I would like to thank Canadian Poncho for inviting me on board. Ever since I sold my 283 - 2spd `64 Custom Sport more than a few years back I have always wanted another full sized mid 60`s Pontiac 2-door. Sure I dabbled with a couple of `65 Impala SS cars with the small blocks and I have to admit they drove incredibly nice, but the stacked headlights of those mid 60`s Pontiacs kept invoking images of wanting....and this led me to stumble upon one of the best. I have a story to share of an all original "Canadian made" Pontiac recently rescued from a feild just outside of Edmonton. Now you know it`s not going to be a 389 car because they were made state side, no this one is an astro-jet car. The imfamous Chevy big block that got installed on the Chevy frame and then had the Canadian Pontiac body bolted down on top, yes it`s a 2-door and yes it`s as rare as hens teeth. 137,000 original miles and completely unmolested Oshawa iron that I purchased from the original, retired owners. This car was sold at Lamont motors, Alberta in mid 1966. The seller told me he drove it home with 10 miles on the odometer, this was after waiting 4 months for delivery of this special order car. I was also told about how much he relished in blowing the other kids away on Saturday nights on the downtown Fort Saskatchewan strip. It ran when parked 15 years ago, with some massaging it runs again. What is it you ask ? 1966 Parisienne 396 astro jet / 325 HP. Story to follow from Edmonton
Looks like I`ve found the right forum, so the 396 was dry seized from sitting. First thing was to pull the plugs and fill the holes with WD-40 as I was assured from the original owner the car ran like a top when parked 15 years ago. Then I swapped out the original distributor and threw in an HEI, then a new starter and battery for maximum thrust at the flywheel after a couple of days of soaking down the holes. Then BOOM BABY, she turns with conviction. In went the new plugs...then of course the next issue was fuel delivery. I pulled the stock mechanical fuel pump and quickly realized the drive shaft was also seized in the downward most position. On went the Carter electric pump wired to the ignition and hooked to a jerry can of gas. Turning on the accessory I watch to see if the stock quadra jet would hold the 6 psi, and it did. Now with strong spark and fuel, all I needed was some air. The moment of truth was upon me, Is this original 396 any good ? As a precaution I pulled the valve covers off and soaked the valve train down with new oil. A turn of the key and the old girl fired right up....amazing ! After a minute of some moans and groans and more than a couple of knocks she smoothed right out and with a little tweeking to the carb and a quick adjustment of the distributor that astro-jet idled beautifully. Then of course the rad started to leak, then I topped up the fruit jar brake reservoir and began gently pumping pressure into the system, then of course a brake line let go. Aaah, let the fun begin. Next the gas tank comes out for draining and cleaning. Then I need to gently loosen off those nice dry Alberta fender skirts and pop off the original hub caps....then it`s brake time. The bonus on this car was ...I was told it was last registered in Oct. 1992, knowing that Alberta registries archive the vehicles after 20 years I thought to myself...Is this old girl still in the registry ? After a little digging the lady at the registry office found it, just sitting on the cusp of being archived she tells me. A quick call to my friends at TD insurance and a pink card is faxed to me within 10 minutes, and the Pontiac is in my name and on the road...well not quite yet anyways. But it`s legal and ready for a rebirth. I`ve had a few problems uploading some pictures but will try again. Question to the board...How rare is this one ? I know that 283 and 327 cars are scarce enough, but an all original 396 car.
Welcome, from Regina. I have owned a number of field cars, and the first thing after cleaning mouse stuff out of the car is get it running and then all new brakes.
Besides pictures of your new '66, do you have any of your old '64 CS?
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Howdy! Good to hear of your great find! Probably best to send your vin into George Zapora at GM vintage vehicles and get it pedigreed.
You'll get back a GM letterhead sheet with producton dates and options it came with and other valuable info like engine number. He may be able to tell you how many 396's came in Parisiennes in your model number or he may not. I don't thinkwe have ever heard that number but we do know a couple of things as a result of info I sentt for soem time ago. One that there were apparently about 3500 396's installed in all 66 Canadian chevs and Pontiacs and that there were about 784 installed in the 66 Grande Parisienne two door.
I hope that helps, but we still don't haven't seen any pictures of yours so cough up.
If you're in Edmonton I may be coming there in the next week so if you want to show it off i'd be happy to drool over it in person...
Thanks for all the interest fellow board members, yup this is an exciting car. I live in west Edmonton by the mall and my particular neighborhood has to have more gear heads per capita than anywhere else in this great country we call Canada. Guys with big block Elcos and Corvettes...in fact just a few houses down there is an all original 427 Vette in the garage that the original owners son will NEVER sell. Edmonton is definetly "hot rod" city....hell that`s why I`m here. I`m still having difficulty getting pictures up of this 396 Pontiac, I use the supplied attachment format, hit browse, select my pics off the desktop and hit upload....and there I sit for hours on end trying to upload 1 picture as the wheel spins saying "uploading" I will continue my efforts to share with the board...even found an old pic of my beauty 64 Custom Sport---two toned blue and white to share. I would love to share the restoration process with all members with pics as I go. I have close to 20 other projects on the go but am certainly keen on getting this big block to the front of the garage. But first I must finish one of my 360 Dusters...sorry guys...in way too deep. My daily driver is a 40 Chev 5-window business coupe, mustang II - 10 bolt, tilt, hopped up 6 banger out of a 65 Impala, looks great with the corvette ralleys and sounds old school the way it should. Also putting together a full custom 50 Chev SBSS, camaro sub frame, 327 2-spd....Richard Petty blue. The best on the lot is a 35 Olds 3-window coupe with suicide doors, original flattie six. More than a few fat fendered Fords kicking around and I`ve always liked the sedan delivery - panel van bodies. Next to this 396 Pontiac I recently dragged home, probably my best Pontiac previously was a beauty 37 2-door sedan. Saskatchewan car that I acquired out of Red Deer Alberta and straight as a pin. That one ended up in Rocky Mountain house for good money. I have factory documentation on this 396 - 66 Parisienne that the original owner supplied with the purchase, including the engine serial number tag which I have no doubt will match this 137,000 original mile car. This car did see some winter driving and then sat so consequently it needs a frame swap, but the floor are beauty, sure it needs lower quarters and front fender patches but I`m pretty good when it comes to hammer welding and all things fabricating. Being a journeyman stainless steel custom fabricator absolutely nothing intimidates me when it comes to restoring Alberta iron. I already have looked at a very nice rust free 67 Laurentian 4-door with a running 6-banger as my frame donor. This car will likely come my way within a couple of months, then its off to the hoist, maybe 8 bolts and a steering column disconnect - then it`s frame swap time. Of course I will retain the posi rear end from the big block frame. So there will likely be some 67 parts up for grabs...the donor car has a mint front clip. On a side note, if you go to Kijiji and look back to last Friday under Edmonton classic cars you should find a 37 Chev 2-door sedan I just sold to a gentleman in Windsor Ontario. Older guy who is flying out, buying a truck, renting a u-haul auto transporter one way back and dragging the 37 to his hot rod shop. How`s that for an adventure...gotta love the guys that go out there and get it !!! I tend to go on.....I will continue to try and get some pictures up of this 396 - 66 Parisienne. It is not the car the other poster asked about, that looks like a 69 or so to me, mine is way more square. And Ken you are more than welcome to come have a look when your in Edmonton. I`m on holidays the first 2 weeks of July and will be in the yard massaging a big block Pontiac. Steve
Yes to 68 427, I`m starting to figure it out now. the car in the link you provided is indeed the car I brought home for $1200. And no worries with the exception of a few upgrades this car will stay mostly all original, and I will be keeping all the original parts with the car . Steve
glad you excited about your new car 
