The Bonneville convertible was Pontiac’s top of the line car ever since it was introduced in 1957. 1970 was the last year the name Bonneville would appear on a Pontiac convertible, and they are seldom seen at shows today. This fact was one of the motivating factors for Ron Berglund of Fresno, CA, to restore this beautiful Bermuda blue 1970 Bonneville to show condition. After rescuing the car twenty-five years ago, Ron did a cosmetic restoration and drove the car quite often. Among the cars 27 factory options are the wood-grained sport steering wheel, A/C, cruise control, power seat and windows, and a rare 8-track tape player. All these options pushed the $4,040 base price of this car up to $6,199, a hefty sum for a Pontiac in 1970. In 2010, Ron decided to take the car to the next level, and treated it to a full frame-up restoration with number-matching dated-coded original parts, rebuilding every piece of the car while keeping it as stock and original as possible. Attention to detail is present in every aspect of the restoration, and the car has won many awards, including three Best of Shows.
The styling of the 1970 model Bonneville is unique, with the front nose being its most prominent styling feature. Former Pontiac executive Jim Wagners recalls “DeLorean left them with that front end on the 1970 B-car, that big square Mercedes-Benz type grill that’s so popular now, but would you believe, it came under severe criticism then!” Under the hood, the 370hp 455 engine moves this two-ton luxury car with ease. The large, plush interior features soft seats, wood-grain accents, and a host of power amenities that pampers both driver and passengers. Large, luxurious, sporty, yet elegant, this perfectly polished Pontiac is a crowd pleaser at every show it attends.
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