1963 Bonneville Maharani - Department X

In the realm of factory-produced show cars, there are several different approaches to building a one-off machine to impress showgoers and give a positive image of the carmaker's abilities. General Motors was keenly aware of the impact different cars possessed. Each had its own mission, and though the cars had different origins, they were still finished to the same exacting standards.

At the upper end of the spectrum were the future technology showcases like the gas-turbine-powered GM Firebirds of the '50s era. These machines had no production-based componentry in them at all and were both styling and engineering showcases. From their exotic powerplants to their space-age styling, these cars were at the top of the dream car food chain.

The next level was a custom-bodied machine that featured mostly off-the shelf mechanicals. This included such cars as the '54 Strato Streak or '55 Strato Star Motorama cars. A step down from there, one would find extensively modified production cars, with both body and mechanical upgrades. This included vehicles like the series of supercharged X-400 convertibles Pontiac showed from 1959-64.

At the last level included essentially stock production cars that were gussied up with non-production interior and exterior appointments. These "Paint and Interior" show cars bridged the gap between the cars buyers would never have a shot of owning and the vehicles that were available at the dealership.

The need for carmakers to build such an array of show cars might not seem that obvious, but as the old saw goes, "different strokes for different folks." While the techno-buffs might have been drawn in by the Firebird III's otherworldly styling and piston-free propulsion, the street performance crowd might have lusted for the axle-snapping power of the X-400s and their blown and multi-carbed Pontiac V-8s. Luxury-seeking showgoers, not necessarily interested in the cutting edge of technology or speed, would likely have been have been drawn in by the '63 Bonneville Maharani's opulent persona.

Designed and built with a more feminine perspective, the '63 Maharani was named for the title given to princesses of India. Though it might not have been as exotic in origin as some other show cars, it was a very eye-catching automobile that exuded a dignified class befitting its name.

As was the case with most show cars of this type, the Maharani was built from a pilot-line '63 Bonneville convertible. Pilot-line cars are the vehicles sent down the assembly line first, before the start of regular production. They are built to test assembly methods, fit, and finish and give assembly-line personnel a heads-up with regard to any possible glitches that might cause delays when full-scale production begins.

With the need to check for the quality of as many items as possible, most pilot-line Pontiacs, especially Bonnevilles, were built up as fully optioned cars with the most commonly ordered engines. The reason is that if a pilot-line B-body was built with a 421 H.O., four-speed, and 4.33s, air conditioning could not be ordered; if that important option could not be checked, the car wouldn't be representative of what most customers ordered.

Though we cannot be absolutely sure, it is quite likely that the Maharani was built with the 303hp 389 four-barrel. There is no doubt that the transmission was the four-speed Hydramatic. It was shifted by a console-mounted floor shifter.

Once the evaluations were completed and the necessary changes made to improve the operation of the assembly line, the cars already built became available for other uses. Some were used as development vehicles, company cars, and parts cars. Others, like the Bonneville shown here, were turned into show cars, as their early production allowed them to be prepared and finished in time for the upcoming new-car show season.

Though the Maharani was largely stock, it was nonetheless a very impressive show car. GM Styling worked its magic on the car, and the results really separated it from its production counterparts. The first thing one noticed about the Maharani was its paint scheme. It was a beautiful pearlescent aqua, accented by body-colored 8-Lug wheels.

Front fender trim callouts, which normally spelled out "Bonneville," instead read, "Maharani." A small GM Styling badge was affixed to each of the front fenders, just behind the wheelwells. Finishing off the Maharani's opulent look was a Cadillac-style hard fiberglass "Parade Boot," which was also body color.

The Maharani's interior was perhaps its most striking feature--it proudly called attention to itself, like a peacock. In fact, the door panels were upholstered with a combination of metallic aqua and aqua leather and peacock feathers. The door panel design carried back to the rear-passenger compartment side panels.

Its doors also featured custom armrests and paddle-style door handles, a la Cadillac, as well as non-production controls for the side and vent windows. The armrest and door handle design would later reach production largely intact.

Stock front bucket seats were used for this one-off Pontiac. The driver-side was power-operated, while the passenger-side featured manual adjustments. The front seats were accompanied by a pair of matching rear buckets. All four seats were covered in metallic leather employing a non-production "V-striped" pattern, using different shades of blue for the actual seating surfaces. The rest of the seats were aqua.

Aqua hues also spilled over to the rest of the interior. The metal surfaces of the dash were painted body color, and the pad was dyed to match. A trim panel above the glovebox door spelled out "Maharani" where a production version would say "Bonneville."

Maharani's carpeting was also non-production. It was actually of the fuzzy bathroom pouf variety, which was popular in show cars of the era. It looked great in the Maharani, though it probably wasn't the most durable carpeting choice for a car.

The rest of the interior remained largely factory-issue. A stock Bonneville console with vacuum gauge and the aforementioned floor shifter was also used for this one-off show car.

As one might expect, the Maharani was very well received, though it wasn't the hairy-chested performance machine that its stablemate, the '63 X-400, was. Rather, it was a refined and upscale interpretation of the luxury and performance persona Bonneville had etched out for itself over the years. It had quite a bit of competition, as two other Bonneville paint and trim cars were shown that year, as well as a LeMans convertible and the X-400.

Unfortunately, when the Maharani's tour of show duty had ended, it was not seen as an important enough car to keep, and the non-stock interior meant that it would not meet GM durability standards for new cars.

It hung around for a few years before being crushed in the summer of 1966. Robert Field, a Troy, Michigan-based sales rep for an OE supply company remembers watching the Maharani being crushed while he was a co-op student at GMI. "I would sometimes go and watch cars being crushed while eating lunch at the Tech Center," Field recalled. "I remember seeing this beautiful aqua-colored Bonneville convertible with a peacock feather interior get crushed. I remember thinking it was a terrible waste."

Though the Maharani may be gone, these accompanying photos give an idea of just how pretty a '63 Bonneville could be, especially if its plumage was in plain view.