Steve M's 61 348 horse Bonneville Cvt !!!!!!

Belair62 · #1 08-19-2005, 12:52 AM

This is one of the most gorgeous cars in the world. Several years ago I saw an ad for a 61 Bonny convert needing restoration. I called on it and the owner was Steve Marini...a member of our site and owner of GM Sports salvage out in Hayward (sp) California.Steve is certifiably a lunatic when it comes to cars...he has some real cool and unusual stuff....Steve found this car sitting in a driveway in San Jose area I believe. I called on the ad and bought the car.It needed a total restoration but every single piece was factory...right down to the original exhaust. I got the car home and after changing oil and hanging a 1 gal gas can from the hood...it started up and ran smooth !!! This car sat for an untold number of years. The vacuum linkage still worked on the tri-power system. The PHS on this car was amazing...348 horse tri-power in which only a handful were built with the RM coded engine...plus it was a Bonneville convert 4 speed,leather hard back buckets,8 lugs and what was referred to as the Sport Shifter....I believe it was a Corvette unit with the reverse lock out pull-up on it....very rare. We believe this car was drag raced due to the fact it had tonneau snaps surrounding the interior and also had the funkiest hand made fiberglass gage pod mounted on top of the dash...the car actually moved under it's own power...the linkage worked,the cluth worked....the BRAKES didn't so it only went up and down my drive. Long story short, I collected a bunch of NOS for it including a complete set of side moldings,tail lamp housings etc...and ordered up a complete door panel set as well as the leather for the interior stiching...did I mention it was leather !!I knew this was to be the most stunning car when complete but later realised I would probably not be able to complete it in any reasonable amount of time so I talked to Steve again and he bought it back and treated it to a top shelf frame- off...the rest is history...and the pictures don't begin to describe this rare beauty. My knees still get weak when I look at this car....and I hope someday to own it again !!

**Xplantdad** · #2 08-19-2005, 02:36 AM

That is an awesome story and a way cool car! I love the "early 60's" interior...they just don't make them like that anymore!

Thanks for sharing...and NO Charley, you can't have it!

camarojoe · #3 08-19-2005, 02:37 AM

Very Kool Poncho. That shifter is crazy... looks like you'd have to lean down with your head below dash level to even reach it... but then again, YOUR head would probably be below dash level already.

(Maybe thats the REAL reason you sold it..

)

Very slick car... more pics please!

**Tenney** · #4 08-19-2005, 02:42 AM

Beautful. My folks had a maroon Bonne cvt. when I was a little meatster (no 389/348 4 gear, though). Cool car. Can see how one might want it back.

**Mr70** · #5 08-19-2005, 02:51 AM

What a Nice American Car!
Are those seats leather?

71-LS6 · #6 08-19-2005, 04:30 AM

Those are my favorite early Ponchos, they looked as mean as they were, what a beautiful car.

**olredalert** · #7 08-19-2005, 06:50 AM

Bob,

-------I developed my love of Pontiacs from a near clone of this car. When I was 14 in 1961 our neighbors oldest son just drove in his driveway with it, brand new! Exactly the same interior, top, engine and trans. The only difference was the exterior was baby blue and I seem to remember power windows. In the weeks following he put on a set of glasspacks and when coming down the hill towards our two driveways after a late date he would back the car down and downshift and I had those same weak knees! I like the darker blue better than the baby blue but Id da** sure take either one.
--------That is one beautiful ride!!!!!!!!!..........Bill S

Belair62 · #8 08-19-2005, 07:31 AM

I know Steve is not able to tune in all that often but the work he put into this car is astonishing....the silver in the interior is breathtaking and I have never seen another shifter like that in any other 61 Pontiac.The trim tag actually had "4 spd" imprinted on it. There was a paper build sheet still under the drivers door panel..it was a4 or 5 inch wide piece of paper with hand written codes on it..may have been an interior build spec but it had all the 8 lug,348 horse and interior codes on it...very cool car for sure.The engine code was RM which was a California emissions engine..yep even in 61...no draft tubes in Cal !!

gmsports · #9 08-20-2005, 02:12 AM

Bob forgot to mention, the fact he sold it back to me, was so that I would spend a small fortune restoring it and then he could buy it back for pennies. I think it would look GREAT in your collection! And NO I still have never driven it. Thanks for all your kind words, it is a special car!
Steve

Belair62 · #10 08-20-2005, 05:14 AM

Someone had to do it Steve !!! Hey if anyone needs good west coast sheet metal..give ole Steve a shout...he's still trying to recoup from that restoration.