My 66 Pontiac Bonneville

[Charley Lillard]

This car turned out amazing. Mike Ardito talked me into buying this from him a couple years ago because he realized he was never going to find the time to restore it. I think Mike owned it about 20 years. Shortly after buying it I am at a guys house with one of the Brother's from the Brother's collection buying a Ram Air 4 GTO that the owner had restored. Beautiful car. Long story short I took a chance and had the GTO owner restore my Bonneville. Had never met him before that and had never seen any other work he had done but had a good feeling about the guy. His name is Randy Archer of Randy's Specialties in Phoenix. The car is stunning. The black paint and car drew comments all weekend at MCACN. Randy exceeded my expectations. Ardito saw the finished product at MCACN for the first time and got emotional. The pics don't do the car justice. It was ordered by a guy that wanted a family car that he could drag race on weekends and also use for selling Encyclopedia's out of the trunk. He got the longer wheelbase Bonneville because he like the roofline better than the Grand Prix and it had a larger trunk for the books. 421 HO Tripower , 4 speed, 373 posi, Transistor ignition etc. What a great car.

[Postsedan]

Definitely one of my Favorites from MCACN....well done Charley :-)

Dan

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

That car stood out at MCACN which is hard to do!!

This car is as if someone went back in time and ordered it with the coolest set of options and colours available!!!

Ryan

[m22mike]

WOW......:eek2:.....I could not get over how straight this car was.

Mike

[big gear head]

It really is a beautiful car. I enjoyed seeing it up close.

[Steve Shauger]

When i saw that car I was speechless. Just a spectacular restoration ...

[Tenney]

That's one you take for a steak!

[Motorcitybadboy]

Amazing car. My absolute fav from MCACN 2017.

[RPOLS3]

Stunning car - congratulations. Thank you for bringing it to MCACN we enjoyed looking at it.

[Xplantdad]

The HUGE quarter panels were so STRAIGHT! :)

[VintageMusclecar]

Charley, is that the one I did the carbs for? If so, may I share some of these pics on my Facebook page?

[olredalert]

The HUGE quarter panels were so STRAIGHT! :)

----Theres somebody involved in this resto that now has no fingerprints whatsoever!!!......Bill S

[Charley Lillard]

Charley, is that the one I did the carbs for? If so, may I share some of these pics on my Facebook page?
Yes Eric those are the carbs you did and it runs perfect.

[Mr70]

Look @ the size of that gas pedal.

[Charley Lillard]

Look at the options..The car was over 5K in 66. Perfectly optioned.

[mockingbird812]

Yes Eric those are the carbs you did and it runs perfect.


The kid is GOOD!

[scuncio]

Sold @ Clohecy Pontiac too...must have been liberated from Detroit pretty early in its life, or only used as a summer cruiser!

[Lee Stewart]

Look at the options..The car was over 5K in 66. Perfectly optioned.

Average Cost of a new car in 1966 was $2,650.00

$5,148.59 in 1966 would equate to $39,936.06 in Oct. 2017

Charley it really is a beautiful car. I assume this is the car you were talking about when you said the new rechrome alone was $20K right?

[Charley Lillard]

Yes the bill for chrome was 21K.

[VintageMusclecar]

Yes the bill for chrome was 21K.
:eek2:

[JBALL]

Enjoyed seeing this one in person. Turned out great!

[BCreekDave]

Beautiful dash resto. Laser straight panels. Superb and breathtaking the amount of detail.
Love the big car sticks.

[Woj]

Easily one of the nicest restorations I have ever seen. Beautiful car Charley.

Phil Woj

[bergy]

So - when does this one get to do the driveway burn-out?

[John]

...

... One of the nicest restorations I have seen:worship:

:flag::flag::flag:

[TimG]

That car was beautiful, he had to sell lots of encyclopedias to pay that car off.....
What is the Heavy Duty Frame option?

[Charley Lillard]

It is a convertible frame.

[92646]

I am wondering how you got it on the lift. It looks like it barely fits. Once again another beautiful car.

[cook_dw]

:Can-I-Have-It::CharleySucks:

[Dave Castine]

Dayum - that's one pretty ponch'o - nicely done!

[A12pilot]

Gimmie Gimmie!! GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE!! That car was off the hook! Nicely done!!:biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

[Jonesy]

Who did the chrome work?? Beautiful car inside and out Charley!!

[MosportGreen66]

One of the best cars at MCACN... the car was amazing. You never see them in this condition. The dash is stunning too. Wonderful detail. Congrats Charley!

[StealthBird]

This car was absolutely stunning. As others have stated, those huge black quarter panels were smooth as glass. http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/happy/happy0024.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-character-smileys.php)

This car was SO perfect, it kills me to see one of those repop PHS window stickers displayed. This car deserves more. That window sticker is a 1967, has the wrong font, and is missing the notation about the excise tax that appeared on nearly all original 1966 window stickers based on the build date.

Again, this '66 Bonneville is just perfect, I'm just trying to help the hobby and service those that really want accuracy and attention to detail in their restorations. http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/happy/happy0024.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-character-smileys.php)

Mike

[Charley Lillard]

I like the crappy PHS window sticker because it is obvious it is not the orig. sticker. Pontiac people can usually tell it came from PHS when they see it.

[Charley Lillard]

Who did the chrome work?? Beautiful car inside and out Charley!!

Chrome was done by Paul’s in Pa.

[Charley Lillard]

ok ok

https://youtu.be/-t9vOPtyoWo

[Charley Lillard]

https://youtu.be/2593qPm09bU

[big gear head]

There you go! Nice!

[70 copo]

I have a picture of Pat Flannery with a gold Bonnie with black rag... Huge quarters on that car!

[Chazman]

Although this car looks fantastic in pics, it is simply magnificent in person. I was thinking about it for days after MCACN. I'm glad I got a chance to speak to it's restorer, Randy, for a few minutes as well.

As has been mentioned, when a car stands out at MCACN...well, that's something!

[GM Powertrain]

That car is art on wheels and most likely the nicest and most desirable 1966 Bonneville on the planet.

[Retired Navy GMC]

I love the big Pontiacs!! Beautiful Bonneville!!!

[Bow_Tied]

Gorgeous car

[Lee Stewart]

https://s31.postimg.org/kr0wsyl5n/image.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/67trrjs0n/)

[67since67]

That is a great pic!!

[Mr70]

Good Guys wear Black.

[m22mike]

That car was OK, :Can-I-Have-It:

[markjohnson]

Saw it at MCACN and it made me question why I mess with Chevrolets instead of Pontiacs! Stunning color combo too.

[bigsixman]

It is a convertible frame.

Charlie, do you know if the HD convertible frame was optional on a GTO? Reason that I ask is that they were standard on the Z-16 Chevelle and the GS 400 Buick and I had not heard of a HD frame option available in 1965.

[tom406]

Several of my reference books show the GTO having a HD frame option (same as convert) from '65 all the way through '70. Little known or ordered option that everyone should have taken advantage of on those cars.

[bigsixman]

Thanks tom406 for the good information on the GTO HD frame option.

[Charley Lillard]

........

[Xplantdad]

Awesome...good to see you and Mike today :)

[Tenney]

Pretty darn cool!!

[Charley Lillard]

.........

[olredalert]

----Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!!! Or a nicer Poncho!!!!.......Bill S

[mockingbird812]

Not bad Charley!! Good luck going forward! That is a real beauty you have on your hands!!!

[Bill Pritchard]

Congrats, Charley. You will undoubtedly have all the other finalists beat in physical size and weight!

[scuncio]

Congrats! Well deserved.

[RPOLS3]

Congratulations!

[1967Z28]

Congrats, Charley. Super nice car.

[Lynn]

Shows how "out of it" I am. Did not know anyone was injecting the plastic in U-Joint yoke as shown here.

Congratulations Charley. Great car.

[396L78canuck]

Congrats. a nice poncho!Bob

[Charley Lillard]

............

[Xplantdad]

cool shot!:biggthumpup:

[olredalert]

cool shot!:biggthumpup:

----Money shot!!!.......Bill S

[mockingbird812]

oooooof! That is NICE!!

[ORIGLS6]

That thing is freakin' amazing !

[Charley Lillard]

.....

[Charley Lillard]

....

[Xplantdad]

As it should be! Congrats Charley!:biggthumpup:

[Woj]

Congrats Charley. That is one heck of a beautiful car.

Phil W.

[Tenney]

Hey congratulations!!

[Steve Shauger]

Big congratulations to you Charley and Randy Archer. The car is simply stunning and certainly received the recognition it deserves... Well done!!!!

[Charley Lillard]

http://digitaleditiononline.com/publication/?i=491070&p=&pn=#{%22issue_id%22:491070,%22page%22:134}

[Xplantdad]

Cool!

[markinnaples]

Great job on the story Charley.

[JKZ27]

Charley, thank you for restoring that car.

[Tenney]

Encyclopedias in the trunk for traction! Good goin', Charley!!

[A12pilot]

Awesomeness, personified!! Well done!

Cheers
Dave

[Postsedan]

Good thing the correct Master Cylinder and Booster found it`s way back onto the car....most car guys would argue that it is wrong....but we all know better :)

Congrats Charley.

Dan

[Charley Lillard]

Only because "Rainman" Ardito produced multiple photos of low mile survivors, Pontiac advertisement pics etc. showing the booster-master combo on cars that came out of the same plant.

[Burd]

Very nice Poncho there.

[ORIGLS6]

Just received my June issue of GGG today. Immediately went looking for the article and was surprised to see "WORDS: CHARLES LILLARD".
So I gotta ask; is that guy related to Charley ? What irony ! :naughty:

(In all seriousness, that car is gonna be tough to beat. I love it. Nice work Mr. L; .... the car AND the article. :biggthumpup: )

[Charley Lillard]

Here is a pic of Randy holding the award for scoring 399 out of a possible 400 at the POCI National Convention. Randy restored it for me. Pretty cool.

[Bill Pritchard]

More congrats to both you and Randy! Pretty cool, indeed.

[markinnaples]

Congratulations, and beautiful Pontiac. What was the 1 point you missed?

[A12pilot]

Wow! That's awesome!! Congrats guys! Well done on an immaculate restoration!

Cheers
Dave

[Charley Lillard]

Congratulations, and beautiful Pontiac. What was the 1 point you missed?
Won't know until they email me the results.

[markinnaples]

Either way, 399 of 400 is an amazing accomplishment.

[Tenney]

Nice! One point for the Turbonique's a fair trade - I wouldn't have ditched it for the show, either!!

[Charley Lillard]

This am I get a text from Mike Ardito saying I think we have it sold.......

[Tenney]

Next!

[Charley Lillard]

That’s Dana Mecum without his glasses disguise.

[m22mike]

Here is a pic of Randy holding the award for scoring 399 out of a possible 400 at the POCI National Convention. Randy restored it for me. Pretty cool.

Props to you Randy, I really liked your efforts after I saw this car at MCACN 2017.

Mike

[daverd]

Absolutely beautiful my favorite year for the
Full size Pontiacs!!

[pontiacfarmer]

Damn nice car <3 - how was it before ??

[Charley Lillard]

Was a Detroit car, had rust but running, driving in primer with plenty of bondo. I had a donor car to cut patch panels out of.

[Charley Lillard]

Indian Uprising this weekend.

[NorCam]

Beautiful car Charlie, and that paint looks a mile deep sitting there.

Congrats on Best of Show. Well deserved.

[Postsedan]

I called that one :)

So well deserved, Congrats!

Dan

[bigjake]

We were there, saw this car. It was stunning!

[markinnaples]

Congrats, that's saying something at an all Pontiac show.

[Chazman]

Saw it again yesterday. A truly phenomenal restoration! Well deserved!