28 replies to this topic

[GTMust]

All Lincolns/Mercurys/Monarchs/Cougars/Comets, et al., were marketted through Lincoln-Mercury dealerships in Canada. They also handled the Pantera. At least in major cities. They may have been combined in smaller towns.

[dimaxion]

I remember seeing many of the Canadian models while growing up in Detroit. I know that the 'import' tax for bringing stuff into Canada was behind the 'hybrid' cars. Plymouths with DeSoto front ends, Ford's Meteors and GM's Pontiacs using Chevy engines with different names. This was also the reason Studebaker used GM engines in '65 & '66 at their Hamilton plant. I think this all ended in the early '70's with Canadian and US government cooperation.

You are right about the Canadian & US Treaty . This eliminated Tarrifs on the cars . The costs of Engines for what was left was the Studebaker / Packard Corp. was about a $60-$70 price difference . I don't think the Tarrif was part of the Costs . After a short time , the costs of Warrenty Coverage for GM's Engines was begining to narrow the gap . It was way too late to by then , no turning back . I like what I see with these Canadian Cars . I just have too much on my plate right now . Subject to change . Thanx ..

Edited by dimaxion, 15 February 2011 - 11:34 AM.

[Billy Kingsley]

Is there any way to get factory stock wheels for it, like Steve posted a closeup of? I'll get one then. I like it a lot but I'm not going to spend money on a resin I won't build.

[moparfarmer]

Living in Canada all my life, I remember going to all the dealerships in Winnipeg every year and getting brochures. I started doing this when I was
about 10-11 yrs old. Imagine what the sales persons and managers though of this little snot nosed kid getting brochures about twice a year. I was building models by that time and always thought the Meteor was a way better looking car than its counterpart Ford. I still remember going into Consolidated Motors on Main Street then going the half block to Century Dodge/Desoto to get the brochures. I know now we don't see any kids coming into the dealership at all unless with mom/dad buying a vehicle. Sure isn't like the old days. Very nice looking, crisp casting of the Meteor.

[impcon]

Living in Canada all my life, I remember going to all the dealerships in Winnipeg every year and getting brochures. I started doing this when I was
about 10-11 yrs old. Imagine what the sales persons and managers though of this little snot nosed kid getting brochures about twice a year. I was building models by that time and always thought the Meteor was a way better looking car than its counterpart Ford. I still remember going into Consolidated Motors on Main Street then going the half block to Century Dodge/Desoto to get the brochures. I know now we don't see any kids coming into the dealership at all unless with mom/dad buying a vehicle. Sure isn't like the old days. Very nice looking, crisp casting of the Meteor.

Winnipeg, huh? I used to live at Oakbank, just east of Winnipeg. Speaking of the Merc dealership - Consolidated mercury - the very first '67 Cougar that COnsolidated brought in in 1966 was a 6.5 Litre car that was originally sold to a vetranarian who lived out near us.My best friend bought that car from him ( the vet ) because his wife was afraid to drive it because it had too much get up and go - she was afraid of the car. Phil bought the car around 1971 with virtually no miles on it and man, was that car quick! It has been totally restored and apparently from what I last heard, it was a regular at car shows in the Winnipeg area. It sure was a pretty car - a light greenish/gold with a black vinyl roof and a parchment interior - 390 GT engine with the full engine chrome dressup package, automatic, disc brakes, full console with all of the warning lights, AM 8 track and the styled wheels.


Another of my friends was driving a '57 Meteor Rideau 500 two door imitation hardtop at that time yet.. another guy had a red '65 Cutlass hardtop, another a burgundy '67 Mustang GTA ( his brother had a '58 Edsel two door hardtop that was a killer on the street ) , another had a red with a white vinyl roof and whoite bumble bee stripe '70 Super Bee.. another a burgundy with a white roof '65 Fairlane hardtop.. yeah - good times, good music and tons of really, really good cars..

We used to cruise past the dealerships on Main, Portage and Henderson Highway - I recall seeing either a Daytona Charger or a Superbird in Westport Chrysler's showroom.. those were the days - street racing was still happening and seeing two cars go at it from a light on a Friday or Saturday night was not uncommon. And you are indeed right about things changing. I used to write to General Motors every year and they would send me envelopes full of showroom brochures that I would sit and look through for hours dreaming about what could be.. My personal favorite was the '67 Chevy II brochure with the yellow SS hardtop on the cover.. oh but how I lusted over that car...


I still miss Winnipeg - hopefully we are going to move back to that area in the next several years unless the economy totally falls apart - which is starting to seem like it could be a possibility.. but we'll take 'er as she comes..

[moparfarmer]

Winnipeg has changed quite a bit. Chances of getting an NHL team for next year(Phoenix or Atlanta). Car scene in the summer is insane with cruises on Regent avenue and Grant avenue. Keep in touch and maybe we will hook up. I'am going to Oakbank to see Darryl Klassen who has a 68 Dart Hemi and a 70 Hemi Cuda(which was my nephews car originally).

[dh1908]

Gare, sorry, but it just wasn't my cuppa tea. Then I remembered, your CANADIAN!!! No wonder your excited! How many older Canadian cars are we seeing? Glad you finally got some respect! I'm not sure but i THINK one of the PE guys makes a conversion kit for a 69 Chevelle to convert it into a 69 Pontiac Beaumont, or something like that. Steve Millbury used to show it as his avatar. Didn't the original 57 Ford come with that Meteor grille as a custom peice?Along with the custom tailights from the 57 Edsel Wagon?

I'm sure the custom tailights in the AMT 57 Ford are 1958 Edsel Bermuda wagon. I almost bought one at a local swap meet, but didn't because I didn't have anywhere to keep it. I did take pictures though!!
I also have some pictures of what I believe to be a 67 Beaumont from The Vinton Cruise. I remember finding an 63? Acadian at a
junkyard where I worked at (I think I still have the Acadian lettering I pried off of it!)

[Rob Hall]

Those Canadian Meteors and Monarchs are pretty cool... I'd love to see a resin '70 Meteor Montcalm S-33 ht or convertible, or a LeMoyne 4dr sedan...

[Art Anderson]

You are right about the Canadian & US Treaty . This eliminated Tarrifs on the cars . The costs of Engines for what was left was the Studebaker / Packard Corp. was about a $60-$70 price difference . I don't think the Tarrif was part of the Costs . After a short time , the costs of Warrenty Coverage for GM's Engines was begining to narrow the gap . It was way too late to by then , no turning back . I like what I see with these Canadian Cars . I just have too much on my plate right now . Subject to change . Thanx ..

Studebaker simply shut down engine production in South Bend in December 1963, due to high costs, and an extremely limited market. After shutting down all production in South Bend, Studebaker retained the Hamilton, Ontario assembly line through 1966, to fulfill their contractural obligations to such dealerships as there were left.

But, production of approximately 20,000 Canadian Studebakers in the calendar year 1964 showed their decision to be a correct one: Use engines mass-produced at a much lower price rather than continue to struggle to make ends meet by producing their own.

Art