Vehicle Info
Bragging Rights
- 0-6010 sec
- Top Speed120 mph
- HP250
- Weight3960 lbs
ALERT...NEW, NEW!!!!1/13/2008
A brand new, far overdue website called Canadian Poncho has just been created, for the Canadian Pontiac enthusiast. Forums for full size 58-64, 65-70 Parisienne, Strato Chief, Laurentian, Grande Parisienne etc. Beaumonts 62-69 and the Acadians. Come check it out, join if you may. We need a group of our own!Please support us.
The link,
http://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/index.spark
Page One; History, Misc.
Page two; Interior removal.Floor.gas tank. Dash, door bracing.
Page three; Parts Car.
Page four; Body mounts, Lifting, rolling out the frame. Finished frame! 10/25/07
Here's a little bit on my 69' Parisienne.
3/22/04
I've only had it for about a month, I picked it up in Peterborough Ontario from the third owner. He had the car since 76', and needless to say seemed sad to see it go (needed the cash to finish his 55' pontiac!). Imagine all the good times been had in this convertible!
I Found the car advertised(For those who Know it), in Old Auto's, the Canadian car hobby newspaper. I've been looking too long...time to act!
For years I've longed for one again, since my very first car at 16, was a 69' Parisienne 2+2 HT, Silver with black interior. Loved that car. To think the car below was only 8 years old, bought from my aunt in '77 for $300 as it was considered "worn out" junk then. Oh how times change...
The history;
This car (model 76467, Parisienne convertible), according to GM Canada was one of 1033 built in Oshawa Ont for 1969, which would make it quite rare. The sport model convertible, or 2+2 shows only 639 built. It appears these Pontiac bodied "Chevys" were Canada only, with some going to the UK and Austrailia as RH drive models. I've heard it said that the "export" model bodies were built in St Terese Quebec,then assembled at Oshawa.
Some Canadian Pontiac brochure images
A Catalina convertible ad.
Glove box treasure
GM Canada, historic vehicle service doc and matching block serial.
The car was built on June 23rd 69', delivered to Slessor Pontiac in Newmarket Ontario, and bought new by a Mr John Koster of the same town, on May 22nd 1970. Such a late selling date probably indicates the car was a Demo or a salemans car. John Koster or family, if you get wind of this page, contact me please!
The car is a low option model, Red on red, is a 250HP 2v (had a 4v and duals added at some point) but has a TH350 in place of a powerglide. PS,PB, AM with a rear speaker is all. #s matching though. Came with all the doc's and Protecto plate seen above, in the glovebox, did'nt know about it till I got it home and started snooping around, really nice surprise!
After buying the car, I drove it back home about 100 miles on a temporary trip permit. The car actually ran very well, but was VERY loose in the suspension and steering dept. Never saw another though ! ...LOL!
Well, after getting it home, we had some nice weather, and the top came down for some fun. The car actually became my daily driver(hate my minivan)for about a week.
It was time to have a really good look at it, to see what I'd bought. Brought out the jacks, took the wheels off, and started probing around underneath.
Having a good look around underneath, she looks pretty good with no real serious issues, yes, there's some undercoating, but scraping it away shows just a little Canadian winter wear, but nothing gross. Tailshaft seal kept the floors oilsprayed! The front and rear suspension control arms fair about the same, all rubber mounts and bushings are toast, as is to be expected after 34 years. Lines look good. Gas tank is dented.
All in all, not a pile of Southern Ontario rust. I'm under no illusions, I'm sure there will be some unpleasant discoverys to be found, but Low production #'s, good potential as a pro-touring type machine = A car worth restoring I figure.
The plan is to remove all the body parts, interior, glass, and all items connected to the frame. Lift the body at a friends shop, place it on the rotisserie I'm building and bring the rolling chassis home.
The teardown begins.3/14/04
Some progress.3/27/04.
I've got just about everything attaching the body to the frame and engine, off at the firewall. Sill have to disconnect the rag joint, shift linkage, throttle, speedo and Ebrake cables and a couple of ground straps. So far everything is coming apart really easy. all the bolts are in real good shape. Found some rust in the seam that runs from just under wiper motor across to and on top of the heater box. Looks not too bad. No rust under the lower windshield trim or in the wiper rod section.
I'ts still really early in the project and in my mind I see it taking at MINIMUM, 3 years woth of steady work to complete. My early vision is of creating a modern running platform for the body. Some things I'll do to the chassis will be:
- Full blasting, painting of all components.
- New springs(not lowered,I want it to sit strong!)
- Edelbrock AIS shocks.
- Polygraphite susp bushings.(rubber body mounts though).
- Disc brakes all around.
- All Stainless lines.
- Bigger front stabilizer bar W/ poly bushings and endlinks.
- Rear stabilizer bar where none exsisted.
- Box in the rear arms(will not pay $1000cd's for someone else's arms!).
- Up to at leat a 3.23:1 ratio in the rear, from 2.73:1. 12 bolt...hmmm.
- Possibly a quick ratio steering box, at least 14:1.(mine is 19:1).
- All new front end components.
- 17x? Torque thrust II's. 255 50 17's.
In the end it's really all about money, a project of this magnatude just would not make economic sense for a person without resources, as the cost would far exceed the value of the finished product. I am no expert, but in all my years spent doing tons of small stuff to cars, it's time I tried somthing serious. I'm the labour, I have many friends in all different trades to call upon, and it is that that will make this possible.
This would be the look I'm thinking of.
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