Hi Rob. Welcome to the site. I pondered having separate forums for the Ventura guys but I think I'll mix the Venturas with the Acadians. If you get a chance, post a photo. Todd
Matters not, everyone's welcome here, but was the Ventura a Canadian Pontiac? What is the history of the Ventura. I know the name Ventura was a trim package used on a line of 69' Full size USA cars. Possibly even 66-68.
I know it looks like a Catalina, but it's a Ventura.
MC
-- Edited by cdnpont at 10:10, 2008-01-14
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
My understanding is....The Ventura was a full sized model until the Acadian stopped being built. Then, the Ventura was carried on in the compact line.....Where it was built I am not sure.....BUT.......The last year or so of the Adadian WAS built in the US, so I would think that the Ventura which replaced it aws built on that assembly line....Just makes sense.
I think the Ventura II took over from the Acadian (in 1973?) and was built on the Nova platform as well. Nice looking car and you don't see many of them anymore Todd
I dont know the full history but i do know that the ventura was a trim package on fullsize pontiacs for a number of years. in 1971 the name was put on the x body. the car is the same as the nova from the firewall back. i believe all 1971 ventura II models came with chevy power (307). mine had 30,000 miles on the clock when i bought it a year ago. If i ever figure out how to post a pic i will but if interested just check the website in my sig. later guys...rob
To edit a photo you need to have it hosted online (photobucket etc). Get the URL to your photo, select the little tree icon in the posting menu (insert photo) and paste your URL in the "Image URL" field. Woila, your photo will appear in your message. Hope this helps! Todd
i really like the venturas. i like to be a little different and like you say, you sure dont see many!! i have only personally seen 2 other ones and both were rough. rob
My understanding is....The Ventura was a full sized model until the Acadian stopped being built. Then, the Ventura was carried on in the compact line.....Where it was built I am not sure.....BUT.......The last year or so of the Adadian WAS built in the US, so I would think that the Ventura which replaced it aws built on that assembly line....Just makes sense.
The first year of the Ventura was (I believe) in the last half of the 71 model year to take over the Pontiac Acadian (Nova bodystyle). The Acadian was discontinued half way thru the year. There were very few 71 Acadian built.
The Ventura trim package was first introduced in 1960 on the Pontiac Catalina four-door Vista sedan and two-door hardtop. The package included exterior identification, deluxe wheel covers, a sport steering wheel, and distinctive tri-tone seats done in Morrokide (Pontiac's vinyl upholstery trim which had the look and feel of top-quality leather but far more practical for everyday use).
In 1961 and 1962, the Ventura was a stand-alone model, although it was still based on the Catalina. The Ventura's length was 209.7 inches, and its wheelbase was 119.0 inches. Weight was between 3680 and 4005 pounds, depending on what options and engine the car had. The 389 in engines were standard, and the 421 in was a special order option. This was an interesting and logical move--the Star Chief middle-of-the-line model was restricted to four door sedans and hardtops and continued on the longer wheelbase shared with the Bonneville, while the Ventura offered only two doors and was smaller and lighter, though similar in price. This was such a good idea that it spawned the similarly-sized, but pricier, Pontiac Grand Prix in mid-1962.
The Ventura returned to its trim package status on the Pontiac Catalina from 1963 through 1970, often using interior trim similar to that of the slightly larger Pontiac Star Chief/Executive, which was built on the longer-wheelbase chassis of the Pontiac Bonneville. After the 1970 model year, the Ventura was replaced by the Catalina Brougham for the 1971 and 1972 model years. However, after a few-month's absence, the Ventura name was resurrected in mid-1971 when name (augumented by the suffix II) was applied to the Pontiac version of Chevrolet.s compact Nova.
71-77
In 1971, Pontiac moved the name to their new X-body Nova clone, the Ventura II.
Ventura II production ran from 1971 to 1977. The "II" suffix was dropped after 1972, and the Phoenix name replaced Ventura in 1978. Engine offerings for the abbreviated 1971 model year included a 250 cubic-inch six cylinder or 307cubic-inch V8, both Chevrolet powerplants. For 1972, a Pontiac-built 350 cubic-inch V8 with a two barrel carb was added to the option list and became the base V8 for 1973 and 1974. Transmission offerings consisted of a standard column-shift three-speed manual with options including a four-speed manual, two-speed automatic (with six-cylinder) or three-speed Turbo hydro matic automatic (with V8s). The 1973 six-cylinder Ventura was the last Pontiac model to offer the two-speed automatic, a badge engineered Chevrolet Powerglide, which was dropped completely from all GM cars and trucks after this model year in favor of the Turbo Hydra-Matic.
A Ventura Sprint option package was offered on two-door models 1972 to 1975, including three-speed transmission with floor shift, body color mirrors, custom carpeting, all-vinyl upholstery with either the standard bench or optional Strato bucket seats, Custom Sport steering wheel, blackout-grille trim, special striping, blackout grille, and 14x6" (36 cm diameter, 15 cm wide) wheels.
In 1974, the Pontiac GTO name moved to the Ventura from the intermediate LeMans line. The GTO package gave the basic Ventura a 350in³ (5.7L) engine with a four-barrel carburetor of about 200 hp (149 kW). The package also came with a functional "shaker" hood scoop, tri-color GTO decals, Rally II wheels, and special grill-mounted driving lights. The GTO package could be ordered on the hatchback Ventura as well as the base and Custom coupes.
There were plans to continue the Ventura GTO in 1975; however, the project was dropped when GM decided to discontinue the Pontiac 350 in the Ventura that year. Instead, the Buick 350 was used. Proponents of the 1975 GTO knew nobody would want it with a Buick engine, and the project was closed.
By 1975, when all GM car divisions except Cadillac offered its version of the compact X-body (Nova, Ventura, Oldsmobile Omega and Buick Apollo), in some circles the original car of the bunch - the Chevrolet Nova - was acronym of each the other four related cars: Nova-Omega-Ventura-Apollo (which later turned into Skylark). Another joke was the X-body design was often called AVON (NOVA spelled backwards), the trade name of a popular cosmetics firm, a sly reference to the badge engineering.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
Hi there, the ventura II name was used in 71 and 72 only then it was changed over to the Ventura name trough 1977 then changed over to phoenix in 78 and 79 and the line of the X-body finished there. My car is a 74 GTO optioned ventura, I've pieced it for a total restification and hope to bring it back on the road in 2009 if everithing goes as planned. I'll send some picks of it later when I'll find them
the ventura name has been used since the 50s but wasnt an actual modle until the early 60s. it was a code name like the banshee and firebird.want to see how uncreative chevy is? look up the 64 banshee and 61 monte carlo.
I think the Ventura II took over from the Acadian (in 1973?) and was built on the Nova platform as well. Nice looking car and you don't see many of them anymore Todd