Mike detailed the motor components and engine compartment, and Stan reinstalled the engine. Then, Mike added a stock-spec replacement clutch and was pleased to learn the old BorgWarner T10 was still in top-notch condition. It effortlessly propelled the power rearward to the factory rearend, housing a special-order, 3.90-geared Safe-T-Track (3.42s were standard). "It ran real strong," Mike says. "As bad as it looked, I drove it around for about 500 miles to break in the motor."
In October 1995, he continued the restoration, removing the front trim and chemically stripping the body with aircraft stripper. Then, he drove the bare metal behemoth to Pete Kosiak of Harpersville, Ohio, who removed its bumpers, side trim, and taillights, and prepared it for paint. Only a minimum of body smoothing was needed, which Pete performed flawlessly, followed by a show-quality paint job utilizing DuPont epoxy primer, DuPont 4253L Aquamarine (code P) acrylic lacquer, 2,000-grit wetsanding, and Meguiars Mirror Glaze polishing.
Mike towed the Bonneville home and drove it into his basement garage for the remainder of the restoration. Working on it in his free time and as his budget allowed, he carefully removed the interior and sent the lower bench seat to Dr. Vinyl in Kirtland, Ohio, who restored it utilizing N.O.S. materials sourced from SMS Fabric in Portland, Oregon. He sent the door panels and padded dash to Just Dashes in Van Nuys, California, for restoration, and he purchased an Aqua-colored OE-style carpet and headliner from Ames Performance. Then, he reinstalled the interior.
Eventually, Mike polished and reinstalled the bumpers, chrome, and stainless trim to complete the restoration. Then it was time to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
"I started taking the Bonneville to local shows and entering it in full-stock Pontiac classes," he says. "Its first was a BOPC event in Solon, Ohio, in 2006, where I won the Sponsor's Pick presented by Jay Pontiac."
Since then, Mike has shown his four-speed Bonneville at 15 shows, including the Ames Performance Pontiac Tri-Power Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. His plans are to continue enjoying it at car shows throughout Ohio in the summer months and pleasurably driving it whenever weather permits. "I'm trying to locate a correct Trophy 389/333 motor to reunite with my rare Bonneville," he says.
Along the way, Mike learned a lot about how to restore a Pontiac. "This being my first restoration, I had to depend upon members of the Pontiac hobby, who were always helpful in educating me about my car," he says. "I'd like to thank Jon Fiedler of Pomona, California, who is into '62 Pontiacs, as he really taught me what was correct for the year."
"It's the most passionate Pontiac I've ever owned," Mike says. "I've had a '67 GTO, a '67 Bonneville convertible, and a '71 Catalina convertible, but there's nothing like pounding the gears in a '62 Bonneville and remembering the great days of the '60s. I plan on keeping my four-speed forever. It has ample power, great looks, and most people have never seen one. It's everything I've ever wanted in a Pontiac."