To Bon or not to Bon?
 

I'm looking at an '88 Bonneville SSE, 64,000 miles, immaculate interior, excellent mechanical condition and brand new z-rated tires... for $300. But, it had been backed into a light pole and needs some body work. It needs: New trunk lid, rear windshield, rear bumper, tailight assembly. Then it was ran off the road into a group of mailboxes at 80+ mph (story below). Battle scars there include a new windsheild, new left side skirts, and two dented front fenders (i think they're fixable) and of corse a new paint job is in order. I need to know how much it would cost to fix this bad boy. I would like figures for just parts, and then a figure for parts and labor form a body shop (cause i hate doing body work) also, what would a respectible paint job run me?

and for the mailbox story: my best friend owns the car, and we were running from a guy who wanted to beat our ***es. lets just say it involved 110+ in a 35 and Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne. The Bon finally gave in on the last corner, 80+mph on a corner rated at 25. Who says a 4-door luxery car can't handle?

Or if its to0 much work to repair, someone would definitly want to get the engine from you. That is a bargain just for the engine. If you want to spend the time to fix it up, then go for it.

Well, i'm going to pick her up tommorow. I waited a few weeks and i'm now getting the car for free :lol: Dude needs to get rid of it so he can get his '77 trans am in the garage. This thing is awsome inside and mechanically. Once i get the body work finished she's getting painted black. No more crazy train for this old girl, i'll keep the 3 diget speeds on the track where they belong... well, for the most part anyway 8) She's not the Formula 'bird i've been dreamin of, but she's still a Pontiac and she still handles. Maybe in a year or two, who knows. Thanks for the info, if i can keep it under 3 grand i'll fix her, otherwise i know where to part it out. Anybody know who makes a cat-back for these cars?

Congrats, and welcome to the forum!

Nobody makes an exhaust for the Bonneville....YET. There's one in the works. Keep watching, or PM 99bonnevilleSE. He's doing his damndest to develop an exhaust kit for us.

I talked to my buy at the body shop, $600 for parts (inluding new tailights to replace the old fogged up ones) and labor for free. Paintjob for $350, black with grey ghost flames and two layers of clearcoat. I got a tube bender and a hooker aero chamber muffler... exhaust is on the way :D ... after that it's getting the heads built, intake, ported and polished intake plenum, PROM, and 17x9" ZR-1 wheels in either gunmetal or gloss black. I'm on a $2000 budget and if i keep pulling strings i can set this baby up nice for that amount. i'd like to drop her down to the 14.50 range in the 1/4.

DAMN!!! your Bonnie is going to be the shit!!! :shock:
When you get a chance, take some PiX and post them on www.CARDOMAIN.com, so we can check out your Bonnie as it comes along.