Jump to content

Canadian cars


Landman

Recommended Posts

I have always been fascinated with Canadian versions of US cars. The white car is a 1960 Meteor which was a Ford body with "Mercury" trim sold by Mercury dealers to give them a "lower price" car. The Monarch was a Mercury body with "Ford" trim to give Ford dealers a more expensive medium priced Ford. When the restyled '61 Mercury came out and used the Meteor name on it's full sized cars and moved it to the mid-size '62 and '63 Meteor, the Canadian Meteor and Monarch disappeared. However, the Meteor reappeared in '64 as a Mercury body with Ford interiors and engines. The Meteor continued until 1980, I believe.

The '57 Pontiac (and all Canadian Pontiacs from 1955 on) were Pontiac bodies on Chevrolet chassies with Chevrolet engines, steering columns and steering wheels. Prior to '55, Canadian Pontiacs were Chevrolet bodies and mechanicals with an adapted Pontiac grille and dash. Nothing like seeing a '54 Canadian Pontiac with Chevrolet taillights and silver streaks on the back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The white 1960 Ford looks like a Meteor Montcalm which is the higher end of the range. There was a 6 and 2 V8's avail then.

The white Pontiac looks like a 1957 Laurentian. Tho there were other models avail in 57.

Pontiacs in Oz up to about the 1970's were from Canada.

Mainly Laurentians and Parisiennes in the later years.

Manuel in Oz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Jim_Edwards
I wonder if it has one tailight too many.

Nope, but it is interesting the exact same taillight arrangement appeared on the '61 Mercury Monterey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Oracle

In Canada some dealers sold the lot...Ford cars and trucks, Mercury cars and trucks, Meteor, Monarch, plus British and German Fords (e.g. Anglia/Consul/Zephyr and Taunus).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Oracle

The USA had Dagenham-built Fords from around 1955 to the Cortina Mark II, so 1968ish? They were sold worldwide, including Oz, Kiwiland, South Africa, Singapore, plus South America. I think the USA had the Taunus, as GM dealers in N America sold Opels as well as Vauxhalls [1957-61ish only in the USA for Vauxhall]. The Cologne-built Taunus was not a direct competitor for the British Fords..better quality for a start! I think German Fords were sold in South Africa but cannot confirm; they sold Vauxhalls and Opels in direct competition through a dual-dealership arrangement as in Canada.

The UK had US and Canadian Fords to 1966 whereupon they were replaced by rhd Australian Fords up to 1976.

Edited by Oracle (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Cologne-built Taunus was not a direct competitor for the British Fords..better quality for a start!

I agree with the quality bit. The UK models made/assembled in Oz were no better either.

But I always considered the Taunus to be Cortina sized roughly and it surprises me that they could compete price wise with Commonwealth preferred cars.

The UK had US and Canadian Fords to 1966 whereupon they were replaced by rhd Australian Fords up to 1976.

I can vaguely remember reading about that change over. I think the factories in north America decided they did not want to build RHD vehicles anymore :-(

Regards,

Manuel in Oz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Oracle

The last rhd North American Fords were the 1969/70 Fairlanes for SA and Australia, ex-Canada. Lincoln Cars Ltd in London imported N American Fords, Mercurys. and I think Meteors jufging by an advert from '65 that I saw. They also imported Taunus cars and then from 1967 Aussie Fords. The last Aussie Fords imported were 1980 LTDs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Canadian Pontiacs built from the end of WW2 to the 1954 model year used the Chev body with the Pontiac flathead 6 for power. The straight 8 Pontiac engine was too long for the Chev engine room.

Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Canadian Pontiacs built from the end of WW2 to the 1954 model year used the Chev body with the Pontiac flathead 6 for power. The straight 8 Pontiac engine was too long for the Chev engine room.

Terry

in canada, you had your choice, if you wanted a canadian built pontiac, you got a chevy engine, body, and frame. if you wanted the USA built pontiac, you got the pontiac built engine, body and frame. this was during 1953 and 1954, other years i'm not sure of. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More than that they used the Chev chassis as well and continued to do so with the bigger models right through to the end of the 1960s and on into? - I don't know how far.

At least until 1960. The different track of the Chevy chassis is readily apparent on the 59 Parisienne. The wheels look "sunk in". The difference in wheel base is apparent in the '60 comparison shot. The Bonie is as long as a Parisienne with a continental kit.

post-59904-143138707766_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143138707776_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143138707785_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143138707794_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GM continued to make Parisiennes and Laurentians into the mid to late 70's and continued the Parisienne into the early 80's when it became a Caprice with a Pontiac split grille and different taillights. When Pontiac dropped the big body Bonneville in '82 in the US and renamed the LeMans the Bonneville Model G, Pontiac dealers clamored for a larger car so GM gave them the Parisienne in '83. In '85, they grafted the '81 Bonneville rear quarters, trunk and taillights onto the Caprice body in an effort to differentiate it with the Caprice. The Parisienne sedan was dropped after the '86 model year but continued as a wagon until 1991 when the Caprice was redesigned.

In '71, I believe Canadian Pontiacs became the same as US Pontiacs except for the carryover of the Canadian names. They stayed that way until '81 when they once again became Chevrolet based.

Pontiac in Canada also sold a Chevrolet Corsicas as Pontiac Tempests. And they also had a version of the Chevette.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This may be of interest and apologies if it's not:

There were major positive results as a result of the ‘Auto-Pact’ though: in three years, Canadian production went up from 670,290 to more than one million units. Chevrolet production increased from 162,989 in 1965 to 217,288 in 1969, and Chevrolet and GMC Trucks from 68,420 to 106,461 in the same period, which meant in turn huge increases in production at Windsor and St. Catherines Plants. In 1965/66, employment reached 19,000, and the six millionth vehicle was produced, in October 1967 in the St. Therese Plant. As St. Therese came ‘on-line’, so the demand for Windsor-produced parts grew. However, there was a degree of ‘change-round’ when 1970 ‘B-Body’ production moved from Oshawa to St. Thérèse, then back again for 1972 when St. Thérèse was converted to Chevrolet Vega production.

St. Thérèse built the last r.h.d. Chevrolet Impala 4-Door Hardtops and Wagons[?] in six-cylinder and 327/350 V-8 motor versions and Oshawa built the last r.h.d. Pontiac Parisienne 4-Door Hardtops and Chevrolet Chevelles at the end of 1969 model Year. All 1969 Convertibles were l.h.d only.

Oshawa produced the last l.h.d ‘B-Body’ cars with St. Catherines-built 350 V-8 motors when the unibody ‘A’-body cars replaced the chassised ‘B-Bodies’ at Oshawa # 1 Plant. The Pontiac Parisienne which had been a ‘thinly-disguised’ Chevrolet for 1983/4 was built in the Fairfax, U.S. Plant for 1985/6. For the record, the last Chevrolet Impala built in Canada was a four-door Sedan on 16 November 1985, a 1986 Model car. The so-called ‘last-car’ was a Caprice, painted 2-tone blue which had been readied a few weeks before, and which was set-aside for the last ‘drop’ and inserted after the last Impala, and driven off the line by Lionel Dignard on November 16 1985. That day also saw the last Chevrolet Caprice Wagons destined for Saudi Arabia. RIP Impala! The last ‘A-body’ which replaced the Impala/Caprice was a 600, made obsolete by the ‘W-Body’ Lumina.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pontiac in Canada....also had a version of the Chevette.

From 1981 to 1987 it (the Pontiac Acadian) was sold in the U.S. as the Pontiac T1000, dropping the "T" to become the Pontiac 1000 for the last 2 years. But for the name plate the 2 cars were identical.

My best friend inherited his mother 1981 T1000 after college. Silver-grey (the paint dulled very quickly) with black trim, we called it "The Toaster". The name stuck even after his mother (after 3 or 4 close calls when people pulled out on her not seeing the dull-colored car) took it to Maaco and painted it bright bulldozer yellow in 1982. That car was the very first car I ever heard referred to as "a boring appliance"..., thus the "The Toaster" name.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Posting a photo of my 1951 Nash CANADIAN STATESMAN. Really not much visual change from the US model, just fender badges stating Canadian Statesman. Mine has the flat head 6.

A friend of mine has his fathers original purchase 1960 Monarch which is distinctly Canadian. It has been published in many times and yet I can't find my picture of it. When I do, will post one.

post-36036-143138816528_thumb.jpg

post-36036-143138816528_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

OK, so finally found my friends 1960 Monarch Lucerne photos. Now, with that kind of name can it get any more Canadian than that? eh?

They are group shots so not the best for the car but think you get the idea.

I do know when I have gone with him to the States that it sure gets everyone buzzed. You should have seen the crowd around it at the Ford only show in Dearborn two years ago!

Doug

BCA# 35039

post-36036-143141716812_thumb.jpg

post-36036-143141716831_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
Guest Al Brass

Hi nzcarnerd,

I'm pretty sure the last Canadian sourced Pontys were sold here in 1965 and were pretty much a Chevy.

Al

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Just tripped over this thread. Al Brass, the last Canadian Pontiacs were imported in 1969 according to a list I received from GM NZ many years ago. Canadian Pontiacs were inported here from 1959 to 1969. The '59s were all 6s (261 cid) but from then on they were V8s (283s to '67 and 307s after that). The NZ assembled ones were all Laurentian sedans but a small number of Parisienne 4 door hardtop sedans and some wagons were imported fully assembled. I don't have the figures to hand but most years about 100 cars came in. Exceptions were 1962 with only about 20, and 1966, which was the big year, with about 160. I think the locally assembled ones had only upholstery, wiring, heaters and batteries as local content.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are pictures of my Canadian 1935 DeSoto Airflow. It looks like an American DeSoto with 1934 Chrysler trim. Most noticeable are the 3 tiered bumpers and the interior upholstery and trim. Only about 100 were made in Canada that year. My car is an original. It was in regular use for 30 years and then sat for the next 40, so it's pretty weathered, but very unique.

post-32081-143142134402_thumb.jpg

post-32081-143142134392_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Here's a few more I saw yesterday. The 60 Meteor and the 57 Pontiac in the first post of this thread were there as well. The 65 Parisienne looked like a Bonneville while its Custom Sport sister looked like a Grand Prix. The 58 Parisienne is very, very rare. The 58 Dodge Mayfair is a better example of the "Plodges" as some people call the Plymouth based Canadian Dodges. The 59 Pontiac is a Strato-Chief which I believe is the base line, with the Pathfinder and then the Parisienne, or perhaps it is the opposite.

post-59904-143142191596_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191606_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191615_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191625_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191635_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191644_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191654_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191663_thumb.jpg

post-59904-143142191672_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

Little late on this, but the Canadian Pontiac series -

 

1937 - 224 ((U.S.-style Pontiac DeLuxe Six with 224-cid Chevrolet ohv six)

1938 - Special Six (Chevrolet-based with Chevrolet powertrain and torque-tube drive)

1939 - DeLuxe Six (U.S.-style Pontiac DeLuxe Six with 224-cid Chevrolet ohv six)

1939 - Arrow Six (Chevrolet-based with Chevrolet powertrain and torque-tube drive)

1939 - Chieftain Six (U.S.-style Pontiac DeLuxe Six with 224-cid Chevrolet ohv six)

1940 - Arrow, Arrow DeLuxe  (Chevrolet-based with Chevrolet powertrain and torque-tube drive)

1941-1948 - Fleetleader, Fleetleader Special (Chevrolet-based with Pontiac six and torque-tube drive) 

1949-1952 - Fleetleader Special, Fleetleader DeLuxe (Chevrolet-based with Pontiac six and torque-tube drive)   (Powerglide optional on Fleetleader Special starting 1951)  (No hardtop model)

1953-1957 - Pathfinder, Pathfinder Deluxe, Laurentian   (Torque-tube drive through 1954)  (Chevrolet - 150 Special, 210 Deluxe, Bel Air)

1958 - Pathfinder, Strato Chief, Laurentian   -  plus Parisienne   (Chevrolet - Delray, Biscayne, Bel Air  -  plus Impala)

1959-1970 - Strato Chief, Laurentian, Parisienne   (Chevrolet - Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala)

1964-1965 - Parisienne Custom Sport  (bucket seats and floor shift on hardtop coupe and convertible)

1966-1969 - Grande Parisienne added to match Chevrolet Caprice

1967-1970 - Parisienne 2+2 (bucket seats and floor shift on hardtop coupe and convertible)

1970 - Last year of Chevrolet-based Pontiacs

1971 -  the line-up was as in the U.S. with Catalina Brougham sold as the Parisienne Brougham and the Laurentian added at the bottom using Bel Air upholstery and door panels.  Laurentian, Catalina and Parisienne Brougham, except wagons, were built in Canada and used the Chevrolet 350 V8.  All wagons were built in the U.S. and used the Pontiac 350 V8.  The Laurentian sedan and hardtop could be had with Chevrolet's 250-cid six.   Laurentian, Catalina and Parisienne Brougham continue through 1981.

1982 - Catalina replaced by Parisienne and Laurentian dropped - once again based on Chevrolet with Pontiac grille.

1982-1983 - G-body Bonneville marketed in Canada as the Grand LeMans

1987 - Parisienne and Parisienne Brougham sedans dropped.  Only Parisienne Safari continues.

1989 - Last year for Parisienne Safari

 

Also available at Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers -

1962-1972 - Acadian  (based on Chevrolet Chevy II / Nova)  (NOT sold as Pontiac Acadian) 1968-1971 models built at Willow Run.  Replaced by Pontiac Ventura II in mid-1971

1964-1965 - Acadian Beaumont (based on Chevrolet Chevelle)   (NOT sold as Pontiac Beaumont)

1966-1969 - Beaumont (based on Chevrolet Chevelle)  (NOT sold as Pontiac Beaumont)  Replaced by Pontiac LeMans for 1970.

1973-1978 - Pontiac Astre (based on Chevrolet Vega) - Replaces British-built Vauxhall Firenza (aka Viva)

1976-1987 - Pontiac Acadian (based on Chevrolet Chevette and not Pontiac T1000/1000, which was sold in Canada along with the Acadian)

1987-1991 - Pontiac Tempest (based on Chevrolet Corsica)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...