US Models in Canada in 1970

davepl · Poncho Master!

US Models in Canada in 1970

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Same thing with my dad in 1971 in New Brunswick

traded a 70 Buick Skylark HT with 350 4BBl for a 4 door Catalina ?

I thought it was strange in 1971 lol

-- Edited by 427carl on Tuesday 25th of October 2011 07:06:06 PM

StriperSS · Poncho Master!

1970 was the first year that Canadian and American models were readily available in the same showroom.

67Poncho · Uber Guru

I don't the how's, when's and why's of this story, but the few we have in the registry came from St.Terese... This one is mine..

5th week         25239     350 american   78   (508 black)   Saskatchewan link
April 1970 Catalina 4 dr hrdtp        Burgundy                        67Poncho
ST240016 St.Terese                Stampede Pontiac Buick Ltd. -Calgary Alberta

Although I took this pic, this one is in cheviacs yard.........

4th week 25239 V8 45/2G (506 green) Saskatchewan link
April 1970 Catalina 4dr hrdtp Palisade Green/Dark Green top Cheviac
#ST239701 St.Terese

-- Edited by 68sd on Tuesday 25th of October 2011 09:29:16 PM

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I posted this in another thread today however it is fitting for this thread

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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.

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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?

davepl · Poncho Master!

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?

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

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.

67Poncho · Uber Guru

gparis7 wrote:
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..

La_Wrench_n · Veteran Member

"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.