Hey everyone,

I finally picked up our beautiful '61, but have uncovered a bit of a nasty surprise when I was doing a general check over.

It appears as if the front wheel bearings have not been correctly pre-loaded upon install (whenever that was), & as a result I have 1x damaged hub & spindle, plus associated bearings, etc.

Additionally, the front hubs are slightly different (1x having ball bearings - Pontiac I'm told? and 1x having tapered roller bearings - a la Chev?).

So, please advise who I could contact on your side of the world (who would be reliable, trustworthy and expedient) to purchase 2x front spindles and complete hub assemblies (bearings, seals, washers, retaining nuts and dust caps included), to be delivered to Paradise (or more accurately the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia)?

Kindest regards in advance!

Here is a place to start.  Disc conversion?  What rims are you using?  If it's 8lug we need to keep looking.

https://www.mpbrakes.com/front-brake-conversion-kit/pontiac-bonneville-1961-front.asp

https://www.autocityclassic.com/pontiac-glass/

This looks like an awesome site for Pontiac glass as well.  

https://www.ebay.com/b/Brakes-Brake-Parts-for-1961-Pontiac-Bonneville/33559/bn_87227351

This is Ebay.  I have had a bad experience with Ebay, this was many years ago, but I still don't go there.  Sure they have made changes by now.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/shop/1961-pontiac-bonneville-brakes~65778-1961-52-591-1-949-3

https://www.opgi.com/bonneville/1961/

https://secure.amesperf.com/

This should keep you busy for awhile.  Some sites are keepers for all parts.

 

 

Edited September 27, 20223 yr by JUSTA6

Thanks @Justa6, much appreciated.

I'll trawl through & see what I can find.

To clarify, I don't really want to do a disc conversion - priced up over here it's @$3000 plus a new set of wheels & tyres!

Understand.   Justa passin along what i could find.  Do you have the 8 lugger rims?   Fitzy has a knack of finding what he needs.  Maybe he can help you out when he gets back.  64 Kiwibonne should be along N check out this post.  Sooner or later one of our Bonne experts will see this.

No, just have standard 14x6” Steelies with original wheel covers atm.

Hay Paul 

first call you should make is to Dave at Pontiac world, Dave is in nsw 

https://pontiworld.com.au/usgmsp/

👍

Now where’s all the pictures of your new baby ??   

I am not sure what the ozzy dollar is doing but our kiwi dollar is wayyyyy down to 57 cents against the usd at the moment ..

not a good time to be buying from USA ! 

Good call Kiwi that was my next request......

Paul, the other thing 

if you justA need wheel bearing, and yes your 61 had ball bearing set ups is to get the number off the bearing and shell 

and go to your skf bearing supplier 

I see Rock auto have them , but gees ! 45 bucks is not cheap !  

And if you need a hub ,,, I have 64 bonni ones here that if they are the same 

I can send over too you 👍

and not good timing ! 2 weeks ago fitzy was over here drinking beers with me , and I could have stuffed a hub in his bosses hand bag !!! Hahaha 

Edited September 28, 20223 yr by 64 kiwi boni

Hey there’64 Kiwi Boni,

I have approached Dave at Ponti World, & he’s said he can’t help me.

the hubs on the car differ somewhat-from what I can understand one is a Chev part (has tapered roller) the other is Ponti (ball bearing)?

Problem is, the collapsed one is destroyed-no getting numbers off that…it’s in pieces 🤷🏼‍♂️
 

Have got some info from other sites (unsure of accuracy) that tells me some compatibility-if I can believe it ‘59-‘81 Bonneville may all suit?

Still on the search-must admit I’d rather be driving it than this 😬

Hey there,

Is anyone able to tell me for sure what model Chev parts may fit my model? These may be easier to source?

Also, compatibility with @64 kiwi boni parts?

Still searching'...

Found a guy who was selling a '61 wreck over here but he wants to sell it whole, and I have nowhere to put another Bonneville that doesn't go (plus I'm pretty sure I can get the parts I want cheaper than $7500!), 

5 hours ago, Bonne61 said:

Hey there,

Is anyone able to tell me for sure what model Chev parts may fit my model? These may be easier to source?

Also, compatibility with @64 kiwi boni parts?

Still searching'...

Found a guy who was selling a '61 wreck over here but he wants to sell it whole, and I have nowhere to put another Bonneville that doesn't go (plus I'm pretty sure I can get the parts I want cheaper than $7500!), 

paul, can you post a picture of your damaged hub ? 

Hey there,

I can do that once I get back home - currently on site working atm.

Thanks again, will get that to you asap.

Hey @64 kiwi boni, from what I can tell we should be compatible, as we're both 3rd gen cars?

1 hour ago, Bonne61 said:

Hey @64 kiwi boni, from what I can tell we should be compatible, as we're both 3rd gen cars?

That’s what I am guessing  too Paul 

but it would be nice for someone who knows these front ends to chime in mate 

other wise what we will do is compare pictures and bearing housing sizes and work it out from there 

i am interested to see what damage has been caused 

as usually it the spindle that cops the damage 

and that is from when the centre section of the bearing runs on the spindle 

I am sure you could find a tapered roller bearing to fit in the place of the ball bearing units but 

you need to have exact measurements 

and a patient bearing supplier willing to help 

I have some Chevy hubs sitting on the shelf and I bet they are different to the way bigger Pontiac ones 

Dave from Ponti World tells me that only US made Ponti & Buick parts will suit.

Apparently Chev won’t, & neither will Aus or Canadian-made Ponti parts🤷🏼‍♂️

10 hours ago, Bonne61 said:

Dave from Ponti World tells me that only US made Ponti & Buick parts will suit.

Apparently Chev won’t, & neither will Aus or Canadian-made Ponti parts🤷🏼‍♂️

he is correct 

Hey everyone,

Thank you for all of your help and advice. Dave from Ponti-World has also been very helpful with this problem of mine.
I've managed to source a complete set of left and right hand spindles, hubs, brakes etc from Frank's Pontiac Parts in Cali.
Paid for, now just awaiting delivery.
FYI, these are '63-'64 items, but apparently can be fitted providing everything (from spindles out) are changed at same time. 

A costly exercise, but at least they should bolt straight on and be serviceable and safe.
And remove an awful lot of guesswork for someone so new at this...

well done Paul !

 How about some pictures of the damaged one, always like to see what can happen!haha

Hey @64KiwiBoni,

Please see photos of devastation below. My apologies for being so slow...

You can see that both hubs are different, too.

Oh, and here are the pics I've been promising of my car 😃

Again, sorry I've been so damn slow.

 

Beautiful car indeed!

 

Wow....Eyecandy.  Have always liked that color combo for the interior.  

Hey Paul, welcome! Sorry for the problem. Not that it matters now as it appears you have it handled, but from the 20,000 foot view it really looks like somebody altered the hub to put a different bearing in it. No manufacturer would make that thin of a wall on a wheel hub.

& wow love the car too! Beautiful!

Edited October 8, 20223 yr by Last Indian

Wow paul ! Love that colour on your 61 

And yes that hub does not look happy at all ! 

5 hours ago, Last Indian said:

Hey Paul, welcome! Sorry for the problem. Not that it matters now as it appears you have it handled, but from the 20,000 foot view it really looks like somebody altered the hub to put a different bearing in it. No manufacturer would make that thin of a wall on a wheel hub.

& wow love the car too! Beautiful!

That makes sense, it certainly doesn't fit with how everything else seems to have been made.

Thanks you.

8 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Wow....Eyecandy.  Have always liked that color combo for the interior.  

Hey, I've just noticed you're from Pontiac, Michigan. According to the numbers on our Bonne, it was manufactured in the Pontiac factory there.