You don't see many 1970 Acadians these days. Those you do see are usually have 4 doors and 6 cylinder engines and most have been attacked by the tin worm. Well, we have a treat for you this month. Ray Friesen's 1970 Acadian owns this solid example. Not only is it a 2 door, it's also a factory SS 4 speed car! Ray tells us more:
I bought the car 12 years ago. This is my first real hot car after years of owning mini vans and other related family cars.
Looked around for about a year to figure out what I wanted. Determined that I wanted a four speed car, and ideally that would be a Nova, probably in the 68-72 range as that was what I could afford.
Looked online, in the local buy and sell and nothing until I spotted an ad for a “1970 Acadian (looks like a Nova)”. Price was right. Called him up and went to look at it. I fell in love right away. A guy in my hometown had a 1969 Acadian with a 454, massive Mickey Thompson tires and it was black and bad. So, an Acadian was a good option.
It was a 4 speed, 305 junkyard engine, 12 bolt posi, black interior, no power steering. Took it out for a spin and that was it. Had to have it. Body needs some work in the quarters, but the rest seemed pretty good.
We agreed on a price a time to pick it up and away I went with my new purchase.
Drove the car that way for a few years. Learned how to powershift and how to launch the car at the drag strip. Best time was 15.6 at 88MPH. Got rid of the HEI and put in an MSD 6a with a matching distributor off a boat. Upgraded the intake manifold. Normal bolt ons for a first timer.
Then the cam went flat and did not go through air care. Time for an upgrade.
Found a 350 block from 1969, two bolt mains, had a machine shop put in ARP studs in the bottom end, balance it, new scat crank, Isky 224-234 cam. Brought the short block home and put on Edelbrock Performer RPM heads with matching intake and a Holley 670 Street Avenger. When I pulled the engine, I noticed that the motor mounts were broken. New mounts on the engine and transmission. The transmission was a little suspect, leaking, lots of silicone. So I had it rebuilt. Case was shot, so he sold me an Autogear case with an M20 gearset to go with the 3;55 rearend. New Macleod clutch and also put in a scattershield.
Transmission and engine went in. Finally got it running after some help at a local shop. This engine was a world of difference over the other one!!
Then, bought sub frame connectors, but had to change the body mounts because they were toast, then when I took the rear springs off to mount the connectors, the springs fell apart , so new springs and bushings in the rear. So I bought a front end kit to replace bushings. Taking out the driver’s side spring, I noticed it was broken, bushings on the control arms were shot, original ball joints were replaced. Still manual steering. Did upgrade the steering wheel to a Grant unit.
My son in law talked me into electric fans with an aluminum rad. No overheating at all! Put on a Sprectre cold air kit because the car had a hard time going through air care. Picked up 2mph and .5 second at the track with that mod only. Now it goes down the track at a best of 13.414 at 103.72mph. Spinning for the first 100 feet!!!
Put on a 6al MSD box with a rev limiter. I have been shifting at 6,500 and so far seems to be still pulling hard at that speed.
The interior is pretty much stock. Put on 69 Acadian door panels, could not find 70 panels for a reasonable price. New shifter handle, new gauges and a clock filler replacement. Copied that off of a 1967 Acadian but it is done in red rather than white. Had the stock radio converted to run my Ipod and that is great!! New carpet. Put in Morris three point seat belts. Really nice units and I feel way more secure in the car over the old lap belt.
The car came with the following options:
F41 Suspension Firm Ride and Handling
G80 Rear Axle Positraction
JL Disc Brakes Front Single Piston
J50 Vacuum Power Brakes
L48 Super Sport with 350ci 300hp V8
M20 4 speed transmission wide ratio
PL1 E70-14-B 2+2 Tire Hwy BB White Stripe
PO1 Wheel Trim Cover
U63 Radio Pushbutton AM
U76 Windshield Ant
Zj1 Custom Interior
ZJ2 Custom Exterior
ZL3 SS Body Conversion
Z26 Super Sport
According to the GM Docs that I have. It was built on Jan 15, 1970 and delivered to Quesnel, BC
Notice that it does not have power steering. Suspect the car was ordered with as many go fast options as possible. The car was Pepper Green #48 exterior and Medium Gold # 741 interior. The interior is long gone and is now a black interior with standard, not custom, door panels.
Future plans:
Fix the body, put the headrests in the right place, redo the outside trim, maybe put the 502 from my truck in the car or maybe upgrade the 350 to a 383 or maybe do an aftermarket big inch small block or maybe just upgrade the heads, but most of all, I am going to drive it!!!
5 miles from here is a original 2 owner identical car Green with original green cloth I have been asking about it for 41 years its was out last year owner is saving for his kids (who hate it -its a stick) I called him in 1972 and told him it was traded in by a friend of mine he went over and paid 2200.00 for it
very nice car, I have drooled over a 70 ss Acadian , which was never for sale, Carl S may remember this car.
Lets not start a debate over the 427 emblems, it is a date correct Pontiac 427 shoe horned in.
I sure do remember it, used to see it in likely the early 80's parked at Grant Park Shopping Centre any weekday pretty much. That 427 car started my love affair with the style of Acadian of our current feature car.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
That's a very nice car. As Jerel said the story is a great read. Have had a soft spot for these cars since I was a kid, saved the brochure...the photo shows how much wear I put on it...
You had me at your second sentence: This is my first real hot car after years of owning mini vans and other related family cars.
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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.
Thanks for all of the great comments.!!! It is an honour to be a part of this website. and an especial honour to have the car of the month!!
I have seen three other 1970 SS cars here in the lower mainland. One is dark green and has been restored perfectly. Another is a silver car with black strips and a 502!! The third is a black car with a big block and converted to a auto.
My GM docs say that there were 1282 two door V8 cars in 1970. This includes the 307, 350 2bbl and the 350 4 bbl. Not that many of these cars but more than some of the earlier cars, I would guess.
yes I wonder out of the 1200+ how many were SSs. My brothers is a dark green, 4 speed bench cloth seat and my friends and mine are both shadow grey bucket seat 4 speed cars. I know of one other in the area that is red.
I read somewhere that there were about 10% of the Novas built were SS cars. So if the same percentage is true, then I would guess 120 SS cars? No proof of course, but just wondering.
