1959 Pontiac Bonneville
B-body · New Wide-Track design — widest track width of any American c... · Wide-Track Pontiac — the most dramatic American car of 1959
Highly Collectible
Production & Overview
Total Production
82,569
Original MSRP
N/A
Assembly Plants
Pontiac, MI · Framingham, MA · Kansas City, MO
Wheelbase
124 inches
Body Styles
2-Door Hardtop · 2-Door Convertible · 4-Door Hardtop
Curb Weight
4,215 lbs
Notable Packages & Production
Rochester Fuel Injection — Fuel Injection
3-5x base
rare
Tri-Power 3x2V — Tri-Power
2x
uncommon
Available Engines
389-2V 389ci — V8
Base V8
215 hp
389-4V 389ci — V8
Standard Bonneville
245 hp
389-3x2V 389ci — V8
Tri-Power — three 2-barrel carbs
280 hp
389 FI 389ci — V8
Fuel injection — rare. Rochester unit.
315 hp
Buyer Checklist
⚠ Clone warning: Fuel injection non-matching loses 60%+. Always verify with cowl tag, engine stamp, and registry before purchase.
Verify Wide-Track stance — unique 1959 wide track width
Check cowl tag for engine code
Fuel injection — verify all Rochester components
Inspect large body for rust — fins, lower quarters, trunk
Check convertible top mechanism
Verify correct chrome trim — 1959 has unique fin chrome
Inspect floor pans and frame
Check all interior — Bonneville had premium trim
Verify engine date codes
Road test all systems including Hydra-Matic
Known Problem Areas
Body rust in fins and lower panels — large body has many rust points
Fuel injection fraud
Floor pan rust
Chrome trim unavailability
Convertible top mechanism failure
Hydra-Matic transmission wear
What Drives Value
↑ Increases Value
Fuel injection convertible — extremely rare
Tri-Power convertible
Original color with correct interior
Numbers-matching fuel injection
↓ Decreases Value
Fuel injection fraud
Heavy fin rust
Non-matching engine
Incorrect color
Restoration Overview
Difficulty
High — large body with many unique parts
Parts Availability
Fair — improving for 1959 Pontiacs
Driver Quality Cost
$20,000 – $45,000
Show Quality Cost
$55,000 – $110,000
Key Suppliers
Ames Performance (Pontiac parts) · POCI vendors · Specialty restorers
Pop Culture & Legacy
The 1959 Pontiac Bonneville is considered one of the most dramatically styled American cars ever made
Wide-Track became Pontiac's advertising slogan for years
Featured heavily in late 1950s American cultural imagery
Other Pontiac Bonneville Years