Bonne61

Thanks JUSTA6, we're pretty stoked with it that's for sure.

It's an Edelbrock 1406 I believe, & from what you have all said that seems to be a great choice. Happy to hear that😀 Filled up again this morning, & here are the consumption figures since rebuild.... 25/5 - 265 k's for 42l, which is either 6.3 kpl or 15.8 l/100km, whichever you prefer. 30/5 - 433k's for 50l, which is 8.6 kpl or 11.5 l/100km. I couldn't be happier - amazing really, given the motor is not yet run in, the carby isn't fuelling 100%, & most of that is local driving (not highway). And, it pulls like a train.

We were originally going to install a Holley as part of the build (my builder has a lot of history with them through building cars for drags & racing), but what with some research & advice opted to remain with the Carter (it's a 4242s from a '67 Firebird, not the original 2820s). Current economy (after about 400 miles over the last 5 days) is a little under 16l/100kms, which I feel is fantastic. However, it has become apparent that the Carter is too worn to provide the drivability I would like on initial start up & at low sped cruise speeds. So, an Edelbrock has been proposed & ordered - hopefully it will arrive & be fitted this week, just in time for the big run to Cooly Rocks On. I'll keep you posted...

Since I'm sooo happy to finally have our Bonneville back on the road, here are some more blatant self-promotional photos & videos from our recent adventures 😆 My wife and daughter also included, to provide some balance 😁 Enjoy 🤙 IMG_5985.mov IMG_6811.mov IMG_5987.mov

Thank you 🙏🏼 Thanks mate 😀

Hehe, we've actually owned her since September last, but it's been in for an engine rebuild since January. A long wait, but an awesome outcome. Original 389 (.060" over, now a little over 400ci) with a "mild" cam, shaved heads & block, & Butler forged pistons (to name but a few bits). Love that sound 😄

After months of waiting, we finally picked up the Miss Pontiac earlier tonight 😀 I have attached a few teaser photos below - more to come tomorrow, & when I work out how to upload videos you can listen to the sweet sounds too 😈 IMG_5922.mov

The mechanic (not mine) who did the Safety Certificate didn't even pick up the fcuked wheel bearing, so I doubt he's capable of picking up a cold without some assistance...

Yep you're right, whatever the car is fitted with should be fine, providing they are in good condition. And also yes, the 2 probable outcomes from a severe frontal collision when wearing lap belts only are severe head trauma and spinal injury. However, they're perhaps somewhat better outcomes than none at all under the same circumstances. Some would say I'm lucky that I don't need seat belts at all, which means my choices are greater. Whereas if you needed to replace yours, they would most likely have to be with the current ADR compliant ones. So atm I'm not sure what I'll do... As for the headlights, they aren't great but given the thing has spent more time off the road than on since I bought it 8 months ago, they're not yet on my radar. I'd planned to replace them with better units, but haven't really gone any further with it.

Hey @Frosty, As for who's regulations are more stringent I can't really say - that would probably come down to how the product is accident tested I guess? And that almost everything that moves over here must comply with Australian Design Rules (ADR's).

Hi all, thanks for all the help /advice. For the Australians on here, I'll provide a bit of an update to hopefully save another some research time. Firstly (and I'm happy to be proven wrong here) I have been told that you are unable to purchase new belts that are Australian (ADR) complied, and are fitted with chrome buckles. So black plastic with red buttons it is, if you want/need to fit ADR compliant belts. However, if your car does not require seat belts by law (and you, like me want to fit belts from purely a safety perspective ie: you don't need them for insurance purposes), there is another path... You can purchase good quality (NOT Chinese rubbish), American-legal seatbelts that do have chrome buckles (can't remember the US compliance equivalent). To quantify-they are well made, safe, ARE compliant to a US safety code, and are routinely fitted to many thousands of US vehicles without issue. Effectively you can have period correct seat belts fitted to your car, that WILL provide you with a considerable level of accident protection (certainly better than having no belts fitted). But you obviously WILL NOT be able to rely on any LEGAL protection in the event of an accident, from an insurance perspective. Please understand, I am not recommending you take this route - I am merely passing on information that I have been provided (as it happens from an Australian manufacturer, whose identity I am obviously not going to reveal). Feedback from the following companies whom I contacted below:- 1. APV-S - no coloured webbing, no chrome buckles 2. Autolux - only do re-webbing of existing belts 3. Hemco - No coloured webbing, no chrome buckles 4. Restraint Technology - some colours available, no chrome buckles

Thanks Frosty👍

That I will mate, thanks for the info😊

Hey Wrongway, The product looks good, but I have some reservations with regards to compliance, given these would come without Australian certification? Would you happen to have any knowledge of these being used in Australia? I might get in touch with the company & ask. Thank you.

Hey Frosty, For the sake of safety a 3 point belt would be great, however I don't see that being viable because the car is pillarless? Also, these probably wouldn't really suit the car. So...a set of colour coded (burgundy) lap belts for all six seats (complete with chrome not plastic buckles) would probably be a better fit, especially as the interior is completely original.

Hey there everyone, I hope someone can help me here? I'm in SE Queensland, and am hoping to source some seatbelts locally (ideally supply/fit and compliance in a 1 stop shop). If anyone has any recommendations or experience with a provider, I would really appreciate it. My ride is a '61 pillarless hardtop Bonneville, so retractable would be great however, I don't want the reels & belts hanging across the open windows so not sure if this is even possible? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul Woods 1961 Bonneville 4 door pillarless hardtop (LHD61) 389 bored .060' over fitted with a Holley 4 barrel (plus a host of other good gear), making it a little over 400ci, coupled to an original HydraMatic auto. Repainted in OEM spec Coronado Red in 2015 with a contrasting metallic grey roof. Interior is original and immaculate. Original speedo & clock reconditioned & working as new!

Finally, some good news. My speedo & clock have been returned from Lionel Otto Instruments - repaired, cleaned & working 👍 And...the pistons are ready to be despatched from Butler Performance 👏 Getting closer 😁

There'll be plenty of those, once all the ducks start to line up👍🏼

Hey all, Just for your interest, below I've added the parts list heading my way from Butler Performance. As I've said, I'm not doing the work myself so am in the hands of the professionals (probably for the best🤣). Most of the machining is now done, just awaiting the pistons so the final skim of the bores can be completed. I also have a new fuel sender in the post, & my speedo & clock are with an instrumentation specialist getting checked, repaired (as necessary) & recalibrated. Oh, forgot to mention I secured a great set of plates (in my opinion🤷‍♂️) for the car, that I've been negotiating on for some time. Our beauty will now be wearing LHD61 as her new ID😃 Supply Engine Parts from Butler Performance USA Complete Engine Gasket Kit Clevite Cam bearings Melling Brass freeze plug kit (block) Butler Performance freeze plug kit (cylinder heads) Comp standard double roller timing set, gears and chain Rod bearings Main bearings Melling high volume oil pump kit Butler mechanical fuel pump plate kit ARP main stud kit ARP rod bolt kit ARP head bolt kit DSS Forged 14cc Dish Pistons 4.122" bore Butler hydraulic lifter set Melling "068" 285/298 212/225 115 Hyd W/.408 lift Camshaft I'll post more info as I have it...can't wait to be driving it again! We're all booked in for Cooly Rocks on in June, so that will be a great week.

That's really the worst of it all...I can bear the butchery & even live with the cost, but not being able to just drive it is hell. Oh well, when we finally get it back it won't get the chance to get cold for a long time, that's for sure😁

Hey there @Frosty @JUSTA6@64 kiwi boni@Fitzy@Wrongway Sorry it's been a while since my last post, but I've been kinda busy & the car is grounded anyway. The final diagnosis on the random tuning issues was...it shit itself, thank fully in my own garage🤨 I think I'd posted I had been chasing issues with apparent hesitation/breaking down under load. I'd done everything I could tuning wise (replaced all the usual offenders, adjusted dwell, timing, etc, set AFB mixtures as best I could. Car would start first time, idle like a dream, but as you opened the throttle it would carry on a treat. I finally gave up & booked it in with my mechanic to give it a thorough going over, as I suspected either the electric fuel pump or further carby issues. Scratching my head I started it one more time & an awful mechanical rattle began🙄 Since then we've discovered it appears to have had a Mexican rebuild at some time prior to being imported (2013), & whoever built it should really not give up their day job as a @#$%ing butcher! They had fitted some kind of dodgy helper spring on the inlet valves, behind the valve head on the combustion chamber side. They really weren't even seated firmly, just seem to have been moving around in there doing #$% all, when one finally let go completely, destroying a piston, but thankfully not a lot else (other than a scratch in #6 bore & a bent rod). Also most probably causing the preignition problems that I didn't realise I had🤷‍♂️ After having it completely stripped and checked, it seems the '59 block (produced November '58) isn't in too bad a condition, but has already been bored .030". The crank is quite good & will be machined, but almost all other consumables aren't much good. Cam stuffed too. So...it is being rebuilt .060" over - most parts (ex-US) accessible, but finding valve train gear for the '60 heads has proven almost impossible. Waiting on an answer from the (very experienced) machinist on whether we will be able to simply sleeve the guides & re-use what we have, as the costs are building & there are limits to my budget😬 If anyone happens to have a set of old stock new valves, retainers & springs (Valve length 5.3175", angle 20 degrees, head casting #536109 (1960), B170, X2 freeze plugs) they are willing to part with that would be awesome, although I'm not holding out too much hope. Chuck at Butler Performance even wished us luck, but was happy to provide all of the part numbers for what we need. Enough for now, don't want to bore you all. I guess this could have gone in the Performance Discussion Forum, as anything I do from right now will increase it's performance🤣

Hey there, To keep a long story short, I am interested if anyone (preferably in Australia, hopefully Queensland) would have a 389 in very good running condition, or alternatively another engine that would bolt straight into my car (& onto the existing Hydramatic transmission). I don't need a performance motor as this car is a cruiser for us however we intend to do plenty of miles in it, so it needs to be solid & reliable. Big ask I know, but it appears as if mine has spun a bearing & I'm just casting about for options before I get mine rebuilt. Thanxx

Hey there, I thought I'd put up a few shots of my new ride. There have been a few teething issues for me, but this is my first classic car so it's a learning curve I guess. Thanks to all of you who have already been so helpful during my short time on this forum. Love this car 😍 IMG_5174.mov