Canadian cars

[Falcon Ranchero]

I actually had the pleasure to see a 1968 Beaumont SD (Special Deluxe) 396 in person at a local car show in 2023; I took the photo with a '90s film camera so the quality isn't the greatest.

Edited August 29, 2024 by Falcon Ranchero

[Falcon Ranchero]

Here's a catchy theme song for the Beaumont; taken from a CBC Telecast back in the day

[Rodent]

1 hour ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

I actually had the pleasure to see a 1968 Beaumont SD (Special Deluxe) 396 in person at a local car show in 2023; I took the photo with a '90s film camera so the quality isn't the greatest.

The last time I was in Ontario, we arrived at a 4-way stop at the same time as a '67 SD396 convertible (like this pic). I have forgotten exactly where it was, but we were near the "wine country" in the vicinity of Niagara On The Lake. I love the way all the cool cars come out of hibernation when the weather is warm in Canada.

 

[Rob Hall]

There was a sharp yellow w/ black interior ‘64 Pontiac Parisienne convertible in Denver I used to see occasionally 20 years ago when I lived there.  

[Tom Geiger]

Back about 30 years ago we went to Aruba. There was an odd mix of cars there, US, European and South American. I took photos of Ladas too.

Then I saw a 1966 era Beaumont.. never saw or knew of one before. I thought it was South American.

[Falcon Ranchero]

They are definitely interesting cars as they have a split Pontiac style grille, and Pontiac interior. Also sold out of Pontiac dealers in Canada. But the Beaumont is a Chevy Chevelle, and the Acadian is a Nova. Just fun facelifts and different badging.

[Tom Geiger]

Just remembered.. when I was in Jamaica on my honeymoon 40 years ago. I kept seeing right hand drive Valiants. We were at an open air market and I asked a lady owner, who pleasantly told me it was American.

I later learned it was an Australian car. As a Britisher country they imported them.

Edited August 29, 2024 by Tom Geiger

[Falcon Ranchero]

Here's a really interesting package for the 1967 Beaumont, the "Cheetah" of which on 10 were built. Very similar to a Yenko Chevelle. I actually first heard of the Beaumont Cheetah in a September 2020 issue of CarToons Magazine and it turns out it is a real car. 1967 Pontiac Beaumont-Canadian Cars Got 427 Conversions Too (motortrend.com)

[Rob Hall]

One thing I’ve wondered about with Pontiac in Canada in the 60s, I know the full size models (B-bodies) had Pontiac styling but Chevy engines and chassis, but were Pontiac midsize models like the Tempest, LeMans and GTO available?   (In addition to the Beaumont which wasn’t a Pontiac, I believe).  

[Falcon Ranchero]

1 hour ago, Rob Hall said:

One thing I’ve wondered about with Pontiac in Canada in the 60s, I know the full size models (B-bodies) had Pontiac styling but Chevy engines and chassis, but were Pontiac midsize models like the Tempest, LeMans and GTO available?   (In addition to the Beaumont which wasn’t a Pontiac, I believe).  

Not entirely sure, but I know in 1970 the Beaumont/Acadian lines were pulled because the GTO/LeMans were beginning production in Canada, so I believe they were not available in Canada at the same time as the Beaumont. 

[Falcon Ranchero]

There's a really nice '67 in town. They sure are special cars.

[catpack68]

Here’s a pic of a 68 Beaumont SD 396 I took back in March at the Run To The Sun car show in Myrtle Beach,South Carolina.

[Falcon Ranchero]

Some Meteors in town; 1954 Niagara, 1955, and 1958 (one of the most swingin' four-door 50s cars I've ever seen; nice set of Cragars). Have yet to see a Monarch though.

Edited August 30, 2024 by Falcon Ranchero

[lordairgtar]

On 6/11/2024 at 8:07 PM, The Junkman said:

 Early in my relationship with Mrs Junkman, who's still an unadulterated Canadian after 40+ years here, I saw that Ladas were loose on the streets during a visit tothe Great White North (think 1982-83).  To paraphrase Dr Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park: "Just because a Canadian could buy a Lada, they never stopped to think if they should". ?

There is a Niva running around in Juneau Wisconsin. I suspect it's a Canadian sourced vehicle

[lordairgtar]

Interesting cars, I like them a lot. Now that Moebius has released it's Mercury truck, I'm hoping that model makers will release different variants or at least add in the Canadian trim bits to make the car. Another thing is that although sold at Pontiac dealers in Canada, the cars are their own make. Beaumont is the make as is the Acadian. Canso was the model name.

[stavanzer]

When You say Canso, this is what I think of: Consolidated PBY-5A Canso

https://www.warplane.com/aircraft/collection/details.aspx?aircraftId=11

[Can-Con]

10 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

One thing I’ve wondered about with Pontiac in Canada in the 60s, I know the full size models (B-bodies) had Pontiac styling but Chevy engines and chassis, but were Pontiac midsize models like the Tempest, LeMans and GTO available?   (In addition to the Beaumont which wasn’t a Pontiac, I believe).  

No, they weren't. It wasn't economically profitable a the tariffs would have pushed up the price on them to about the same as a Buick or Olds A-body or possibly a full sized Canadian made Pontiac and defeated the purpose of having a lower priced Pontiac. 

They weren't sold in Canada until the 1970 model year, IIRC.

But you're right about the Beaumont being "it's own thing", not a Pontiac. Similar to how a '60 Edsel was "it's own thing" , not a "Ford Edsel" in spite of having all Ford bodywork, just Edsel specific front and rear end treatments.

Edited August 30, 2024 by Can-Con

[mk11]

The '63/'64 Valiants were different north of the medicine line. They combined the Dart body with the Valiant front clip.

I've yet to meet anyone lamenting the fact that Chryco didn't market those pop-eyed '63/'64 Darts up  here 

[Falcon Ranchero]

9 hours ago, mk11 said:

The '63/'64 Valiants were different north of the medicine line. They combined the Dart body with the Valiant front clip.

I've yet to meet anyone lamenting the fact that Chryco didn't market those pop-eyed '63/'64 Darts up  here 

That's neat I never heard of that for the Valiants; I know there were the "Plodges" of the '50s like the '57 for example had the front of a Dodge and the rear of a Plymouth.

[Sledsel]

On 8/30/2024 at 2:27 PM, Falcon Ranchero said:

Some Meteors in town; 1954 Niagara, 1955, and 1958 (one of the most swingin' four-door 50s cars I've ever seen; nice set of Cragars). Have yet to see a Monarch though.

 

 

 

Ironically the '54 Meteor grill carried over to the upper grill of the '55 F1 trucks...  

[Motor City]

I went to the Ford Crown Victoria National Meet at the end of July in Detroit.  It was at a hotel along Ford Road across the street from Dearborn.  Here are three Meteors I saw.  Coincidentally, two were mint green.  One had a white accent zig zag while the second was mint green and white with a black zig zag. 

 

[mk11]

Nice! Here's a few more...

 

Edited November 25, 2024 by mk11

[mk11]

'58 Parisienne 348 TriPower

 

Since they were using the 348 anyways, it follows that a few of the other displacement versions of that engine might find their way into various Pontiacs;

like this one 

One of about 75 '65 Parisienne Custom Sport 409s.

As Mark B has pointed out, GM slightly modified the valve covers on these engines for use in the Pontiacs...

No bowties  

Edited November 25, 2024 by mk11

[Falcon Ranchero]

We got a real nice 1968 Meteor Montcalm in town, First sighted this past April; never saw it before so I don't know if it was shipped from somewhere or was a project finally finished, but then we went from never seeing it to seeing it at nearly every car show; even all they way down to St. Ignace Michigan.

Edited November 25, 2024 by Falcon Ranchero

[Kenmojr]

I took this photo of a 1969 Beaumont in 2005 at a local car show.