Exceptional Pontiac Bonneville wagon. Fantastic triple black, rare vinyl top, three rows of seats, working factory A/C, 8-lug wheels. 389 cubic inch V8 runs and drives superbly. The pinnacle of style and luxury in 1965!

Pontiac was hitting on all eight cylinders in the mid-60s, balancing style, performance, and luxury in a way that other brands couldn’t quite match. If you were a young guy with some money, even if you could afford a Buick or Cadillac, you were shopping at the Pontiac store. This 1965 Pontiac Bonneville Safari wagon is a fantastic example of Pontiac getting everything right. Wagons were supposed to be utilitarian and basic, not stylish, fast, and comfortable like this awesome Safari. Borrowing styling from the rest of the Pontiac lineup, the Safari looks sleek and purposeful, starting with the stacked headlights that were a Pontiac trademark. Add in the sculpted bodywork, the bright rocker molding, and the sleek D-pillar design that makes it look like it’s in motion even when it’s standing still, and you get one of the best-looking wagons we’ve ever seen. The vinyl roof is correct for 1965 and was definitely on the options list, but I bet you’ve never seen it on a wagon before. Cool! The black respray is a few years old, but it was applied over some laser-straight bodywork with evidence that this was ever a rusty or damaged car. All four doors close with a solid THUNK and the tailgate and window work properly. Chrome and stainless trim (and there’s a lot of it!) remains in fantastic condition, glittering against the black bodywork. Even the fluted tail panel between the taillights is in excellent condition, and these were notorious for pitting. Add in the roof rack, and you get an upscale wagon that looks as at home at the theater as it does at the lumber yard.

The beautiful black interior is more evidence of Pontiac’s high-style attitude. Three rows of bench seats make this a 9-passenger wagon, with the back seat facing rearward and able to stow itself under the cargo floor. Woodgrained appliques on the dash warm things up a bit, and if you’ve driven a GTO, sliding behind the wheel of this Bonneville might feel familiar. Everything works except the clock, and that means cold A/C and a working AM radio, although the sound of the 389 cubic inch V8 under the hood might be more entertaining. The seats, door panels, and carpets are in excellent condition with minimal wear, and thanks to lots of sound-deadening materials, it’s hushed inside on the highway. The massive headliner is also in fantastic condition with no rips, tears, or sagging, and all the glass is clear with no cracks or delamination. This is a really nice car!

Under the pointed hood beats the heart of a GTO, a correct YF-coded 389 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor and 325 horsepower (matching numbers isn’t possible to determine on a 1965 Pontiac, but we believe this is the car’s original engine). It remains completely stock and acts like it should: easy starts, a nice idle, and plenty of torque to move the big wagon effortlessly. It’s correctly detailed in corporate blue engine enamel, that big air cleaner with reproduction decals, and lots of recent parts like a new alternator and master cylinder. There’s a muscular idle from the dual exhaust, which features stainless Magnaflow mufflers, but on the road it quiets down and remains one of the best road trip vehicles you can own. 1965 was the first year for the TH400 3-speed automatic transmission, perhaps the best automatic ever created, and it shifts crisply with no hesitation or slippage, and feeds a set of 3.42 gears in the 10-bolt rear end, so it’s quick off the line but not too busy on the highway. The body has never been off the frame, but you can see that it wasn’t necessary—the floors and rockers are solid, there’s no evidence of patching or other questionable repairs, and it’s been protected for decades by a light dusting of undercoating to keep it sealed up. Recent work includes suspension components, including new springs and air shocks in the back, plus the aforementioned dual exhaust system. Brakes are massive aluminum drums in front, which are quite effective, so forget all those notions that you “need” disc brakes. Plus they come with those awesome Pontiac 8-lug wheels, which carry recent 215/75/14 whitewall radials for exactly the right ‘60s look.

We’re absolutely in love with this car. It looks like a million bucks and drives just as well. It’s upscale, yet sporty, and with a huge dose of practicality there’s just no reason not to take it home. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.