My Dad bought his 1969 Laurentian in 1970 because he couldn't afford a new '70, but my grandfather could... so he got the 70.
What's always surprised me though is that my grandfather's car (a green four door, not a keeper) was a US model - I believe a Catalina. They came from the same dealership, so its not like he went down and bought it out of the US.
So, I'm trying to figure out if they just started using the American names on Oshawa-built cars, or did they start importing US-built cars after Autopact expired, or how could that have happened?
My folks bought my 70 Parisienne new (actually leased it for a year or so, then bought it out), but we knew other families that had new 70 Catalina's. Ours was a 2 door hardop, whereas theirs were 4 door hardtops. ALL would have been sold by the same dealership in High River Alberta.
As ours was a 454 car, I was always looking at other 70 Pontiac's to see what engine they had, so I was always scoping the other cars. It was routine to see 70 Catalina's around High River and Calgary, and even a sprinkling of Bonneville's. The Bonneville's were always easily recognizable from the front and back anyways because of the different grill inserts, and the tail-light treatment.
I believe the bulk of the 70 Catalina's were built at the Ste. Terese plant (just north of Montreal), not sure about the Bonneville's. A girl in our local club has a 70 Catalina rag bought new in Edmonton, but built in Pontiac Michigan.
That probably explains why over the years I've seen a couple of 70 Catalinas in this far east region. I was not aware they were built in Canada. Pontiac engines I presume, vs the Chevy engines in the Canadian cars?
I've wondered that as well... did they mix and match powertrains as they wound up doing a decade or so later? Or did the Catalina come with a Pontiac-sourced engine in 1970?
In 1970 the US nameplates got stricly Pontiac engines. Our 1970 2dr. Tempest sedan was built in Oshawa with a blue block 350 rated at 265 HP. My old man could burn 40 foot patches in that car, radio delete and rubber floors. We got it in November 1969, he paid $2750. He called it a baby GTO. Our nieghbour who was obviously wealthier got a 4 dr. hardtop Bonneville 455 from the same dealer, Hogans in Toronto.
In 1971 Chevrolet engines found their way into LeMans line but in the first year of 1970 it was Pontiac only.
Over the years 1971 to 1976 there was a mix of Chevrolet and Pontiac power in Canadian name plate cars but big US car names always got Pontiac power. The Chevrolet 400 small block was used in Laurentian and Parisiennes at times however the Parisienne also got the 455 some years. Canadian wagons got either 350 or 400 sbc.
That probably explains why over the years I've seen a couple of 70 Catalinas in this far east region. I was not aware they were built in Canada. Pontiac engines I presume, vs the Chevy engines in the Canadian cars?
Mine had the 350 American 2bbl, as in the decode, and I believe Ken's, (cheviac), car has the 400..
"Under the 1965 Auto Pact, U.S. manufacturers could import on a duty-free basis regardless of origin only if 75 percent of their sales in Canada were manufactured there. In addition, each existing or subsequent automobile manufacturer had to meet Canadian value-added content requirements, generally 60 percent. Manufacturers meeting these requirements attained Auto Pact status. The result of these requirements was expanded production of automobiles and OEM parts in Canada...."
This explains the US engines and nameplates in cars assembled and sold in Canada.
