1961 Pontiac Parisienne Canadian and USA differences

John Clawsie · Addicted!

1961 Pontiac Parisienne Canadian and USA differences

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

There are others here that are far more qualified than I and I'm sure they will chime in with some good information, but I think basically the answer is that they look the same but are vastly different.

They are the equivalent of putting Pontiac styling on a Chevy Impala, so even though they appear the same they are a different animal altogether, which makes it tough to try to swap parts as it's the details that kill you, like small dimensional differences to compensate for different wheelbases, different mounting points due to the different chassis configurations. Even the wipers are mounted differently.

1961%20Pontiac%206%20Brochure-01.jpg

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

W/Base, frame, rear end & frt suspension all diff. from Cdn Pontiac!! Bumpers & brkts. diff due to diff. chassis some trim & glass will interchange, Brakes are 'totally different too!!! Doors & frt. fenders [I think] will swap out, with using US inners, but 1/4's are longer. Heater controls are diff. too. Just racking the Ol brain here to think of more, Oh ya, strg. colm. is different too!!! I parked my catalina beside a 64 Cdn. one this summer & did a good look.

Lad820 · Addicted!

A couple of differences I noticed were the trunk floor pan is shallow in US built cars and fuel tank placement differs from our cars. Inside, I noted that American cars, with automatic transmissions have the gear selector indicator placed low at the dash. Canadian cars have the selector indicator high behind the steering wheel.

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Lad820 wrote:
A couple of differences I noticed were the trunk floor pan is shallow in US built cars and fuel tank placement differs from our cars. Inside, I noted that American cars, with automatic transmissions have the gear selector indicator placed low at the dash. Canadian cars have the selector indicator high behind the steering wheel.

Your right. I missed that, my 64 Cat has a flat t/floor where as the cdn one has a "deep' recess!!! Mine is a 2+2 so has console & floor shift, Col. shift. US cars, the quadrant was just below the speedo for the gear selector!!!

John Clawsie · Addicted!

Umm this might not be good. Just order 1961 IMPALA front disc conversion with spindle for my car with upgraded 2 stage P/booster????????? All my front end rebuild parts are also IMPLALA!

Rear end, who cares unless your going factory original. Thought that these Chevy rears we weak anyway? I will put in either a Pontiac/Olds or Ford 9". Leaning towards the Ford for parts availability.

It's funny as maybe with the newer (LOL 64 is newer) cars, but from the pictures I've seen from US models, alot of the interior stuff "LOOKS" the same??? Heater controls and dash layouts????

I guess time will tell. I know that the OEM PS stuff is identical to Impala as I have new Impala stuff and OEM on the car. I looked on-line and found that the 1961 Impala's have the same wheelbase, 119 inch as the Parisienne??? Is this wrong?

Confused in Canada, John lol

HonestDave · Addicted!

61 Impala has the same wheel base as 61 Parisienne because they use the same chassis. As long as you go Chevy Impala for your Parisienne chassis you should be relatively happy.
I think the American Pontiac wipers collapse into the center, unlike our side-parking Parisiennes.

John Clawsie · Addicted!

Thanks Dave. That is one of the issues I might have, as my wipers do not work at this time. So looking into that. Just getting all the chassis and road worthy mechanical's done THEN moving to the interior. Would like everything to work, obviously just not sure it can, and might take some time.

All my lights work, dome lights with door and off switch I think too. Wipers no go, radio no go, heater does work, just got to figure out routing and settings. Clock doesn't work either. Speedo I'm not sure about yet!!!!

So time will tell and will post what I find.

jim_ss409 · Guru

Does anybody know if the American trunk lids will fit the Canadian cars?

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Catalina

Parisienne

jim_ss409 · Guru

Sure looks the same. Thanks.
By the way, nice pictures! Those are both great looking cars.

John Clawsie · Addicted!

Well just to bring this back to life. I have used 1961 IMPALA disc brake conversion kit along with the IMPALA spindles from the kit. All seems good so far. I also used IMPALA POLY bushing for the upper and lower A arms, IMPALA swap bar links, IMPALA front springs, IMPALA ball joints, etc. I REBUILT the whole front end, spindles and brakes.

So as I was told when I bought this car, 'IT'S ALL IMPALA UNDER THE SHEET METAL"! And I guess I found that to be true.

FYI for anyone if there wondering.

John

davepl · Poncho Master!

There was a black 1961 Bonneville Convertible, I believe with white top, in a recent edition of one of the magazines I subscribe to: I presume it was Hemmings Muscle Machines or Hemmings Classic Cars, but it could be Car Craft or Hot Rod.

Had the guy's name and the fact that its from my state (WA).

Anyone have any better info than that? It looked like a concours restoration (in the picture, mind you) and I could always add one more to the stable!