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Post Info TOPIC: July 2021 Feature Car


A Poncho Legend!

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July 2021 Feature Car


Our July feature car is this nicely executed custom 1960 Pontiac Laurentian. Noel Gratto is the owner of this fine Poncho. As you will see by the following photos Noel is very talented in all aspects of automotive repair as he did most of the restoration and custom work on this car himself. The results are outstanding. Here's the details:

"This story starts in Dec/ 2018. I wasn't really lookin for another car, as I already had two. I noticed this car on Kijiji

and realize that is was a two door bubble top car. I have always loved the look of the Chev and Pontiac bubble top cars but never thought that I would ever

find one. I was able to make a deal with the owner and bought it home in Dec/2018. That is when the work began. The car was running

and drivable but it needed to be completely restored.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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     Before I started the restoration I needed to do so some research on the car. I sent off the serial number to Vintage Vehicle Service and

got the G.M. records for the car. This car is a Canadian built car, it was built in Oshawa Ont. Original sold in Hawkesbury, Ont. by

 Laniel Autos Ltd. There was only 1755 built and a 1 year only style, which means there is probably not many survives out there. 

      pic-2.jpg

 

     I started tearing the car apart to see how bad the restoration would be. I noticed the car had been worked on before but not up to safety 

standards of today. The body mounts where collapsed and the body was sitting on the frame. 

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     The trunk needed to be completely replaced. Unfortunately, replacement sheet metal for these cars is not available. So I had to do it the hard way 

and fabricate them myself. I had to make the trunk panels in three pieces.

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     The floors also needed to be replaced.

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     The frame from the rear wheels back was also rusted out and had to be replaced. 

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     A lot of the rear quarter panels had to be fabricated. 

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     Once all the sheet metal and body work was done, it was finally time to move on to the paint and reassembly the car.

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     Started painting interior parts and dash,(24 pcs in total) there is a lot of metal in these cars.

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     Finally started painting the outside of the car. This part makes all the hard work before, worth it. 

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     After all the paint was done, I begin on making this car a custom one of a kind car that I had pictured in my head. I started by swapping out the 6 cylinder

engine for a period correct 384 8 cylinder engine.  Then added 700R4 overdrive transmission. Also added power steering and power brakes, with disc brakes on the front.

   pic-22.JPG

 

 

     . Custom interior was installed with  new carpet and headliner. 

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     New modern day gauges where installed into the original dash panel. 

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     Finally decided to add air ride suspension.

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     Installed air compressor in the trunk and covered with custom panel to hide it.  

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     Finished the car with American Racing Torque Thrust wheels. 17x11 on the rear and 17x8 on the front. 

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   Thanks,

    Noel Gratto

 

 



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Todd
Site Founder

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Canadian Poncho World Headquarters - Prince Edward Island

 



Uber Guru

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Wow !

What a CAR !!!

Hard work does pay off.

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Poncho Master!

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Very nice! Love the colour too!

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Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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the colour combo is stunning! she is a beauty. Congrates



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Poncho Master!

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Absolutely stunning! Love it!

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Stony Mountain, MB

65 Impala SS 2dr HT
65 Impala convert.
59 Impala 2dr HT
67 Acadian Canso 2dr HT

 

 

 



Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Lots of great hard work done that shows with the superb results.

Perfect car for July...says Summertime fun all over it.

Thanks for sharing.

-G



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A Poncho Legend!

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Gotta love a 60 Laurentian hardtop.... Man, that's dedication. And I love the bonus that it's a 348.

Congratulations!



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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



Uber Guru

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Excellent execution !

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Remember Fun,

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Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Beautiful work you did there, very talented. Im surprised there were that many Laurentian 2 door hard tops made.

Don

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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC.
1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada

Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic

MC


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Great work!  What you did to it really makes it pop - very tasteful customization.

I remember seeing that car for sale, perhaps even posted it here.  Had no idea that it was so rusty but you sure put an end to that!

What colours did you paint it?  Again, it's a beauty... everything looks just right.  The interior too - some nice upholstery work there.  Did you get it done locally?



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Addicted!

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Great looking Laurentian
Nice restoration

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Addicted!

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Absolutely stunning! Great work

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NDG


Member

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Thanks for the kind words Mark. Colors are Monarch Orange ( Newer Nissan color ) and Cadilac White Diamond pearl. Credit for the upholserty job goes to Jodie Noble Upholsery                  of lower sacville N.S.



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Addicted!

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Hats off to you, Bro! You must have 2,000 hours in this project, but can be justifiably proud of what you've produced. What a gorgeous ride.

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see2xu

66 Beau 2DHT 427FI, 700R



Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Now that's a beautiful car. You should be very proud of all the work you did.

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70 2+2 convertible
70 2+2 hardtop
70 Parisienne hardtop
72 GMC Sierra

 

 



Addicted!

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Posts: 240
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Absolutely amazing! Love the cars stance and overall look. Congrats!

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A Poncho Legend!

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Can imagine ever seeing a nicer 60 than this. 



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Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 




Veteran Member

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absolutely beautifully done

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1969 2+2


A Poncho Legend!

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Love the car!!! Lots of work pays off.



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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.



Guru

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Beautiful car and colours to finish it of. I imagine Hotwheels & Matchbox replicating it right down to the wheels!



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"Dad, which car are we taking?"                      "The Pontiac!"

"Which one?"                                                    "The red one!"

'67 Parisienne 2+2 - red

'01 Montana            - red

'06 Buick Allure

'12    Japanese minivan



Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Excellent taste with your stance and colors. Well done and congrats at being on the top of the page.

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Jerel


Poncho Master!

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WOW, BEAUTIFUL CAR!



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pontiax- (canadian pontiac X frame)1964 Parisienne 2dr. Hardtop ,lagoon aqua metallic (Q) ,421 cid Dart Industries block and heads. 550 hp. 575 ft lb  of torque.

 



Guru

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Awesome!!! Love the stance, the colour, the wheels..a worthy place at the top of the page! Congrats!

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MC


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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NDG wrote:

Thanks for the kind words Mark. Colors are Monarch Orange ( Newer Nissan color ) and Cadilac White Diamond pearl. Credit for the upholserty job goes to Jodie Noble Upholsery                  of lower sacville N.S.


Beautiful choices!  It's funny, I see a lot of newer cars on the road with just gorgeous paint on them and often wonder what the same paint would look like on an old car (that candy apple red on the new Mazdas comes to mind).  You've proved to me that they would look great!

You're the second person that I've heard to recommend Jodie.  I would say that he must be the go-to upholstery guy in the area - I saw the work he did on a friend's car and it was spot-on.

Congrats on the feature car honour, and enjoy cruising in this great summer weather we've been having lately!



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Poncho Master!

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Very tastefully done! Very nice!



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Victoria, BC

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