Canadian Pontiac interesting story
 

https://youtu.be/voKa9L7b3c0?si=JmLEgn0WILZ3o_qz

Thought you guys here might enjoy this .

In the late 60s my dad, down here in New Zealand, had a Canadian Pontiac, it was a 1966 Pontiac Laurentian with the 283 ci and powerglide trans.

I got my driver's licence in 1969 and I did get to drive this car a bit in the late 60s.

Good times.

Now that's really downunder... LOL.

Cool car I never realized why they used the Chevy engine in them. Had to be a special made model for Canada not just rebadged.

Canadian Pontiacs (the earlier examples) were smaller cars built on a Chevy platform with their own sheet metal and interiors.

Very cool, indeed.

No wide track on them.

What sheet metal is different?

Cars were shorter for one thing.

Did they shorten them up in the front clip area? Is the body tub the same as a US produced car? Are the body to frame mounts the same or in different locations to accommodate the Chevy chassis?

I’m certainly no expert but Canadian Pontiac’s had Chevy floor pans. Quarter panels were shorter than American cars, front fenders were shorter. Basically a Chevy with Pontiac styling. You can really see the differences in 55-56-57 models

So my 1961 Pontiac Perisisian bubble top was 348 and 4 sp from the factory. NONE of tge US cars front sheelmetal would fit. Some had modified but I could not swap on 1961 southern US sheetmetal. Quarters were also different.

Not sure about bumps, glass was the same and I think doors and trunk could swap.

:haha::haha:

Cheers for that, I can't figure out how to flip the photo, it was the correct way up before I attached it.

My dad also had a RHD '63 Bel Air that was assembled down here in the General Motors assembly plant here in NZ from knocked-down-kits from Canada.

They shared the same Chevy dash board, his '66 Pontiac Laurentian had a '65 Bel Air dash.

Because of import restrictions here in the 50s and 60s Pontiacs and Chevrolet were imported in kits and the shared the same drive trains and interiors.

We also had a Ford plant that did a similar thing through the 50s and 60s with the Fairlane. My dad had a '60 RHD Fairlane.