By Grant Cox – Photography By The Author
Some people are born into the car hobby, others discover it along the way. For Candice Wheeler, the passion has always been there, especially when it comes to big-body American muscle.
“I’ve always loved the size and style of the late-’50s and early-’60s cars,” Candice says. “They just have this personality that stands out from everything else.”
Candice’s journey into classic car ownership started with a 1959 Edsel, a vehicle she often took out on weekend cruises and to local shows. It was her first real experience of that era’s craftsmanship and charm. Eventually, she sold the Edsel to help fund a full custom build on a C10 pickup. The truck became her showpiece for several years, but as projects often do, it was also sold at auction to make room for her next big automotive adventure.
Candice wasn’t in a rush, but she knew the next car had to be something truly unique. After months of searching, one caught her attention: a 1958 Pontiac Bonneville, a one-year-only model that marked Pontiac’s introduction of the Bonneville as a standalone production car.
“The moment I saw it, I knew that was the one,” she recalls. “I’d never seen another car with that kind of style and presence.”
Determined to make it hers, Candice and her husband, Tony Moore, planned a road trip from Oklahoma to Florida to pick up the Bonneville. “We were so excited; it felt like Christmas morning,” she laughs.
Once the Bonneville was home, Candice chose to preserve much of its originality, at least for now. The car still featured its original 67-year-old factory seats, panels, and carpet, including the rare and no-longer-produced Trinidad “Starry” carpet, a detail she was determined to protect. The paint underwent a correction process that restored the factory finish’s original shine.
While the exterior and interior maintained timeless appeal, the original “three on a tree” column shifter didn’t inspire the same confidence. “I just wasn’t comfortable driving it like that,” Candice admits. “I wanted to keep the car’s personality but make it something I could actually enjoy on long drives.”
That’s when the plan for a modern drivetrain swap took shape with Tony and the crew at Downtown Auto Body (DTAB) in Shawnee, Oklahoma, leading the charge. The Bonneville’s original Tri-power engine was removed and replaced with an iron-block 5.3L LS powerplant. The build was far from stock. Tony added several performance upgrades to ensure the car performed as well as it looked. The upgrades included a Brian Tooley Racing Truck Norris camshaft, LS2 aluminum heads from a 2005 GTO, Wiseco 10.1:1 flat-top pistons, Holley aluminum valve covers, a Holley 92mm throttle body paired with a GTO LS2 intake, and 2-1/2-inch Hooker headers for improved exhaust flow. Supporting the engine is a 4L70E transmission built by DannahShay Transmissions, providing reliable performance for highway cruising and show drives. The original gauge cluster was upgraded to work with its new LS powerplant.
With more power underhood, Candice focused on stance and ride quality. The Bonneville was taken to Twisted Images in El Reno, Oklahoma, for a custom Air Lift Performance air suspension system.
While there, the frame received a custom transmission crossmember to align the new drivetrain geometry and accommodate the adjustable ride height. A stainless steel custom fuel cell was built to sit in the factory location, maximizing ground clearance. Slam Specialties airbags replaced the factory coils, giving Candice the perfect mix of comfort and show-ready style.
Once the car returned to DTAB, it was time to find the right rolling stock to complement its classic lines. After some searching, Candice found a truly special set of 15×7 one-off Colorado Custom billet wheels, originally built for Rick Dore’s SEMA project in 2001. Wrapped in Diamond Back 215/70R15 tires with 2.5-inch whitewalls, the look achieved that perfect blend of vintage luxury and custom flair.
When the dust settled, Candice’s Bonneville was everything she hoped it would be: comfortable, reliable, and full of style. “Tony made sure everything went perfectly,” she says with a smile. “He knew how important this build was to me, and he made it happen.”
The car’s debut was a huge success. At its first two shows, Goodguys and Slamboree, the Bonneville earned top honors, cementing Candice’s belief that she had built something truly special.
“I love that it still feels like a 1958 Bonneville,” she says. “It’s got the look and soul of the original, but it drives like a dream. That’s exactly what I wanted.”
From her early days cruising an Edsel to pulling into shows with her eye-catching Pontiac, Candice Wheeler’s journey shows that passion, patience, and partnership can turn any dream into a metal reality, especially when it’s built with love and a little attitude. MR
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