When most people think of high performance Pontiacs, the first car they think of is the GTO, or the Trans Am. And they would have good reason to. They where the Pontiac’s top performance cars of their era. But before those cars, Pontiac was making a name for its self in the performance car world starting with their first overhead-valve V-8 cars introduced in 1955. The following year, a dual-quad carb set-up became an option. In 1957, the limited edition Bonneville was introduced, featuring a high-performance fuel injected engine, as well as the legendary tri-power, three-two barrel carburetor system added to Pontiac’s performance arsenal. In 1959 the Wide-Track chassis was introduced, making Pontiac one of the fastest and best handling cars on the road. In 1960 a four-speed transmission became an option, By the time the 1961 models were introduced, Pontiac was winning NASCAR races, and was a formidable opponent on the drag strip.
Most of the high-performance hardware was ordered for Catalina and Ventura hardtops because their weight and size made the most sense for racing. Any and all performance options could be ordered on the top of the line, luxurious Bonneville, but seldom were. The 1961 Bonneville featured here was one of those rarely equipped, special ordered cars. According to PHS (Pontiac Historical Services), this car is one of just 176 Pontiacs of all body styles fitted with 389 cubic inch, 348 hp, High Output motor, and factory 4-speed transmission. The engine features Tri-power, forged-steel crank and rods, four-bolt main caps, high-lift cam, and special long-branch exhaust manifolds. Also ordered on this car was a short-throw “sport shifter”, bucket seats, 3:42 posi-traction rear end, and special 8-lug wheels with finned aluminum brake drums. How many Bonneville convertibles optioned like this one is unknown, but it was not many, perhaps less than five.
East Bay car collector Steve Marini purchased the car in 1997 from the family of the original owner. Sitting under a tarp and sheets of plywood, with license plates that expired in 1970, the car was remarkably original and unmodified, still with original paint and tri-power system intact, right down to the wing nut on the air cleaner. The car was treated to a full rotisserie, frame-off restoration, using all NOS moldings and trim. It has won several shows, and is considered one of the rarest 1961 Pontiacs in existence
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