I wasn't planning on rebuilding the whole thing right away. I'm going have my friend's grandfather take a look at it who has rebuilt 4 camaros so far. I just have to wait til he available to check it out. I mean the engine was just rebuilt 8 years ago and only has 25K on it so it just really needs to be ran and cleaned up. This is all new to me, so instead of going in feet first and all giddy to get it done quick, I'm thinking straight and going slow on it. Right now the first worry is to redo the floor, clean up and get the engine running strong, and redo the interior and replace the top. I don't plan on finishing it tomorrow, but a year or two would be nice.

Basically, instead of just blowing money on anything and everything, I'm trying to get it done right the first time while learning and hopefully one day making it a hobby.

[M-Rod]

Too bad I just sold a full set of those Pontiac wheels last summer.

[99 galant]

How much did they go for? Just a rough idea

[RAZ_76]

Well if you want to do this right and since you have to replace teh floor board. I suggest removing everything, including engine and have entire car sand blasted.

[M-Rod]

they needed to be sand blasted and repainted so I let them go for $50 locally on craigslist. And I highly recommend taking Ray's advice about tearing the car down and do it right. It should be easy enough to work on.

[99 galant]

How much would a full sand blast be? And what exactly does that do? I'm thinking about asking the guy who first re-did the car some questions about what he still does and how much it would cost.

[99 galant]

Just a few small updates:
IT RUNS!

These rims are on the way OUT as soon as I purchase new ones towards the end of the work, so next spring or summer.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2007.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2006.jpg

The engine after I bought the new Valve Cover Breather Cap and just sprayed SOME degreaser and wiped in down.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2005.jpg

Starting the trunk
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2001.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2002.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2003.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/DSCF2004.jpg
Just using rust removal for the trunk along with another product, once I find it, that the guy that restores cars for a living recommended.


You should have seen how nasty rotted the trunk seal was. There was some holes under it which will be filled in prior to installing the new seal. For now, we got the car to run off time long enough to drive it into the garage. That is where it will stay until 1 of 2 things. The floor, top, and interior are done, or my dad moves.


New Videos:
First rev after timing fixed
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/th_DSCF2036.jpg (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/?action=view&current=DSCF2036.mp4)

First idle by it self in 3 years
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/th_DSCF2037.jpg (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/?action=view&current=DSCF2037.mp4)

Engine View Rev
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/th_DSCF2038.jpg (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/?action=view&current=DSCF2038.mp4)

Rear View Rev
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/th_DSCF2040.jpg (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/?action=view&current=DSCF2040.mp4)

[RAZ_76]

Good job dude. Those wheels seriously kill the look of the car. My advice, put the car on jack stands, sell those ugly wheels on craigslist. Hit the junkyard and pick up some factory ones until you can get better wheels. Stock wheels will look ten times better, that's just what I would do if I had to cash to get better wheels.You have rust but it's not as bad as I anticipated. You should see some of the cars from the 40's and 50s' I've worked on.

I see you got rust on the quarter panels, address that quickly or you will be replacing quarter panels soon, if not too late already.

Here you go, wheels and tires

http://hartford.craigslist.org/pts/1874657330.html

[99 galant]

The wheels do kill the car, but as long as it is just going to sit until I get it going more I was just going to keep it as is. The garage hides them now :D lol.
As for the wheels, for how big these cars are, would a old school looking rim in 17's work? Or would I be better with 15's still. This is the set I was thinking about
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/mbmos_glm_ang.jpg

I think the gun metal would off set the blue very well, plus this shop I pass every day has one outside in dark blue with a black top and the wheels you posted and they seem too small for the size of the car. I'm going to look into those wheels for now though because these factory lincolns I have on it I could hopefully get some decent money for them

[99 galant]

August 7th, 2010
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0761.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0762.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0760.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0759.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0758.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0757.jpg

Much less rust in the trunk
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0754.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0753.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0752.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0749.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0748.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0747.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0746.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0745.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0744.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0743.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0742.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0741.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_0740.jpg


Didn't really do much beside another layer of rust removal in the trunk, started to remove the seats, and I figured out if my new trunk seal will actually fit or not, and it does. So that is a huge start.

To build some personal credit, I'm thinking about applying for a loan from the bank I work at for the rest of the cost of the car to finish and pay it off monthly for the next few years. It would be a great way to build up some credit. Not that we can actually win the credit game.

[99 galant]

I'm not sure what color I want to re-spray it.

Right now I'm doing a little interior work. Theres too much snow to get to the actual car right now but I have the center console in my bed room. It has chrome on it that is not so chrome anymore, so I'm sanding it down and thing about getting it powder coated the dark blue like the interior pictures above, or I'll just spray it blue my self. I want to keep the black plastic part black, so I'm just going to clean that up and tape it off when I spray the chrome over. I'm also doing a little something new to the shifter trim and the console part that opens. I'll throw some pics up when everything starts to come together of the before, during and after. I'm sick of this winter and missing my Challenger, so its time to do a little work to my old school project.

[99 galant]

I have officially chosen to stick with this theme:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/69_Bonne_Parten_01.jpg

Thank you Dave for the parts site you found for me. I have contacted the guy and hope to be ordering some parts for the interior that I desperately need. Once the car gets to my girlfriends house, the interior will be stripped and sanded to get ready for the floor boards to be welded in. I'll be ordering the top, and hope to talk to someone to help with all of the electrical problems. I think I'll have this guy I know that will be doing the floor boards take a look at the electrical issues too. Plus after how long it sat in bad weather, I'd be suprised if any of the electronics for the windows weren't corroded away. I also know for a fact that the wires for the top need to be replaced and rewired. It was shorting for some reason. I'm seriously getting excited for this project, going to pay my dad the rest and get the title this week too hopefully.

[johnygezony]

I'm Glad because that theme is badass ! Looking forward to more progress !

[99 galant]

I'll be throwing a little carbon fiber into the interior as well, just to add a little new school

[99 galant]

Interior progress.

This is only the center console. The original Bonnevilles had a bench seat. My dad traded a guy with a GTO or Gran Prix for bucket seats and floor console for the shifter.

Well, I think I'll get rid of all the chrome since it is VERY expensive to get it re-chromed. But here is where I am adding some carbon fiber or new school touch to the old school car. I liked the woodgrain that my dad had in the bonnville for the past 10 years, but I think its time to re-do the car my way, and my way involves some carbon fiber.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1368.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1369.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1370.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1371.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1373.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1372.jpg

I'm trying to figure out a way to do the part of the console that opens. I can't remove that lock part. I'm trying to find a way to lay down the carbon fiber as a sheet alone then mend it to the console after cutting the lock hole in it.

[99 galant]

Just an update on how the rest of the center console is going:

Before:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1372.jpg

During:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1417.jpg
Paint
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1418.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1419.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1420.jpg
First layer of resin:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1421.jpg
Laying the CF (I should have waited for it to get more tacky too bad I was too bored)
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1422.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1423.jpg
Carefully Trimmed it and laid more resin down
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1425.jpg

The resin is coming out so smooth this time that I don't even want to sand it at all or put a clear coat over it. But I know as soon as I start the dremel process for the edges and the lock, I will need to sand it down.

I'm planning on just using 3M Double Sided Tape to hold both the shifter trim and console trim in place.

[98mgalant]

That looks really good. Where do you get the cf sheets? I'll be honest with you I'm not to sure about how I feel about the cf in an older car but I'm sure you could pull it off if you keep it clean.

[99 galant]

Like stated on GT, only this center console, a small part in the dash, and small parts in the 4 panels will have the CF. All of these parts HAD woodgrain, but because the interior is going purple/black, I thought a small twist of CF would help set it off. This is NOT going to turn into Carbon Fiber wraps everywhere, just the select pieces I named and that is it. I'm hoping that everything will flow the way I am thinking. If not, I'll try something else, but I completely agree with your concern and opinion and hope you don't take this responce in a rude way at all, just explaining what will be cf

[99 galant]

I also think that due to the design of the center console that this is actually too much CF for it. But I will see how it turns out when it is in the car completed and take opinions from there. I just don't like the woodgrain vinyl look and wanted something different to offset the theme that is going into the car

[RAZ_76]

CF in a classic car?? You lost me dog, no megusta.

[99 galant]

I hate the woodgrain, it wouldn't flow at all with the look that I am going with so a minor hint of CF would throw it off well. IF it looks bad, I can always paint it or use woodgrain vinyl to cover it like it had before

[99 galant]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/lilscottie3/100_1426.jpg

You can't even tell where I screwed up with the dremel. I was so pissed and worried that it went through to the CF it self.

[99 galant]

I can't believe I've been working on this for almost a year and I've gotten no where lol.

Due to the winter and my car accident, I've had no time to work on this. However, I'm going to be getting back into the game. And Ray, if you end up seeing this again, I'll be sorta taking your advice on the sand blasting. I know a guy with a sand blaster and a paint gun who is willing to teach me. So this whole project, paint job too, will be a learning experience.

I'll post pics of the work I attempt this weekend. I've got to tear the whole interior out and start sanding down all of the rusted parts. I just wish it was closer to get to and hopefully I'll be able to have it here in town very soon.

[Blue8g]

Intrigued.

Needs 502 Crate engine swap :P

[99 galant]

The 428 is pretty beastly though, this thing is a champ

[Blue8g]

Hmm...are there many parts for the 428?

[99 galant]

Not sure, but the engine was fully rebuilt already, at this point it just needs a serious clean up

[Blue8g]

Hmm. I'm disappoint.

[M-Rod]

Many parts are interchangeable and fit the pontiac 350, 400, 428, and 455 to answer codys question

[99 galant]

I'm debating taking it apart anyway so that I can clean it all up and change the race injectors to cleaner ones, plus it would be fun to learn everything

[Blue8g]

I'm debating taking it apart anyway so that I can clean it all up and change the race injectors to cleaner ones, plus it would be fun to learn everything

By clean it all up I assume you mean build for mad jdm tyte hp right?

[99 galant]

how much HP does duct tape add?

lol

[Blue8g]

how much HP does duct tape add?

lol

36.3 whp

BUT

you gain over 9000 whp if you use gold reflective heat tape:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/cbrd/newmotor011.jpg

CBRD Evo for example:

http://image.importtuner.com/f/30472239+w750+st0/impp_0911_05_z+2005_mitsubishi_evolution+motor_sho t.jpg

He has over 27,000 whp because of his plentiful usage of gold reflective heat tape

[99 galant]

lol, well between my dads friend with the sand blaster and paint gun and a very good local powder coating company, hopefully I can make the engine look good for shows

I'm trying to figure out a way to make extra money to fund this car

[Swimmerboy2112]

God these are HUGE. looks like the rust isn't too bad. When I restored my 1986 4Runner there was rotting metal I had to do lots of plasma cutting and welding. You've got it good as far as rust is concerned. Lol

[99 galant]

rust is just in the interior floor boards for the most part