The Pontiac Bonneville (along with the corresponding Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Buick full-sized models) shrank significantly for the 1977 model year, but the 1977-81 Bonnevilles still carried reassuring bulk and traditional Detroit-luxury-car styling. Plenty of these cars were sold, which means that I still see them from time to time during my junkyard journeys. Here's a faded but unrusted '80 in a Denver self-service yard.
I borrowed my dad's gold '78 Bonneville sedan to go to my high-school prom in 1983, and it seemed like an incredibly sophisticated luxury car to me and my date (keep in mind that I drove the world's hooptiest '67 GTO and she drove a beater Chevy Vega at the time, so the Bonneville had to clear an admittedly low bar). Still, despite the lack of power (a 110-horsepower Buick V6 was standard in 1980), the Bonneville was a very comfortable and dignified machine.
While this car isn't the extra-plush Brougham version, it sports the optional "big" engine and the vinyl roof. Big cars were lighter then, so curb weight was just 3,587 pounds (nearly 300 pounds lighter than the 2019 Buick Lacrosse). If anyone in the Denver area wants to restore a 1977-81 Bonneville, this car will be a treasure trove of cheap parts.
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