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'65 Pontiac Bonneville - sunny pics added


Gluhead

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This is one of my oldest surviving (and not sold off, lol) builds. I think it's from '93 or '94. Several moves later, and it was looking REAL haggard. I lost the grill splitter and the new grills I'd made for it, the foil looked like the dog had played with it for a while, and it was just super dirty after all these years. I've had it on the "rebuild me" shelf for a couple years now, and I finally pulled it down for a weekend rebuild.

I think this shot is from around 2002 or so. It's the earliest I have of it. It was already starting to unfinish itself. :D

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And here is it last Friday night...washed up, and the foil all stripped off.

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And today, it's back together. I'd left a few bits unfoiled the first time...this time around, everything but the 2+2 scripts. I didn't know any better to shave them when I originally built it, the 2+2 being a Catalina and this clearly being a Bonneville. The paint is not perfect, but it is too nice to re-do just for that. I went through all sorts of wheel and tire combos looking for what cried out "Use me!" and ironically enough, it ended up being the factory rolling stock that yelled the loudest. Blackwalls didn't feel right, though, so I painted in the whitewalls. Oh, and this is the first model I hogged out the molded in headlights on. Not a great job, but at least all the lenses were still in there. :D

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Sure feels good to bring this one back to life again, and to have it come out better than ever. Enjoy and thanks for lookin'.

Glu

Edited by Gluhead
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Why can't the General re-capture the glory of their mid sixties styles such as this Poncho ? this build captures the beautiful lines of the car. The 8 lugs ARE the only choice for this car. For future referance one of the polishing cloth kits available are great for enhancing older paint. They follow curves, have multiple grits to 12,000 ! Money well spent. Very nice build!

Edited by jdcar32
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Thanks, all.

Jon - Yep, I've got a polishing kit. I'd polished this one out when it was originally painted, but that was almost 20 years ago and they do shrink up a tad as they age. The finish is thin enough that I don't dare attempt another full polish. It'd for sure end up meaning a full repaint because of burn-throughs. It does look a little more peely in these pics than it does to the naked eye. My camera isn't all that great at fine detail, or I'd show one of the clear reflection. I can easily watch tv or read a label in the roof. :P

Monty - Yes, it's the kit chassis with the metal axles...through the engine and all. lol. I posed the fronts in the simplest way possible; by drilling new axle holes in the wheelbacks...quite cockeyed. :D

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Thanks, Dan. Yeah, new cars (new for me being anything in the last 30 years. lol) don't do much for me at all. I'd take a big ol' 60's boat over anything produced now, by far. Absolutely zero hesitation. I'm more of an Olds guy, really. My daily driver for 10 years was a 1962 Olds 98, and if I can ever get my body to cooperate again, I've got a '66 Olds 98 awaiting some attention. The 60's were great for cars...no doubt about it.

Even cranking up the brightness and saturation, the pics from yesterday don't do the color justice. I managed to haul it outside for a few clicks today.

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