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Mystery car pix

36997 messages,  Last post on May 21, 2013 at 2:18 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum.

What is this discussion about? Classic Cars

    

Messages Page 3597 of 3701

#35954 of 36997 Re: Land yacht> [andys120] by andre1969

Feb 17, 2013 (8:22 am)

Replying to: andys120 (Feb 17, 2013 7:34 am)
If that car is Canadian, shouldn't it have a Chevy engine then? It should also be on the shorter Chevy wheelbase, so it would actually be a little more (or less, actually) than a Catalina with Bonneville trim. More like a modified Catalina body shortened to fit the Chevy frame (119" wb versus 122", and they'd take out those 3 inches at the rear, which would move the rear axle closer to the back seat).
 
It always seemed like a lot of work to me, to offer those Canadian Pontiacs. But then, that's the way Pontiac differentiated the Bonneville and Star Chief/Executive from the shorter Catalina in the US...just extend the wheelbase out in back, which would use the same doors, roof, glass, etc, but use modified quarter panels, and possibly a longer decklid. Or maybe they made that spacer panel between the decklid and the rear window longer...I can't remember.
 
But, IIRC, Pontiac was a big seller in Canada, and in some years actually outsold Chevy? So maybe it was worth it?
 
In contrast though, look at what little effort Ford made to differentiate their cars in Canada. They came out with the hastily rebadged Meteor to sell through Mercury dealers. And for awhile, they rebadged the Mercury (forget what they called it though) to sell through Ford dealers, so that both Ford and Mercury could carry both lines.

#35955 of 36997 Re: Land yacht> [imidazol97] by andre1969

Feb 17, 2013 (8:28 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Feb 17, 2013 8:09 am)
That's the "Tri-Power" badge. Here's a closeup.
 
BTW, I found that Hemmings article, and it does indeed say the car is a Catalina built in Canada, with Bonneville side trim. GM wasn't building cars in Canada for the US market that early on, were they?
 
There was a trim package for the Catalina called "Ventura" that dressed it up pretty nicely. However, I don't know if it was just the Bonneville trim thrown on, or not.

#35956 of 36997 Re: Land yacht> [andre1969] by andys120

Feb 17, 2013 (9:11 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Feb 17, 2013 8:22 am)
The car is Canadian-made but not apparently for the Canadian market which accounts for the 389 under the hood and the regular Pontiac chassis. It's never been clear to me why GM went to all the trouble of re-engineering the car to use the Chevy chassis/running gear for the relatively small Canadian Market but Pontiacs were hugely popular Up North.
 
The emblem to the rear of the front fender is probably for the motor, I'd love to see a close-up myself.
 
More pix, info are at Hemmings Motor News.

#35957 of 36997 Re: Land yacht> [andys120] by imidazol97

Feb 17, 2013 (10:44 am)

Replying to: andys120 (Feb 17, 2013 9:11 am)
Andre's link:

 
I was fascinated by the wide-track Pontiacs in my youth. So I hope I'm not overdoing this one...
The instrument panel looks the same and the speedometer is in MPH... so it was for the US market?
 

 
Here's a link to more views of this red Pontiac.
 
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=BB0213-146932&entryRow=17&lo- - - - ttype=Car&startRow=13

#35958 of 36997 . by magnette

Feb 17, 2013 (10:44 am)

#35959 of 36997 Sorry I still can't get my pictures to post directly. by magnette

Feb 17, 2013 (10:50 am)

">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8177/8067741751_1b0bde234a.jpg
 
Thanks anyway for the advice on post number 35169 (I don't have a hsh key as this is a British mac keyboard)

#35960 of 36997 1959 seat differences? by imidazol97

Feb 17, 2013 (10:55 am)

Note the Canadian seats weren't restored or were the same originally as the US model...
 

#35961 of 36997 Re: Sorry I still can't get my pictures to post directly. [magnette] by steve_ HOST

Feb 17, 2013 (11:23 am)

Replying to: magnette (Feb 17, 2013 10:50 am)

 
(I wonder if you left a gap/space between the jpg and the "? And some older? Mac UK keyboards let you type the # sign by typing option-3. Or you can copy/paste the symbols. But I digress. ).

#35962 of 36997 Re: Land yacht> [imidazol97] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Feb 17, 2013 (11:16 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Feb 17, 2013 10:44 am)
somebody---let us know what it sells for this weekend. Gorgeous car! I wonder if the customizations will hurt the price or not.

#35963 of 36997 Re: Sorry I still can't get my pictures to post directly. [steve_] by magnette

Feb 17, 2013 (11:28 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Feb 17, 2013 11:23 am)
Thanks - I'll persevere. It wasn't until I put this picture on my computer that I noticed the dummy passenger.

Messages Page 3597 of 3701

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