76 Bonanza
 

New to the square body game. I just picked up this 76 swb bonanza. I don't know much about these trucks but ready to read up. The truck has been sitting for awhile but it started right up. Brakes are very spongy. Look forward to changing all fluids and filters.
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Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Love it, what are the plans after getting everything sorted out?

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Nice truck..

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Thanks! Plan on some sort of drop and making the interior nice to get me started. Going to keep the exterior how if is.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Your plans are spot on. From the interior pic it looks like it might have AC...getting that working, with your mild lowering and interior freshening, and you gotta winner.

Oh yeah...the one thing I did to my truck that made the biggest difference in how much I enjoyed it was replacing all the dried up door and window weatherstripping.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

kind of strange you posted this truck today, i never even heard of a bonanza before. i went to a flea market this morning and one of the sellers there had a baby blue one with the bonanza emblem on the fender. learn something new everyday i guess

so what is the bonanza? im guessing a package of some sort?

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Mine's a Bonanza too. I think Bonanza's are leftovers that all got a badge added? My friend has one and his is electric windows, locks. Mine are manual. So it wasn't an accessory package.

I think they might all be BIG 10s too... but not sure.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Dexter- Thanks for the tips man. Yes it does have ac. That will be awesome to get it to workI will definitely change the weather stripping. I noticed it when I was cleaning on her today.
From what iv read about it RedBed is correct. Bonanza was some kind of promotion at the end of the year.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Pretty cool read on the Bonanza. Thanks. Can anybody tell me what the name is of the color of my carpet? Thanks. Sorry for the pics. Not sure why they are turned around

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

More pics

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Earwax orange?

(j/k) :lol:

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

thanks!

from that link encase anyone else is wanting some more info on it


Basically it was a promotional trim package that ran from about 75 through 80, but don't quote me on that. It looks as if it was offered from Jan through March of each year to bring in sales traffic according to the broucher and was available on the pickup (Fleetside Only, CK10,20,30), van, El Camino and beginging in 1978, the Blazer. It basically is an Scottsdale with the following option groups available.
YG6 - Scottsdale Trim Package
- Bonanza trimplate
- Color-keyed carpeting
- Striped vinyl bench seat
- Deluxe wheel covers (C & K10 only)
- Chromed grille
- Bright body moldings
- Gage-ype instrument cluster
- Clock
- AM radio
YG7 - All items in YG6 plus:
- Automatic transmission
- Power Steering
- Comfortilt Steering wheel
- Inside hood release
YG8 - All items in YG7 plus:
- Soft-Ray tinted glass
- Air Conditioning
- Cargo lamp
YG9 - All items in YG8 plus:
- Operating convenience group
- Cruise control
All these packages offered a cost savings over ordering each of the item seperately. I have a 78 C10 with the YG9 Group. This is probably more info than you needed, but hopefully this helps

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

New seat cover. Matches the interior great! Got new window handles, dome light cover, quote for front windshield installed ($220) , 235 70 15 bf goodrench tires, rear passenger taillight used off a guy form this forumn, window handles, door locks. Next up is weather stripping and suspension and brake parts! Sorry for the pictures being sideways. Not sure why it does this when they are uploaded.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

That is the color of a dirty carpet, lol. Sorry I just had too. Your spit sheet in the glove box should say. But rent you a steam cleaner extractor and go after that carpet. I did mine and it really brought the color back. You can see the line of the before and after. But since then I did a color change on my interior.
Nice truck!! Can you show more pics of the interior and of the seat under that cover?

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Thanks man. I'll def try and steam clean it. Your carpet looks awesome in that pic. Here are a few more pics

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

That seat cover is unique, too bad it is destroyed. But the new blanket cover you chose does look good.

Another thing to try on the carpet, is to remove it and power wash it and then use the steam cleaner. I detail cars on the side and I have had some carpets that seemed beyond cleaning. I had one that just about to be replaced because it just would not come all the way clean. And I took it out and power washed it and then tried the steam cleaner again. I had to use just little bit of carpet dye, but it was finally acceptable. It was chew spit that was baked into the carpet in the Arizona sun. The guy spit in water bottles and left them in the car, they all exploded in the hot sun. Worst car I ever had to clean. If you have FB, then you can see the entire job, before & after pics.

https://www.facebook.com/57021607634...type=3&theater

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Wow that turned out great

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

That truck is a empty canvas man! Good luck on your build!!

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Thanks man

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

my seat is about in that bad a shape. the foam and springs are so wore out i feel like I'm sliding into the door constantly. rather than replacing the bench I'm going junk yarding for S10 buckets. I've seen some guys to that on a couple threads. maybe that'll work for me as well.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Cool truck, congrats. Bonanzas are cool. Don't see many shortbeds. The predecessor to the Bonanza was the 72-only Highlander package. Used the same YG6-8 RPO codes for various option package groups. Regarding the mention of the light blue Bonanza above - if it was a 76 by chance, it's possible it was also a Spirit of 76 truck. Neat little oddball that I've always liked a lot. Congrats on a neat buy - that seat is original, there were 4 variations of that vinyl seat cover. Vinyl sucks, but cool patterns. I don't know anyone that repops it though :(

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Some of the Fabric places may still have fabric, like SEM Fabrics. Then it will just be finding a upholstery shop to make one. I mess around with restoring seats and recovering. I will keep an eye out at the fabric places online and see if I can find any.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Thanks guys. I really love the original seats and would like to get them re-upostered eventually.

Re: 76 Bonanza
 

Another pic out at the farm.