It was hard to beat a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport convertible as an all-around cool machine. This SS belongs to Arizona-based Old Cars reader Larry Pawlak. It’s loaded with a 327-cid V-8, Powerglide, power windows, power brakes, power steering and factory air conditioning, still a rare option on a convertible at that time.

The post Reader Wheels: 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Ed and Beverly Armatys of Johnsburg, Ill., have owned their 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible since 1989. It carries a 283-cid/220-hp “Power Pack” V-8 with a three-speed manual shifter on the column. “It took 19 years to restore it to the original colors and equipment,” the couple reports of their Imperial Ivory Bel Air with a red-and-silver interior.

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The post Reader Wheels: 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Somewhere under all that twisted metal, broken glass and general carnage is a once-proud 1961 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. The big Pontiac’s calling card split grille has been erased and the hood torn off, exposing the 389-cid V-8 engine. This was one of 18,264 ragtops built for ‘61 in the Bonneville series. (Herb Stewart collection)

The post Wreck of the Week: 1961 Pontiac Bonneville convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

By Brian Earnest

Jerri Seavolt was always a little leery about ponying up for one of the cars he really wanted — a Ford retractable hardtop. He had heard plenty of horror stories about how finicky and complicated the folding tops were. He also knew nobody gave them away for cheap.

“I had seen them, of course, but I always figured that there weren’t many around and they were pretty expensive,” says Seavolt, a resident of Watertown, N.Y. “And you always hear about all the problems they had with the top and all the things that could go wrong.

“I had a lot of Fords, but never a retractable.”

About six years ago, Seavolt was sniffing around for another car and came across a 1957 Skyliner retractable that was for sale only about 90 minutes from his house. He was reticent to make the deal, but he didn’t want to chicken out and live with regret, either. “It was in Barneveld, N.Y. The guy I bought it from and his father had re-done it back in like 1999,” Seavolt noted. “Then they never drove it. They bought a Corvette, I think it was a ’69 Corvette, and they never drove [the retractable]. It just sat in the garage.

“I looked at it for about a year before I bought it, and I’ve had a lot of fun with it. It’s got a few warts on it. It’s not perfect, but it’s in good shape and it runs beautiful. I’ve had four or five guys who want to buy it from me, but it’s not for sale right now. I’m having too much fun with it [laughs].”

Seavolt says he installed an Edelbrock 600 carburetor not long after he bought the car to improve its reliability and starting. He discovered a couple of bent valves and wound up giving the car a valve job. He also put some Coker whitewall radials on it. All those upgrades were done in the spirit of making the glorious folding-top Ford a “driver” more than a “looker.” “I’m going to put a different radiator in it, too,” he says. “Back in ‘60s with my first Ford radiators were famous for overheating, so I’m putting in an aluminum radiator with an electric fan. Sometimes you go to car shows and you wind up sitting with the engine running and the temperature gauge goes way over. That will help make sure it doesn’t overheat. I was thinking about putting disc brakes on it, but I kind of hate to do that. [Disc brakes] are a lot safer, but it’s OK. It stops fine… I also bought a new exhaust system and my son has a garage and he’s going to put that on for me. I also have a set of fender skirts for it, but I’m not sure if I will put them on. I’m trying to decide which way I like it better.”

1957: HELLO “HIDE-AWAY” HARDTOP

It was the option to have both a convertible and a hardtop in one package that was one of the big draws of the Skyliner, which began its 3-year run for the 1957 model year as a hotly anticipated member of the Fairlane 500 family. The Skyliner was truly unique — it was only available as a Ford. There was nothing comparable from Mercury, Lincoln, Edsel or Continental within the FoMoCo family, and there was nothing like it from the competition. The Fairlane 500 was a full-size car, which gave it a big roof to try to make room for. The feat was accomplished by basically using the entire spacious trunk as a storage area, with the trunk lid and folding roof operating through a complicated arrangement of electric motors, supports, levers and hinges.

The design for the folding hardtop was cooked up by a young engineer named Ben Smith, who had previously worked for General Motors. He was reportedly given just 18 months to come up with a way to collapse and stow a hardtop in the trunk. His answer was called the “Hide-Away” hardtop. Smith eschewed the use of hydraulics, instead networking together a series of seven electric motors and a bunch of switches and solenoids. The whole concept was first ticketed to be part of the Continental lineup, but given its cost and the possibility that company would actually lose money on the Skyliner, the decision was made by company brass to have it be part of the Ford lineup, which could afford to have a car that missed on the bottom line as long as it attracted some attention.

The Skyliner retractable was one of six members of the handsome and wildly successful Fairlane 500 lineup, which helped propel Ford back to the top of the U.S. auto production charts in 1957 for the first time in 22 years. The Fairlane 500 also came as a traditional two-door softtop convertible called the Sunliner, a two-door club sedan, four-door town sedan, four-door town Victoria and two-door club Victoria. The Skyliner weighed in at hefty 3,916 lbs., and was by far the most expensive Ford at $2,942.

The Fairlane 500 was the top trim level in the Fairlane series and included all the trim used on the Fairlane models plus slightly more chrome on the “C” pillars and different side trim. The side trim was a modified version of the Fairlane sweep, which included a gold anodized insert between two chrome strips. It began on the sides of the front fenders, dipping near the back of the front doors, merging into a strip and following the crest of the fins to the rear of the body. Under the hood was a base 272-cid V-8 that produced 190 hp. The options list was lengthy and included 292- and 312-cid V-8s that could push out up to 245 hp mated to a choice of a 3-speed, 3-speed with overdrive manual, or 3-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmissions. Motor Trend reviewers at the time liked the Fairlane 500 after putting a sedan with the 245-hp Thunderbird 312 V-8 through its paces. “From 0 to 60 it took 9.5 seconds, which is a real rapid time in anyone’s book,” a Motor Trend writer remarked. “…On rather smooth roads, we noticed a minimum of nose dip when braking. The brakes seemed smooth and positive. Violent cornering brought out the advantages of a low center of gravity. The new Ford really sticks. Body lean is modest, and with the built-in oversteer, you get a feeling of confidence in the car’s ability to do your bidding.”

The Skyliner retractable never became a big seller, which no doubt helped elevate its status as an iconic car to own among collectors. The 1957 model year saw 20,766 assemblies, which turned out to be the high-water mark. Reportedly among the buyers was president Dwight D. Eisenhower. That total fell to 14,713 in 1958, which the price grew to $3,163, and just $12,915, when the base window sticker had ballooned to $3,346 as a member of the Galaxie lineup.

PART-TIME PLEASURE BOAT

Seavolt’s car wears its original factor two-tone red-and-white color scheme and matching interior. “The seats and side panels are all original, so fortunately I haven’t had to re-do those,” he says. “People can’t believe I have the original seats. They are faded from the sun and carpet was kind of messy and kind of dirty, so I replaced that. I did have the front seat re-padded because the driver’s side was hollowed out. I probably won’t do anything with the other seats … I will probably re-line the trunk at some point. Other than that I can’t think if anything I’d need to do over.

“It’s got the 312 [V-8] of course, the Thunderbird engine. It’s got power steering. It does not have air conditioning or anything like that. It’s pretty basic. The power steering is nice, but actually these don’t steer that bad. It is nice to have, though.”

Seavolt figures he’s averaged about 1,000 miles of seat time per year in the five years he’s had his Skyliner. He’s not sure how many miles the ’57 Ford has traveled in its lifetime because the speedometer didn’t work when he bought the car. “I don’t worry about it as much as I would if it was perfect,” he admits. “I got it to drive it. I don’t hesitate to take it anywhere, but I’m careful with it. I don’t want to bang it up, either. I just enjoy driving it … and kids love to go for a ride in it. We went to a friend’s place a while ago and had like nine kids in the car. They were all piled in the back and we went out for ice cream.

“My wife likes the top up, so most of the time we drive with it up, but we take it to car shows and a lot of times we drive in with the top down. Then we display it with the top halfway down. Either way is OK with me.”

__________________________________

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The post Car of the Week: 1957 Ford Skyliner appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story by Angelo Van Bogart
Photos by Bill Gellerman, Bill Gellerman Photography

After nearly a quarter of a century and the restorations of the bus-size General Motors Futurliner No. 10 and a 1929 Buick phaeton, Don Mayton can finally call the restoration of his one-of-a-kind 1956 Buick Century convertible “done.”

Mayton discovered the unique Century in the Buick Club of America’s Buick Bugle publication back in 1991. The seller said the car had unique trim and had originally belonged to Bill Mitchell, GM director of styling during 1956. Since the car was only 12 miles from Mayton’s Zeeland, Michigan, home, he couldn’t help but check it out. When Mayton arrived, he found the car largely disassembled with the advertised trim pieces scattered throughout the seller’s garage. From his years of working at GM Fisher Body, Mayton recognized the car’s trim was cast of brass — a form of construction that GM reserved for trim on unique cars, never production cars.

The seller also had a 1964 letter from Buick Motor Division stating the car was, indeed, built for Bill Mitchell, but it contained no other details.

Mayton didn’t purchase the Buick until four years later, when he came upon the ad again in his wallet. He called the seller and asked if he still had the car. He did.

Mayton bought the car and added it to his fleet of “to do” projects. In the meantime, he began to research the car to figure out exactly what he had. By contacting folks at the General Motors Tech Center and going to the GM styling center, Mayton was able to get much more documentation on the car, including original color photos taken immediately after it was built and a list of the 225 custom changes that Bill Mitchell ordered for his unique 1956 Century convertible. All of these changes earned the car its own name: 1956X Century, which Mitchell had embossed in the custom grille ornament.

Restoration on the 1956X Century began in earnest once the GM Futurliner was completed in 2005 and the Futurliner volunteer restoration crew that restored it went looking for another project. Mayton first offered up his 1929 Buick and when that was finished, the 14-person volunteer crew tore into the 1956X Century. That was around 2010.

Fortunately, most of the 225 unique features remained intact even if they were hidden within the car. Bill Mitchell’s signature chrome pedals, tachometer, red chassis and even remnants of his preferred custom-mixed blue hues were present. However, the few special features that were missing were among the car’s most notable changes: four power swiveling bucket seats with power periscoping headrests, front and rear consoles and the unique fuel delivery system.

In talking to Larry Faloon of GM styling, Mayton determined that the car very likely was built with four side-draft carburetors, a favorite setup of Mitchell. The intake had to be recreated for the 1956X Century, as did the custom bucket seats which were remade using original photos of the 1956X Century and other GM styling exercises and concepts of the period.

The volunteers worked every Tuesday through 2018 until restoration of the 1956X Century was completed. The car was then immediately displayed at the Gilmore Car Museum (www.gilmorecarmuseum.org) in Hickory Corners, Mich., where it can be seen until April 15, 2019. Its next appearance will be at the EyesOn Design (www.eyesondesign.org) car show in July 2019.

PARTIAL LIST OF THE 1956X BUICK DOCUMENTED DIFFERENCES:

EXTERIOR

• Grille – Chrome plated brass upper grille bar longer than standard
• Grille – Custom 1956X Buick chrome grille plate
• Hood – No plane ornament on hood
• Hood – No center air scoop on hood
• Hood – Chrome plated trim along feature line on both sides of the hood
• Hood – Custom chrome Buick letters on the hood
• Hood – Bull nose center strip
• Hood – Hood painted two colors of blue
• Front Bumper – Ribbed trim (2 places) between bumper bars
• Front Bumper – Fog lights in bumper bombs
• Driver Fender – Buick bomb sight on top of fender
• Driver Fender – Custom chrome plated brass trim on fender
• Driver Fender – Custom chrome plated brass trim on fender
• Driver Fender – Fender painted two colors of blue
• Passenger Fender – Buick bomb sight on top of fender
• Passenger Fender – Power radio antenna located in fender
• Passenger Fender – Fender painted two colors of blue
• Driver Door (exterior) – Custom chrome sweep spear
• Driver Door (exterior) – Door mounted peep mirror
• Driver Door (exterior) – Door painted two colors of blue
• Passenger Door (exterior) – Custom chrome sweep spear
• Passenger Door (exterior) – Door-mounted peep mirror
• Passenger Door (exterior) – Door painted two colors of blue
• Driver Rear Quarter Panel – Custom chrome sweep spear
• Driver Rear Quarter Panel – Custom chrome sweep spear located higher on quarter panel
• Driver Rear Quarter Panel – Standard Century script removed
• Driver Rear Quarter Panel – Custom chrome Century script located differently
• Driver rear Quarter Panel – Gas fill door trimmed to clear chrome sweep spear
• Driver Rear Quarter Panel – Panel painted two colors of blue
• Passenger Rear Quarter Panel- Custom chrome sweep spear
• Passenger Rear Quarter Panel – Custom chrome sweep spear located higher on quarter panel
• Passenger Rear Quarter Panel – Standard Century script removed
• Passenger Rear Quarter Panel – Standard Century script larger
• Passenger Rear Quarter Panel – Custom chrome Century script located differently
• Passenger Rear Quarter Panel – Panel painted two colors of blue
• Trunk Lid – Custom chrome Buick letters on trunk lid
• Trunk Lid – Chrome plated trim on both sides of bottom of trunk lid
• Trunk Lid – Trunk lid painted two colors of blue
• Driver Rear Taillight – Clear plastic lens
• Driver Rear Taillight – Red plastic reflector
• Passenger Rear Taillight – Clear plastic lens
• Passenger Rear Taillight – Red plastic reflector
• Rear Bumper – Ribbed trim (2 places) between bumper bars
• Rear Bumper – Windsplints on lower portion of bumper
• Rear Bumper – Chrome bumper is partially painted with dark blue
• Rear Bumper – Chrome bumper is partially painted with light blue
• Frame – Frame is painted in Seminole Red
• Frame – Frame has (2) pass through holes for side exhaust
• Underbody – Underside of body is painted Seminole Red
• Underbody – Wheel wells are painted Seminole Red
• Underbody – Lights mounted under frame and light up ground when door is opened
• Driver Side Rocker Trim – Custom aluminum rocker trim
• Driver Side Rocker Trim – Exhaust passes through rocker panel
• Driver Side Rocker Panel – Custom chrome exhaust tip in rocker panel
• Passenger Side Rocker Trim – Custom aluminum rocker trim
• Passenger Side Rocker Trim – Exhaust passes through rocker panel
• Passenger Side Rocker Trim – Custom chrome exhaust tip in rocker panel
• Wheels – Kelsey Hayes wire wheels
• Wheels – Custom knock-off hubs with Buick script
• Tires – Narrow whitewall tires

ENGINE COMPARTMENT

• Engine Compartment – Heater blower relocated to clear air cleaner bonnet
• Engine Compartment – Ignition coil relocated to firewall
• Engine Compartment – Ignition resistor location changed on firewall
• Engine Compartment – Vacuum hoses rerouted
• Engine Compartment – Windshield washer bottle relocated
• Engine Compartment – Windshield washer bottle relocated
• Engine Compartment – New attaching bracket made for windshield washer bottle
• Engine Compartment – Power Steering pump relocated
• Engine Compartment – Generator has rear driven tachometer cable
• Engine Compartment – Generator changed to Corvette generator
• Engine Compartment – Custom made low profile intake manifold to mount side draft carbs
• Engine Compartment – Four Carter YH side draft carburetors
• Engine Compartment – Four custom air cleaner bonnets for Carter side draft carburetors
• Engine Compartment- Custom actuator linkage for Carter side draft carburetors
• Engine Compartment – Custom accelerator linkage
• Engine Compartment – Custom mounting bracket for accelerator linkage
• Engine Compartment – Custom fuel lines to carburetors
• Engine Compartment – Custom hood insulation hold down bracket for front of hood compartment

INTERIOR

• Windshield – Custom windshield mounted rearview mirror
• Trunk – Custom carpet
• Trunk – Custom trunk carpet color
• Trunk – Chrome spoke wire wheel spare
• Convertible Top – Convertible top frame painted light blue instead of black
• Convertible Top – Convertible top material special blue vinyl
• Convertible Top – Convertible top boot cover is special blue vinyl
• Convertible Top – Custom vinyl cover to hide back of rear seat
• Parade Boot – Fiberglass parade boot – 3 piece
• Parade Boot – Custom parade boot storage cover 3-piece
• Parade Boot – Chrome parade boot latches
• Tonneau Cover – Special blue tonneau cover
• Tonneau Cover – Snaps installed on body and chrome for tonneau cover
• Instrument Panel – Custom padded dash
• Instrument Panel – Custom vinyl on padded dash
• Instrument Panel – Custom tachometer nacelle cut into dash
• Instrument Panel – Tachometer installed in dash
• Instrument Panel – Headlight on indicator light in tachometer nacelle
• Instrument Panel – Custom blue color in horizontal midsection of instrument panel
• Instrument panel – Custom blue color for exposed metal surface of instrument panel
• Instrument Panel – Custom ignition start button on bottom edge of instrument panel
• Interior Carpet – Custom Carpet
• Interior Carpet – Custom blue carpet
• Custom Floor Grilles – Driver – Custom fabricated grille underneath driver’s feet
• Custom Floor Grilles – Driver – Custom vinyl padded insert in floor grille
• Custom Floor Grilles – Passenger – Custom fabricated grille underneath passenger’s feet
• Custom Floor Grilles – Passenger – Custom fabricated grille underneath passenger’s feet
• Custom Floor Grilles – Passenger – Custom vinyl padded insert in floor grille
• Custom Heel Rest – Driver – Custom fabricated solid chromed heel rest pad for driver’s feet
• Custom Heel Rest – Passenger – Custom fabricated grille underneath passenger’s feet
• Custom Floor Grille – Left Rear Seat – Custom fabricated grill underneath passenger’s feet
• Custom Floor Grille – Left Rear Seat – Custom vinyl padded insert in floor grille
• Custom Floor Grille – Right Rear Seat – Custom fabricated grille underneath passenger’s feet
• Custom Floor Grille – Left Rear Seat – Custom vinyl padded insert in floor grille
• Custom Cast Chromed Accelerator Pedal – Cast chromed accelerator pedal
• Custom Cast Chromed Brake Pedal – Cast brass chromed brake pedal
• Custom Cast Chromed Dimmer Switch Pedal – Cast brass chromed dimmer switch pedal
• Custom Cast Chromed Emergency Brake Pedal – Cast brass chromed emergency brake pedal
• Custom Vinyl Floor Covering – Custom vinyl floor covering for transmission tunnel
• Custom Kick Panel – Driver – Custom blue kick panel upholstery
• Custom Kick Panel – Driver – Custom chrome trim for kick panel
• Custom Kick Panel – Passenger – Custom blue kick panel upholstery
• Custom Kick Panel – Passenger – Custom chrome trim for kick panel
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom blue color vinyl upholstery
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom chrome strip near bottom of door
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom chromed cast arm rest/grab handle
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom blue vinyl color on arm rest/grab handle
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom trim configuration on driver’s door panel
• Custom Door Trim Pane – Driver – Custom orange/red vinyl styling feature on driver’s door panel
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom five gang switch for all windows control
• Custom Door Trim Panel Driver – Custom power button in 5 gang switch for powered headrests
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Driver – Custom map pocket sewn into door
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom blue color vinyl upholstery
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger -Custom chrome strip near bottom of door
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom chromed cast arm rest/grab handle
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom blue vinyl color on arm rest/grab handle
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom trim configuration on passenger’s door panel
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom orange/red color vinyl styling feature on passenger’s door panel
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom two gang switch for windows and headrest control
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom power button in 2 gang switch for powered headrest
• Custom Door Trim Panel – Passenger – Custom map pocket sewn into door
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Driver – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Driver – Custom blue color vinyl upholstery
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Driver – Custom trim configuration on quarter panel
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Driver – Custom orange/red color vinyl styling feature on quarter panel
• Custom Rear Quarter – Driver – Custom chrome strip near bottom of panel
• Custom Rear Quarter – Passenger – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Custom Rear Quarter – Passenger – Custom blue color vinyl upholstery
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Custom trim configuration on quarter panel
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Passenger – Custom orange/red vinyl string feature on quarter panel
• Custom Rear Quarter Panel – Passenger – Custom chrome strip near bottom of panel
• Custom Rear Seat – Anchors for parade boot latches on rear seat divider panel
• Rear Console Between Seats – Custom Center Console
• Rear Console Between Seats – Custom blue vinyl padded cover
• Rear console Between Seats – Keyed lock for console lid
• Rear Console Between Seats – Dual switches for rear seat headrests
• Rear Console Between Seats – Custom electrical harness for headrest switches
• Front Console Between Seats – Custom Center Console
• Front Console Between Seats – Custom blue vinyl padded cover
• Front Console Between Seats – Keyed lock for console lid
• Front Bench Seat Removed – Replaced with custom bucket seat
• Rear Bench Seat Removed – Replaced with pair of bucket seats
• Driver’s Seat – Custom Bucket Seat
• Driver’s Seat – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Driver’s Seat – Custom blue vinyl
• Driver’s Seat – Folding seat back
• Driver’s Seat – Six way power adjustable movement
• Driver’s Seat – Seat rotates ninety degrees for exit
• Driver’s Seat – Separate switch for rotation
• Driver’s Seat – Headrest
• Driver’s Seat – Powered headrest
• Passenger Front Seat – Custom bucket seat
• Passenger Front Seat – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Passenger Front Seat – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Passenger Front Seat – Custom blue color for vinyl
• Passenger Front Seat – Folding seat back
• Passenger Front Seat – Seat rotates ninety degrees for exit
• Passenger Front Seat – Seat rotates 180 degrees to face rear passenger seats
• Passenger Front Seat – Separate switch for rotation
• Passenger Front Seat – Headrest
• Passenger Front Seat – Powered headrest
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Driver – Custom bucket seat
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Driver – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Driver – Custom blue vinyl
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Driver – Headrest
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Passenger – Custom Bucket Seat
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Passenger – Custom vinyl upholstery
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Passenger- Custom blue vinyl
• Passenger Rear Seat Behind Passenger – Headrest
• Divider Panel -Trunk/Passenger compartment openings closed with two panels
• Rearview Mirror – Standard windshield frame mounted mirror removed
• Rearview Mirror – Special chrome clip installed to cover mirror mounted holes

*This article was excerpted from an article in the April 18, 2019, issue of Old Cars magazine.

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The post Car of the Week: Buick 1956X Century appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story & Photos by D. Chase and Angelo Van Bogart

Not all cars are equal, nor are their convertible tops. No-frills cars are likely to have relatively simple tops, but luxury cars often have more complicated tops, such as the roof covering on the featured 1984 Buick Riviera convertible. Like their blueblood Cadillac Eldorado counterparts, Buick Riviera convertibles of the 1980s were built for General Motors by American Sunroof Corp. (ASC). Ironically, ASC built a top that, when in the up position, mimicked the steel roof it cut off to make the convertible. Although this in itself is complicated, ASC also trimmed the convertible top with a full headliner that made Riviera convertibles feel and appear as fully closed cars when the top was raised.

Installing one of these tops is no easy task, so replacement of this top was trusted to a professional, D. Chase of Chasin’ Perfection. She noted this top was one of the most difficult she’s tackled because of its size, shape and because the convertible top and curtain had to be installed in one piece. While the principles of replacing a convertible top are shared by this Riviera with other convertibles, the addition of a headliner and a healthy amount of layering in this convertible top made it more complicated and added steps to the process. However, if you can follow the steps to replacing this convertible top, you’re equipped to replace a more simple convertible top on a car such as a 1960s Camaro or Firebird.

Initial inspection

Before removing the top, Chase inspected the roof to determine what parts required replacement. In addition to the top, the material that makes up the convertible top well, the top boot, the pads and the cables were inspected. Convertible top parts that needed replacement were then ordered.

As in any project, organization is key. All old parts were kept, whether or not they were replaced, and those parts were organized with labels and photographs to show where they were originally installed. This ensured the original screws, nuts and other parts were returned to their original position on the car. The location of screw holes to aid installation of the new top were also marked.

Top removal

On this Riviera, the headliner was removed first, starting at the front and working from the header bow rearward. Any screws were removed and safely stored for reuse, and glued areas were carefully separated.

The top was then elevated from its closed position so glue and staples could be removed, thus lifting the top from the framework beneath. The weatherstrip on the header bow was then removed, and unlike most convertibles, this top did not have a metal insert in the header bow weatherstrip. As such, it would be reinstalled this way. The weatherstrip was also removed from the glue strips that attached it at the front and rear convertible top rails. This car had extra metal pieces in the rear quarter rail of weatherstrip to remove.

The Riviera had a “wire on” trim piece on the rear bow, and to detach it, screws and staples had to be removed.

At this point, the cables that run the length of the roof were unscrewed from the top frame. The metal strip in the top at the second and third bows were removed, although they can be removed with the headliner. Screws were removed at the rear of the well and replaced after the well material was removed. The rear window defroster was also disconnected.

Beneath the top is a formed metal bar with a tacking strip on its outside known as a trim stick. The trim stick holds the top to the framework. At this step, the nuts holding the trim stick to the top frame were removed. The trim stick is a three-piece unit on most cars, and the location and orientation of these trim sticks was photographed and marked so they could be returned to their original position when the new top was installed.

The convertible top was now free of the top frame. Chase found a large, clean work table to lay out the original top. The curtain containing the rear window and the rear top pads were still attached to the top with the trim stick. Where the original pads and curtain attached to the trim stick was carefully measured and marked on the trim stick. Once the locations of these top components were marked on the trim stick, the staples holding the pads and curtain were removed.With the trim stick freed from the studs that hold it in place, the top could be peeled back to expose the rear bow. This allowed access for the removal of staples that hold the curtain and rear pads in place.

The owner of this car requested that all of the original top and rear pads and cables be reused so they were set aside. The condition of the original tacking strips that mate the convertible top to the frame were inspected and any that required repair or replacement were addressed.

Installing a new top

Although a new top and rear window curtain were ordered, it required inspection for size, shape and other characteristics to ensure it matched the original. While working with the rear curtain, its glass rear window, which is tinted with a built-in defroster, was protected with bubble wrap. The wires for the defroster were also taped to the glass to keep them from harm.

While the new top was on the work bench, the original cables were taped to thin but stiff wire and strung through the top. Due to the size of this car’s top, the rear pads and curtain were attached to the original trim stick at the table, because of the top’s overlap of the rear curtain. For this step, the center of the top and the rear curtain were determined and marked. Then the trim stick’s three pieces (driver side, middle and passenger side) were laid out and attached with the original corner brackets. When necessary, tape was used to reinforce the corner brackets of the trim stick during the top’s installation. Once the center of the middle trim stick was determined, the original marks and measurements from the old top were referenced to align and staple the new rear window curtain to the trim stick.

At this point, the rear pads were laid on the new curtain and lined up using the original measurements and marks. The rear pads and curtain were then stapled to the trim stick. The top was then laid on top of the curtain and rear pad assembly. Using the measurements from the old top, Chase drew a removable thin line to follow the body line of the car. This line was in the location of the trim stick, as it determined where the top was stapled to the trim stick. This area was critical to a tight fit of the convertible top, which will help it stay sealed. Once the top was properly aligned with the marks, it was stapled to the trim stick. All excess material from the curtain, rear pads and top were cut away at this point, and all the holes were cut for studs to pass through the trim stick.

To protect the car’s finish, Chase covered the body and taped the cover in place to prevent it from moving. Then the new top was placed on the car’s roof bows. The trim stick was put back into place by aligning the center of the trim stick with the center stud using marks placed on the trim stick before it was removed, then the trim stick was tightened using the original hardware.

Fastening the top to the car began with the rear window curtain at the rear bow. Using manufacturer guidelines, the proper rear bow height was established and any adjustments were made to make the measurement match the guidelines. This step was critical to making the top fit and look correct. Now the center of the rear bow and the rear curtain containing the back window were determined. The protective covering for the back glass was removed and once the centers of the rear curtain and top bow were aligned, the curtain could be stapled into place. Chase first stapled the center, then worked outward toward each side until the top was completely stapled to the rear bow.

The sewn line (a.k.a. dart) in the convertible top was then aligned over the rear bow and stapled in place. Particular attention was paid to making the sewn line and the rear bow mate up to ensure staple coverage of the trim piece.

Now the top was pulled forward to the header bow. Both ends of the cables — already installed in the convertible top — were attached to the convertible top frame and the top was completely raised and locked. At this point, Chase could sat back and surveyed the progress. If the top and curtain were fit to her satisfaction, Chase would have moved on to the next step. Given the complicated nature of this convertible top, Chase tweaked the top to improve the fit after checking her work. Adjustments began by unlatching the top from the header bow and propping it open with a sturdy, soft object. The trim sticks were removed and the staples were removed so the alignment line could be redrawn. Chase tweaked the top about 1/4 inch each time and checked the fit until it was exactly where she wanted it. Once the top fit tightly and without wrinkles, the trim stick was reinstalled and fastened into place and the top was re-stapled.

The top was then pulled tight again and locked to the header bow and lines were marked for gluing and stapling while the top was released (this will give that “bounce a quarter off it” look). After the lines ware marked, the top was opened three-quarters of the way and spray adhesive was applied to the side glue flaps and the top header bow, then glued into place, making sure the side glue flaps were tight to the frame and the top was centered. Spray adhesive was also applied to the glue flaps at the quarter windows and glued into place.

A new header strip had to be made using a molded plastic bead and a matching vinyl strip, which Chase had to sew in place. Then the underside of the flap at the front of the top was stapled to the front tacking strip. The excess material was trimmed and the header strip was then stapled to the tacking strip. It was imperative the header strip was snug against the top to ensure a smooth fit.

It was now time to button up the top. The weatherstrip was then installed and the wires for the defroster were connected. The liner for the well was also fastened into position, and metal strips were slid into position on the second and third bow top sleeves. The headliner was also reinstalled, as were the interior trim pieces of the convertible top.

As a finishing touch, a new “wire on” was stapled at the top of the rear bow and gently hammered into position with a rawhide hammer. Chrome finishing tips were then installed at the ends of the “wire on” trim piece.

Finally, the top was steamed inside and out to remove any minor wrinkles and the Riviera was ready for top-up cruising.

See more step-by-step photos below:

Required materials:

• Sewing machine
• Staple pullers
• Staple gun
• Measuring tools
• Squares
• Upholstery pencil
• Scraping tools
• Spray adhesive
• Rawhide hammer

Source
Chasin’ Perfection
Custom Automotive Interiors, Tops and Trim
715-281-5939
chasinperfection@gmail.com

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The post Tip-top convertible roof installation appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Brian Earnest

One of the best things about the pony cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s was that they could be so many things to so many different types of customers.

Depending on the engine and equipment they were ordered with, the Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers, Barracudas and similar ilk could be everything from muscle monsters, to cool pseudo-sports cars, to tame family transportation. They may not have been great any one thing, but millions of the mid-size pony cars from the era ably served multiple roles will riding a giant wave of popularity in American showrooms.

Take Dan and Joyce Staehle’s 1969 Pontiac Firebird convertible, for example. Joyce wasn’t too crazy about driving Dan’s hairy 1966 GTO, or his sweet 1954 Lincoln Capri, so Dan started looking for something more suitable. “The Lincoln was just too big for her. She didn’t like driving it,” says Dan, a resident of Brownsville, Wis. “And the GTO, well, it’s a GTO! She wasn’t going to drive that.”

It wasn’t long after he started snooping around for a possible third weekend hobby car that Dan stumbled on the sharp Firebird for sale in Kendallville, Ind. The ‘Bird was nicely restored, had only 72,000 miles on the odometer, and carried the friendly drivetrain combination of a 350-cid two-barrel V-8 mated to a two-speed Powerglide transmission. Best of all, it was a convertible — and a darn nice one at that!

“The original owner was a lady who bought it new in ’69. I’ve got every single receipt from her up until 1992. In 1992 she parked in her garage and never drove it anymore,” Staehle said. “There was a fella who’d drive back and forth every day and he’s see the car sitting in the garage that never moved. One day he approached her and asked if he she would consider selling it to him. I’m not sure if it took a matter of time or what happened, but he wound up owning this car.”

From there, it was bit of a good news-bad news story for the Firebird. The second owner of the car got together with a friend and planned to do a thorough restoration, but apparently things never quite worked out and the car sat. Approximately 17 years eventually ticked by before the Firebird would see the road again.

“He bought it in I think ’93 I believe, or it might have been ‘94 — somewhere in there. Then he took it to a friend’s house and they tore it apart and did a rotisserie- style restoration,” Staehle noted. “He was actually an auto upholsterer and he had the engine rebuilt, transmission rebuilt. His buddy did all the body work and the car was just not getting done. They got into some sort of tiff in the mid-2000s maybe and he wound up taking the car out of his buddy’s place in pieces and taking it to another friend’s place. They finally finished the car in 2010.

“He never registered or titled the car. So I am officially the second owner. He thought his wife might like it, but she didn’t want it because it doesn’t have power brakes. It’s got manual brakes and she didn’t want it so it just sat in their garage.”

The ragtop turned out to be exactly what Staehle was looking for — a car that was done, didn’t need a bunch of work, was friendly to drive and would be fun to take to car shows and on weekend joy rides. It checked all the boxes, and then some.

“It’s just a nice little car,” he says with a genuine smile. “I was looking for something smaller to midsize, I wasn’t quite sure what. But I’ve always loved these Firebirds, so when it came up I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s go see it.’ I took the trailer with me, but I left it at the hotel. I didn’t want the guy thinking I was too eager! But we took it for a ride, it drove real nice, and we bought it on the spot.

“We get 18 mpg on road trips… it rides real nice. I love it. The color [Limelight Green] is unusual … It’s got a dark forest green top, which is an unusual combination with the white interior. It had only 72,000 miles on it… It’s got 75,500 on it now.”

Pontiac’s Plan B

Chevrolet debuted its Mustang-fighting Camaro for the 1967 model year, but having a similar-looking Firebird model as a Pontiac running mate was not part of the original plan at General Motors. The initial idea called for a two-seat sports car based on the Banshee concept car created in 1964. The two different Banshee prototypes were both very Corvette-like, with long hoods, short tails and top-notch performance. In the end, GM brass decided a Banshee spinoff would compete too closely with the Corvette, and the new Pontiac offering was instead given the Camaro’s F-body platform.

The first Firebird was made at Lordstown, Ohio, in early January 1967. The new car line was officially released February 23, 1967. External features included sculptured body styling, twin grilles of a bumper-integral design, front vent windows, and three vertical air slots on the leading edge of rear body panels. Bucket seats were standard. Two body styles were offered and came with any of the Tempest or GTO power trains. However, the two body styles were marketed in five “model-options” created by adding regular production options (RPOs) in specific combinations. Production records were not kept according to the RPO packages, but by the number of sixes and V-8s built with standard or deluxe appointments. The model-option such as Sprint, HO, and 400 are described in the optional equipment section below. A total of 82,560 copies rolled off the Pontiac assembly line during the Firebird’s debut season.

For 1969, the car’s body and silhouette didn’t change much, but there were a few tweaks as the Firebirds and Camaros continued to evolve. The ‘Birds had flatter wheel openings, front fender wind splits, new rooflines and a creased lower belt line. The gas filler moved behind the rear license plate and a rectangular Pontiac-style split bumper grille was used. Square body-colored Endura bezels held the headlamps. Big news came when the Trans Am arrived on March 8, 1969, at the Chicago Auto Show The new Trans Am hardtop had a base price of $3,556 and a production run of just 689 units. The convertible cost some $150 additional and only eight were built.

The Trans Am grew out of the Sports Car Club of America’s Trans-American sedan racing series. Pontiac paid the SCCA a $5 royalty per car to use the name. The T/A was originally planned with a special super-high-performance 303-cid small-block V-8 that would have made it race eligible. About 25 cars were fitted with the short-stroke 303-cid tunnel-port V-8s, but these were used exclusively for SCCA Trans-Am racing. Production models could have either a 335-hp 400 H.O. (a.k.a. Ram Air III) V-8 or an optional 345-hp Ram Air IV engine. Quarter-miles times for Trans Ams were in the 14- to 14.5-second bracket.

Standard equipment for Firebirds included vinyl bucket seats, grained dashboards, carpeting, outside mirrors and side marker lamps. The hardtop listed for $2,831 and the ragtop for $3,045. Models included the Sprint ($121 extra), 350 ($111), 350 H.O. ($351-$435), 400 ($275-$358), 400 H.O. ($351-$435) and Ram Air 400 ($832 extra), plus the Trans Am.

From Hoosier to Badger

The Staehle’s lovely green droptop is one of 11,649 convertible Firebirds built for 1969. The coupe was far more plentiful with 75,362 built. The original owner was a woman from Anderson, Ind., who paid a grand total of $3,656.03 for her new Pontiac. It was equipped with power steering, but manual brakes. It carried an AM/FM radio, vinyl upholstery, a manual folding top and not much in the way of options.

What the car did have was a lot of documentation. Staehle has all the Firebird’s paperwork back to the time it left the dealership, so he knows the car’s history from Day 1. “I have every receipt, the original window sticker, original built sheet, protect-o-plate, original warrantee card — all with her name on it,” he says. “It’s pretty cool to have all that stuff, especially all the receipts.”

Staehle says the only thing he has done to the car so far is rebuild the carburetor. The convertible looks great, sounds great, purrs like a happy cat and displays beautifully at any car gathering. This year, the couple showed it off as one of the invited theme cars in the 50th anniversary salute to the Firebird and Camaro at the Iola Car Show in Iola, Wis.

It likely won’t be the last time the Firebird appears in Iola. “I want to hang onto it for a while,” Dan says. “A long while.”

Show us your wheels!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

The post Car of the Week: 1969 Pontiac Firebird convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Brian Earnest

Ed Suchorski didn’t set out to corner the market on 1942 Mercurys, even if it appears that way.

The Muskego, Wis., resident had even washed his hands of the old car hobby for quite a spell. “I was out of the hobby for about 25 year and just got back in the last two years again,” Suchorski chuckles.

And when he returned, he jumped in with both feet. The affable Suchorski now has the keys to six 1942 Mercs and a slew of other Mercurys. “I own quite a few,” he laughs. “My nickname is ‘Mercury Ed.’ I’ve been in all the Ford clubs, but I never owned a Ford. I just had Mercurys and Lincoln-Zephyrs.

“I have the six ’42 Mercurys now, and a guy said to me, ‘‘No wonder we can’t find any ’42s. The few guys that have the ’42s hoard them all!’”

The flagship of Suchorski’s fleet is a splendid, and rare, 1942 Type 76 Club Convertible that he actually helped the previous owner restore back in the 1980s. “I was instrumental in getting some parts and information to him,” Suchorski recalled. “Since people know me as a Mercury guy, they are always calling me when they are doing something.”

Suchorski eventually got an unplanned chance to buy the convertible himself when he saw it for sale online. The ad had only been posted for two days when Suchorski saw it. “I got in on top,” he jokes.

The previous owner had completely redone the car, mostly for sentimental reasons, then parked it for many years and left it largely untouched. The car had undergone a lengthy and expensive restoration that had been well documented with paperwork and several hundred photographs, so Suchorski had few reservations about the car’s quality. “Back in the early ’80s he spent 70 grand restoring it [laughs]. That was kind of an unheard of price for a restoration. Most of them were 20, 25 grand … but he needed to get it done. His dad grew up with a ’42 Mercury convertible, that’s why he had to have one.

“I talked to them, and it was like, ‘Yeah we want you to have it.’ And I’ve been enjoying it the past two years.”

The Mercurys were completely face lifted for 1941, with several new models added to the lineup
and all riding on two-inch-longer wheelbases. The convertible sedan was dropped for 1940, but a new woodie wagon and two more coupe models, one a two-passenger business coupe, were added for ’41.

The 1942 Mercurys were the last prewar Mercs and had a distinctive two-tier horizontal grille heavy on bright work in place of the split vertical look of 1941s, which made the ’42 front ends more bulky looking. The bodies were largely unchanged from 1941-’48, and only a few trim details of the cars were changed during that time. Rectangular parking lamps were between the headlights and high on the 1942 fenders. Running boards were tucked under the door bottoms.

A 239-cid V-8 rated at 100 hp was beneath all 1942 Mercury hoods. Prices ranged from $910 to $1,260.

By 1941, company PR men claimed Mercury had “made 150,000 owners change cars!” — and that year another 80,000 Mercurys were produced, plus a total of 24,704 more worldwide in 1942 before production shutdown on Feb. 10, 1942, for the duration of World War II. Although its prewar history was short, the Mercury had already earned a reputation for being a fine machine with excellent fuel economy. Edsel Ford had named it after the fleet-footed messenger of the gods of Roman mythology. The Mercury was strongly identified as an upmarket Ford during this period; in 1945, the Lincoln-Mercury Division would be established and Mercury began establishing more of its own identity.

With so few Mercurys built for 1942, convertibles such as Suchorski’s are a rare prize today. “Most people have never seen a ’42, so that’s why I want to bring ’em out,” he says. “This is one of three ’42 convertibles in existence that is restored. There are three clones (based on similar 1946-’48 models) and three that are unrestored. Then there is one street rod, so there are 10 of these altogether … I’ve been doing research on these cars and it’s amazing. I found five people who bought them originally still have them today, and they bought them in ’46 or ’47. They’ve had them 60-some years.”

Suchorski’s ’42 Merc convertible is one of about 969 built and was in mothballs for more than two decades, which kept the mileage and wear-and-tear to almost zero, but also caused some of the problems common to cars that sit too long without moving. “I’ve had to get all the bugs out because it was like a museum piece,” he said. “It was sitting for so long. All the rubber goes bad. All of the tires are new. Little things like that.

“I re-chromed the bumpers and put a new top on it. The top has never been down. And there are a couple clips I have to put on yet. It’s so hard to find these parts. One-third of the parts are ’42 Mercury-only … It’s a year all by itself, especially the interior. It’s got an Art Deco interior and it’s a very unique interior, the way they balanced the brown and reds. The paint outside was done in nitrocellulose so it has cracks all over, but this one is probably in the best shape of all [his ’42s].”

The Merc has only about 1,000 miles on its odometer since it was restored back in the 1980s. Suchorski doesn’t know all the history of the car before that, but it was apparently owned originally by a lawyer who worked for Henry Ford. The car may even have been a gift from Henry. The last owner lived in Virginia and had the car restored in Oklahoma City.“Then it was at Hershey and it was the only show he ever took it to,” he said.

The handsome Mercury has certainly helped Suchorski enjoy his return to the car hobby. He regularly gets to explain how rare the car is, and often gets to recite brief history lessons on his unusual convertible.

“It seems like the more I talk to people about ’42, the more I find out nobody knows anything about them or has seen them,” he concludes. “So that’s becoming my niche now, I guess.”

International Mercury Owners Association
www.mercuryclub.com

______________________

Show us your wheels!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

The post Car of the Week: 1942 Mercury convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

By B. Mitchell Carlson

Last winter, Old Cars Weekly subscriber Brad Yoho of Stillwater, Minn., completed the restoration of an unusual 1948 Crosley that was customized several decades ago. The Crosley began as a factory-produced convertible, although the convertible Crosleys at this time had more of a sliding roof than a true complete folding top.

Yoho believes the Crosley was customized in the mid 1950s. He purchased it from David Ross of Naples Fla., but the car came with a 1958 Oklahoma title issued to Robert Braisel on July 23, 1955. Braisel signed and transferred the title on Sept. 12, 1988, but with no name or assignee for the transfer, although it was notarized in Chickasha, Okla., at that time. He has been unable to find out any other history of the vehicle to this point.

When purchased, the car carried the custom features pictured here. Its most pronounced custom tricks are its heavily Frenched headlamps and a Howard “Dutch” Darrin-style dip in each door. It also has a continental-type spare tire mounted at the back. All of these features were in vogue during the 1950s. Additionally, the side window frames were fully removed, making the car a true roadster, albeit one currently without any sort of top. Yoho is exploring options for fabricating a top, but he’s currently content with the Crolsey as a fully open car.

The body structure is reinforced with 3/4-inch tubing, especially across the top of the body opening, around the passenger’s compartment, making the body quite sturdy. The doors and hood were also fabricated with the tubing using the original panels as a basis. All of the body filler consists of lead. While no one will confuse the body as the product of a professional body maker, it’s not too bad for a highly personalized car, and the work is better than most body fabricator wannabes armed with a Sawzall and a barrel of Bondo.

In finishing the car, Yoho wanted to retain as much of the original bodywork and character of the car as possible. The grille is a piece of pre-punched metal resembling a 1955 Ford grille. Various other trim pieces were sourced from used cars of the era, including the ’52 Oldsmobile tail lamps.

When new, this Crosley would have been powered by its maker’s COBRA sheet-metal engine block. When found and restored, it had the later Crosley CIBA cast-iron block. Crosley’s CIBA engine was also used in its Hot Shot speedsters with a few performance parts, and this Crosley hot rod employs those parts, such as a cast-aluminum valve cover, aluminum air cleaner adapter (to lower the profile to fit under the hood) and modern breather filter.

Another unique fitment to the car is the radio. It has an Arvin head unit, but connected to a Firestone vibrator and speaker. Yoho feels these unusual features, along with the car’s unique appearance, may help jog someone’s memory of the car and help fill in its past.

When Yoho purchased the Crosley hot rod, it was not too far from being a rolling shell. The car was painted in recent years, which helped make the restoration a little easier. However, it was missing several components, most notably wheels, tires and seats.

Yoho sourced a set of stock Crosley rims and discovered that the first years of the base model smart car used a comparable tire size (155/80R12s). As most smart cars in the United States were upscale models, Yoho found a wholesaler who gave him a good deal on a set.

The seat frames were found online and Yoho had them reupholstered. The rest of the interior soft trim was installed by his sister-in-law.

Since many Old Cars Weekly readers like a challenge of this sort, let us know if you know anything about the history of this car.

Write to Old Cars Weekly, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990, or e-mail angelo.vanbogart@fwmedia.com and copy owner Brad Yoho at bccjyoho@msn.com.

The post Custom Crosley: Reader’s mystery car leaves unanswered questions appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Brian Earnest

Jack Canfield didn’t really have a “Plan B” when he went to Colorado to adopt a cool Oldsmobile convertible a few years back. But when things didn’t work out and it looked like he was about to get gypped, Canfield unexpectedly stumbled into a pretty nice backup plan.

“I was looking for a ’57 Olds Ninety-Eight convertible. I was all excited and talked to the fella that owned it, and after I talked to him four or five times we worked out a price and I gave him some money down,” recalled Canfield, a resident of New Brighton, Minn. “I was supposed to come down and pick the car up, and he had told me there was no rust whatsoever on the car, and I was paying a fair enough price and I didn’t want any rust.

“So we get down there and he happened to have a hoist in his garage and we put the car on the hoist and I could tell right where all the rust spots were. I said, ‘I can’t take this car. It’s not represented right. I’d like to have my money back.’”

Unfortunately, the owner of the Olds wasn’t in the mood for refunds.

“He said, ‘No, I can’t give you your money back, but I have another car — a 1960 Bonneville convertible — that’s about 90 percent done with a restoration, and I might want to sell that,’” Canfield continued. “So we went and looked at the car and I was happy with it.

“I was a little concerned. I didn’t think he should have kept my money, but it was his prerogative, I guess. But after I saw the [Bonneville] I said, ‘I’m interested, let’s work out a price.’ The next morning before we left to come home from Grand Junction, Colo., he called and said, ‘OK you can have the car.’”

Canfield still wasn’t sure if he had been taken in the deal after he went to pick up the handsome Bonneville. The car didn’t start at first, and it was temperamental for many months after he got it home.

“For two years I worked on getting it started. It would start, then it wouldn’t start,” Canfield said. “So I got a little bothered with that, and I took it to one of my old customers, and he put his meter on it and he found out there was only 3 volts going to the points system, and what happened was there had been two resistors put on instead of just one, and it was cutting the voltage down.

“So I took that second resister off, disconnected it and it started right up and it’s been starting ever since for the last 7 or 8 years.”

Indeed, Canfield has been so pleased with the beautiful Pontiac ragtop that he has collected three of them. “I have two more, so I can compare when one is not [running right],” he joked. “One does not have bucket seats like this one. One is just about as nice as this, all-white with a white top, bucket seats that has factory air conditioning, so it’s very nice.”

Canfield had his dark red convertible for about a dozen years and has been showing and driving it periodically for “the last 7 or 8 years.” Before he began taking it to hobby car gatherings, Canfield had a few details to finish up on the car. He went through a couple of starters before he discovered the extra resistor. He said he’s also rebuilt the carburetor twice. The power top needed some electrical work, the transmission was a bit balky, and there was some chrome and stainless steel that needed attention.

The heavy lifting on the restoration had been done by the previous owner, however, including the bodywork, paint and new interior.

“It’s the original Coronado Red,” he said. “He did the whole interior out of leather. It’s not vinyl, it’s leather. A lot of times when they replace that now they replace it with vinyl because leather is a little costlier.”

It wouldn’t seem right to cut costs on Pontiac’s top-of-the-line machine for 1960. That year, more than 17,000 of the luxurious drop tops were built at a base price of $3,478. You could also buy Bonnevilles in two-door and four-door hardtops. Any of them were a good choice for buyers who wanted smooth cruising and handsome looks combined with a big V-8.

By 1960, the Bonneville nameplate was entering its fourth year. The model had debuted in 1957 as a spectacular, fuel-injected, convertible-only offering. Only 630 Bonnevilles were built that first year, but that was enough to get the model rolling into the future. In 1958, a coupe was also offered and the Bonneville became its own series. A four-door joined the lineup in 1959 — the same year the all-new, redesigned “Wide-Track” Ponchos arrived.

The Bonnevilles were certainly some of the most visually appealing American cars on the market for 1960, with their signature split grilles, distinctive fender scripts, V-shaped crest on the lower front fenders and beltline moldings that ended with three dashes of chrome at the rear. Quad headlamps were integrated into the corners of the grille with two pairs of round tail lamps capping off the long, rounded “fins” in back. Padded dashboards with walnut inserts, courtesy lamps and padded rear seat cushions were just a few of the creature comforts.

The interior is a dazzling combination of stainless and wood trim with pleated upholstery. Canfield’s car is dressed inside with red leather and carpet to match the Coronado Red paint. The black convertible top is hidden under a red boot. “I really enjoy and appreciate the interior. I think it’s one of the finest-looking interiors of the ’50s and ’60s,” Canfield noted.

Under the hood was a 389-cid V-8 that drank through a Carter four-barrel carburetor. The setup produced about 281 hp with the synchromesh and 303 with the optional Hydra-Matic.

Canfield’s car features several noteworthy options, including fender skirts, power steering and brakes, a stainless tissue dispenser below the dash and cruise control. “This was the first year they had cruise control, and it also has the brake lights so when you put the emergency brake on, there is a light that shines so you don’t burn the rear brakes out… There is also a three-mast power antenna and naturally, the power steering and power brakes,” he added. “It’s got the Day-Night mirror; bucket seats, which is very, very sought after; it also has the rear trunk light — you can wheel it out and put it by the front wheel so you can change a tire at night.”

Canfield never dug much into the history of his first Bonneville. He’s not sure how many owners had their hands on the car earlier in its life, and the odometer had been restarted at zero during the car’s restoration. Since then he’s put only a little more than 1,000 miles on the convertible. That’s not many over the span of about eight years, but he insists they have been very happy miles. “It’s just like a modern car because I put radial tires on it, so it drives down the road at 60 or 70 [mph] just as nice as a modern day car, the only difficulty is that it doesn’t have disc brakes. And it’s a heavy car — probably about 4,600 lbs.

“We took it to Back to the 50’s all three days and we take it to the local car shows. I try not to drive it more than 20, 25 miles from home. That’s about it.”

Canfield figures three 1960 Bonneville convertibles is just about the right number for him now, but he admits there probably wouldn’t be any if that Oldsmobile he was after had just been a little cleaner. He’s not complaining, though.

When a backup plan works out this good, you just roll with it.

“I didn’t want that Oldsmobile because it had rust … But I wouldn’t have wanted this if that car hadn’t had rust,” he laughed. “It’s turned out very nice. I’ve been blessed.

“I’ll keep hanging onto this one, I think. I couldn’t ask for anything better, really.”

__________

Got a car you’d like us to feature as our “Car of the Week“? We want to hear from you! E-mail us and tell us all about it.

The post Car of the Week: 1960 Pontiac Bonneville appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.