Autumn is the best season for top down cruising. What better way to see the fall colours than in Mike Farrugia's beautiful 1964 Pontiac Parisienne Custom Sport convertible? Mike tells us all about his Ermine White beauty:
Growing up with my grandparents was my introduction to old cars. We had a 1964 Impala SS hardtop. Our mailman lived just around the corner and he had a 1964 Custom Sport hardtop. I was out for a walk with my grandfather one evening when I was six years old. We stopped to talk with our mailman who was sitting outside of his house and I finally got to look at his Pontiac close up. I loved our Impala and did not really want any other car, but I was fascinated with the similarities of the Pontiac, although it looked so different, compared to our Impala. Years later, much to my sadness, our Impala was sold to help pay for my education after it had been part of our family for 20 years. I brought it back to my family seven years later when I was able to repurchase it.
One year after purchasing my Impala (2008), our retired mailman decided to offer me his Pontiac. Given my financial commitments, it was unfortunately beyond my grasp.
In July 2012 my girlfriend and I traveled to the Mount Forest Fireworks Festival and Car Show for the weekend. During the car show we happened across a 1964 Pontiac Parisienne. I told her all about the one our mailman had when I was a kid. This car was just a little bit more attractive as it was topless. I said to her that I would love to have that car. About an hour later we walked by once again to discover that it was for sale. After hours of loitering around the car, we finally crossed paths with the owner. We looked at the car and discovered that he lived only 20 minutes from us. We went home and two days later I gave him a deposit and the following weekend we brought it home.
Our Pontiac was sold at Bill Pattison's in BC. It's a true Custom Sport, 327 C.I 250hp, automatic. It has power steering and power brakes. It has AM/FM radio with reverb sound. It is Ermine White with a dark blue interior.
Since we purchased the car we have rebuild the engine (which perhaps didn't really need it) as we wanted to make the car reliable enough to drive anyway. We replaced the Powerglide (kept the original) with a 700R4. We removed the spinner P235/75R15 tires and 15" PMD wheels to replace them with correct 14" rims and spinner hubcaps. We added fender skirts as the one I remembered as a kid had them (turns out we bought them from the man that currently owned that exact car at the time I was a child).
Or future plans for our Pontiac is to start restoring the interior and touching up this and that as needed to make a nice car that we can enjoy without it being "too perfect". We are always keeping an eye out for nicer chrome and trim pieces. We really enjoy seeing a pure period correct car and we want to do our best to maintain that appearance. Most of all, we just want to enjoy or Pontiac for years to come.
WOW...... just simply breathtakingly beautiful. Looks like a sweet original resto job on that fine 64 Poncho. Thank you Mike, for keeping her original and looking real fine. Many happy miles with that beautiful 64 Poncho of yours. Cheers. George.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
Congratulations, Mike, you have a very nice car. I wish you enjoy it as much as possible. After all, that's the reason why we get these cars, so ENJOY!!!
Funny, this afternoon a customer was in telling me that he had a chance to buy 4 Pontiacs, all 64's, and 1 of them is a 64 Custom Sport convert! I told him how much I love 64 Custom Sports! Beautiful car, congratulations for having it at the top of the page this month.
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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
I should add, as gorgeous as your car looks on the outside, my favourite picture is the underhood shot. Absolutely beautiful job of making it look original.
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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
Thanks everyone for the kind words. We really enjoy this car and the group. Thanks for asking to feature our car. We see some nice cars each month and didnt think our could compare just yet.
Mike, i have seen both your beauties at many car shows and cruise nights. I am sure that you and i have crossed paths many times and did not even know it. I love both your 64's because they are equally sweet. Enjoy the rest of the old car season. Cheers. George.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8