I remember as a kid of 10…walking to the Canadian Embassy in Vienna after my parents decided to emigrate to Canada from Czech Republic after the Russian invasion. My dad had his brand new Skoda MB 100 with its stable of 42 horses under the hood. It was finished off in a sober socialist shade of beige…but it was a source of pride for all of us at the time. With that said, on our short walk to the governor’s building, we rounded a corner and there sat a brand new gleaming burgundy Pontiac Parisienne Convertible with black leather interior…and the top down, chrome literally spilling out of it in every direction. I remember going into what I can only describe as a slight altered state as I gazed at this beautiful behemoth..with a dashboard that went on forever….and under which our Skoda could have served as an ashtray. It seemed impossible that a car like this existed. That it could somehow still float down the narrow streets of this ancient European city like some kind of another worldly vessel. I still remember trying to pronounce the name before knowing any English and how the oddity of it only added to the allure. To cut this story short, we ultimately left the Skoda at the Vienna airport, jumped on a red and white, maple-leaf adorned DC 8 and emigrated to Canada. In about a years time…my father actually bought his first American car…an absolutely gorgeous 1966 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88…finished in deep emerald…with well over 300 hp…leaving us wondering how that Skoda could ever function with just 42 horses. I actually still remember the first time we had a ride in an American car…it was white 1967..2 door Olds Delta 88 with a black hardtop roof…and when Mr. Jean leaned into it, which he seemed to do at every light, I almost flipped over while my 7 year old brother came close to losing his lunch. It was truly like a ride on a roller coaster after being used to my dad’s anemic shifts in our communist jalopy. What beautiful cars these American works of art were back then.
@@gravedigger525......And maybe when I do get into a discussion 'bout Communist and socialism maybe I should think 'bout this discussion!!!!.I can understand on why people would want to defect to the west , This is one such reason!!!!.
Thanks for commenting……we ( I am from Northern Indiana !)heard about, & a few came to US, FROM CANADA, WHEN I started Driving(* 1962, etc)….my “” AHA , Car moments were with seeing Lincoln’s,loaded Grand Prixs’, etc””.
As a former owner of a handful of classic Pontiacs, I considered myself well-versed in all models, including the Canadian models. I never knew this car existed until today. Thanks for sharing!
The 70's sucked but man, so many great great cars. Pontiacs, Buicks and models we have just forgotten about. Plus the paint colors were just great. I never thought I would have an affection for any of those cars as a kid, but now, they seem just right in their own way.
Interesting tidbit, 67 Grand Prix’s sold new in Pennsylvania used the valance mounted parking lights of the Catalina and Bonneville rather than above the bumper. This is because Pennsylvania didn’t allow parking lamps above headlamps. On these Pennsylvania GP’s they left out the upper parking lamp lenses so those slots in the head panels were just open slots. Another grande Parisienne tidbit is that 67 was the only year they used the Grand Prix roofline on two door hardtops. Before 67 the grande Parisienne used the regular Pontiac roof (like a Catalina) and in 68 they couldn’t use the Grand Prix roofline because the 68 GP had a unique rear end with unique quarter panels, trunk and bumper etc. So the 68 grande Parisienne reverted to the regular Pontiac roofline but using the 68 Grand Prix hideaway front end. For 69 and later the grande Parisienne used the standard Pontiac body look because there was no longer a full sized Grand Prix to copy.
"67 Grand Prix’s sold new in Pennsylvania used the valance mounted parking lights..." Wow, fascinating? Any photos? "Pennsylvania GP’s... left out the upper parking lamp lenses... just open slots" One would think Pontiac could just leave out the bulbs. Wouldn't dirt and water collect in those slots?
Canadian Pontiac models were all built on Chevrolet frames with all Chevy underpinnings. This is due to tariffs and it didn't end until 1970. This is why you see different hoods, Chevrolet pedals and steering columns and of course Chevy powertrains. Canadian Pontiacs were not "Wide Track" but rather the narrower Chevrolet track width too. I don't know how you find all these great cars but please keep it up.
I can't say I really liked them either. Maybe it's just because we are used to things made or built in America is sort of the Standard for everywhere else! They just didn't look right to us, and also what was the need to make them different?
Back in 1967 I knew 2 different people who owned gold with black top and interior Grand Prix convertibles. What cars for the time! Got to ride in one of them. That was a popular color combination for Grand Prixs that year. Great styling and was impressed seeing that front end on Grand Parisiennes on 4 doors and wagons on trips to Canada.
GP's were top of the line for Pontiac.Luxury with a bit of sport thrown in, back then they were much more fun than a Caddy and more upscale than a Chevy. Pontiac and Oldsmobile were my favorite GM brands. Back then GM gave each of it's brands a different feel with each division having its own engines, sheet metal, interiors, etc. When that ended it didn't make sense to market 5 different mediocre chevy''s. As GM's market share shrank year after year, only Chinese Buick sales saved them. Buick doesn't make cars any more, just SUV's. GM's EV program went from first to dead last, in a decade. Like Chevy, Buick doesn't build passenger cars any more. nor do they plan on doing so in the future. So says Mary Barra, GM's beloved CEO. She says GM can't make a profit from ICE cars, except for the C8. She declined all questions about the next gen Vette. EV or hybrid? My guess is that it will be hybrid,
MarinCipolina There is, UP here in the Cleveland Ohio area a 1969 Acadian Beaumont SD396 that I'm aware of. Ofcoarse it looks alot like a 69 Chevelle SS396 but with all that Canadian Pontiac trim, as I understand it 1969 was the last year that GM did this.
How I was wish my father was still alive so he and I could watch your channel Adam. He would certainly have stories to tell me as he was working on the assembly lines in Oshawa when these very cars were being built. Thank you for preserving and educating us on our automotive history..
I’ve always considered the ‘67 Pontiacs to be the most daring in their already excellent styling. From the brand new Firebird, the intermediates and the full size. They were really pushing the envelope this year.
I'll say it again, those mid 60s Pontiacs were just so beautiful. I remember my dad's 66 Bonneville, with that FM radio and reverb including that great interior .
Great video I love how our Canadian Pontiacs have unique models and drivetrain options when compared to their US cousins....this even applied to the T-body ....in the US Pontiac didn't have a Chevette counterpart untill 1981 but Pontiac Canada had the t-body Acadian starting in 1976....I'd love to have a 427 Grand Parisienne Safari 4spd...I'll keep dreaming as I rebuild my 1964 Parisienne 2dr 283 Powerglide....same as my grandfather had...Karl from eastern Canada
Neat video! The red wagon you show isn’t a grande parisienne though. It’s actually a US model, an Executive wagon that someone added the Grand Prix front end bits to. You can tell because of three elements. First is the Executive name plate on the fender, second is the 8 lug wheels which were US model only and most importantly the hidden windshield wipers which were a Pontiac exclusive in 67 were not used on Canadian Pontiacs which were really just chevies with some Pontiac looking sheet metal.
I’ve mentioned my uncles car like this a few times already on your channel, thanks for featuring it, Adam! 🎉 his biggest problem is fender skirts limiting how much tire you can put under it to manage the 427 4bbl power…
Only came across a couple 428s in my life. One was a guy from Church...other was a buddy in HS mid 80s. 68 FIrebird had headwork healthy cam and 4.11s Will never forget feeling that engines vibration in my chest when he fired it up and how easily with no throttle it would smoke the tires. That thing was frigging fast.
My first experience seeing these was when my parents took a trip to Alberta and British Columbia in 1972. I saw both 1967 and 1968 Pontiac’s with Grand Prix front ends. Very cool!
That ‘67 wagon is so cool! Back in 1978 I went on family vacation to Canada and remember seeing these hidden headlights Pontiacs, also spotted Beaumonts and my first Mazda RX7. You can see what makes a wide-track Pontiac special if you compare it to a Chevy based Canadian model. I love the Expo 67 background drawings in the brochure!
I always remember the Chevrolet Tonawanda sticker on my sleeper 67 StratoChief with a 396 and Muncie M21 4-speed. To this day the 396 is my favorite engine!
Surprising GM went to the trouble of making a separate hood for the Canadian Pontiacs -- apparently just to not include the US Pontiacs' hidden wipers. 5:35 stunningly beautiful 4 dr hardtop -- and I love the wheels too!
Adam, I am still grappling with the whole concept of a Grande Parisienne Safari. I wonder what sort of creatures one might encounter in the Bois de Boulogne. 🤔 On the day after the Academy Awards ceremony it is worth remembering, we'll always have Paris. 😁
Living in mid-michigan not very far from Port Huron Michigan We have the privilege of seeing The Canadian built Pontiacs, Quite a few live in the Port Huron,Michigan area be it a Beaumont, Acadian, Laurentian, Parisienne, etc. A lot of car people over there and a lot of Canadian people come over for the car shows with their Canadian built Pontiacs !
These Pontiacs were the ultimate cruisers ! Super cool - even great with a big straight 6 cyl . Engine and a 3 spd . Transmission w/ the clunky column shift . Really good cars !
Very happy you covered the 67 Parisienne model and please do more of these weird Canadian cars. Lot of us have very little idea what was available in Canada.
As an 70s kids we used to ride to the local dealerships to see the new models. Nice treat to look forward to . Today they all look the same to me. Cant tell a MB from a Toyota to a Kia or chevy. TIn boxes of electronics desined to fail.
Thanks for doing 67 Pon Tons. I didn't know about the Canadian Pontiacs in that way. Very cool. We used to see the Laurentians and Parisiennes on the Northway I - 87. I grew up in Schenectady NY.
Always loved the unique aggressive and sporty look Pontiac gave these vehicles. Never knew they were Canadian exclusive. Good to know. 👍🏻Excellent documentary on this.
A friend inherited one from her grandfather. Hasn't seen pavement since the 80's. We did a bunch of work to get it running the other year. Few more bits to square up and we will have it on the road 1962 with the original 327
Has anyone ever come across a Beaumont, similar to the Chevelle and GTO, that has the "Cheetah" package? These were low volume dealer installs from Conroy Pontiac Buick in B.C. Some offered with a 427. Pretty cool cars!! And rare.
As a kid I remember the N & N logging truck that lost brakes coming down Taylor Way's 9% grade, ending up in Conroy's showroom. May have been Rogers Pontiac before Conroy???? Those logging trucks had water cooled brakes, us kids were amazed at the steam and bit of water trailing behind.
The front end with the concealed headlights is the coolest thing on a full-size car from GM from the 1960's. Absolutely love it. Have seen one here at a classic auto venue.
Thanks Adam. I learned a lot from this video...my brother has the likely 1-of-1 376hp 428 HO red/red 4-spd US GP convertible...knew very little about Canuck variants.
I had a Canadian customer who would visit my shop in NC every year. He loved the fact that I knew Ponchos inside/out and had family in Canada so we always had a lot to talk about. He had an Acadian. Rough around the wheel wells but drove like new.
I actually owned a 67 Grand Parisienne coupe a few years back. Was a real head turner and looked good with the headlight doors closed or open. Kinda gave the car a completely different look.
A friend i know has a 1978 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham 4-door sedan. He bought the car used in Lloydminster, Alberta. The car is alpine white with burgundy vinyl roof and interior. It is fully loaded with all the toys, and 1978 was the year Canada 🇨🇦 went on the metric system, and the speedometer is kilometers per hour large, miles per hour small.
Compare this art-gallery worthy nose with "Bunkie Beaks" of '70-71 T-Birds! Sublime-to-ridiculous doesn't begin to express it. (Kudos for your polite post about those Birds, dear gracious Adam🙏.)
Hey Hey ... Some of use love American Racing Torque Thrust rims ! 👊🤣👍 Also note you could get a bucket seat interior with a 3 or 4 speed manual stickshift ! Wow ! What a gentleman's muscle car that would have been.
Dude, I hear you! Similar thing happened to me when I was 7, nearly 8, and my family emigrated from Switzerland to America. I fell in extreme love with the friendly people that helped us everywhere. And the great American flagships that cruised the highways with never ending hoods, taillights from one end to the other, powerful, melodious engines that made want to jump up and down. I knew I landed in heaven, and wondered why it took so long to get to the promised land. I fell deeply in love. It only took a few days. My beautiful diamond white, 2008 Buick Lucerne with a silky smooth 3800 engine is a watered down but greatly appreciated reminder of those wonderful days in the late 60s of my first love.
Adam, having grown up in Alberta Canada, (note the 1967 Centennial plate on the car you feature here ^ ) and also being a French immersion kid in the Canadian school system, I clearly remember the Parisienne and Laurentian nameplates (and all the other Canadian model variations, such as Acadian, etc.) I especially wanted to thank you for pointing out the “assembly plant oddities” that I then never knew about: i.e. the “stealth turn signals” … of this stylish front end treatment going on the 4-door above but never being available on 4-door chassis in The States. Thanks to your research focus, I also enjoyed learning about your Canadian-built blue 6-cyl ‘59 Pontiac sitting on the slightly non-aligned Chevy chassis, making it your beloved, smooth idling but “slightly un-wide track” Pontiac 😊 Where else are we going to get deep-dive content like this ? Appreciation here 🤙🏼
As an Aussie, t had the sense that the Parisienne was THE Pontiac, and they are still a popular resto-mod vehicle in particular. It was a genuine looker.
I owned a 1967 Grand Prix hardtop. One of the three 1960's Pontiacs I had the pleasure of owning. '61 Bonneville and '66 GTO were the others. The US hardtop featured the hidden opposing wipers and no vent windows. The doors to the hidden headlights were vacuum driven. I recall having an issue with them at some point. Mine was maroon with a black interior and black vinyl top. Looks sort of reminded me of my GTO, but the GP was much larger and handled more like a boat.
Why only Pontiac came in a Canadian model? Why not Olds Buick and Chevy? What made Pontiac the chosen one? Love these reviews of cars from the mid to late 60s and early 70s. Especially when artist renderings of initial designs are shown. It's fun to see the concept and how it ended up. I love those mid to late 60s luxury cars like the 98, Electra and DeVilles. Those years in my opinion were the best and just before plastics became the standard over higher quality materials especially on the interiors.
What I noticed is that the Canadian Pontiacs seem to have 3 different styles of windshield wipers. The red car at the beginning has exposed parallel style wipers, the red Safari wagon (at 6:00) has the hidden wipers like US cars, and the last car, the one with RHD, has exposed butterfly wipers. I love your episodes on Canadian cars, Adam!
Since the "butterfly" wipers were on a RHD model, perhaps that was special just for RHD? Left-facing wipers on a RHD car leave a large wedge-shaped section unwiped right in front of the driver's field of vision on most cars.
That's because the one @6:00 is actually a U.S. Executive wagon and not a Canadian Grande Parisienne model. You can see the name on the front fender. Adam being a little careless churning out his videos.
Back in 1975 I saw a Gold 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix for sale on Lacey Way in Olympia, WA! It happened to be a very clean low miles example with something like 68000 miles. At the time it was for sale for $650 but that was a lot for a 16 year old kid washing dishes at a local restaurant! Anyhow I was driving a wore out 1962 Chevy 2. I had to sell the car I had before I could buy anything else. Unfortunately and sadly for me the Grand Prix sold before I got the Chevy 2 sold. It was one of my most serious car regrets of my life! Once the Chevy 2 was sold I did get a deal on a black 1968 Chevy Nova SS with 4 speed. It had a bad clutch and a rear end problem but it was a really decent car otherwise. Once I got those issues resolved it was a great car for a young guy!
Even growing up only 100 miles from the Canadian border, I never knew their Pontiacs had Chevy engines until I worked at a gas station my senior year of high school. Also noticed their names were different from their American counterparts. Great piece of history.
BTW… those ‘67 GP turn signal were declared illegal in Pennsylvania! Those GP’s reverted to the turn signals below the bumper, as in Bonneville, Executive, and Catalina. Pontiac Historical Society verified this as I restored a “Pennsylvania “ GP convertible about 10 years ago. Adam: you do a superlative job!👍
I really enjoy the Canadian car features as that is right up my alley. Speaking of which I have three of the 67 Grande hardtops in my back yard that I collected to keep them out the the hands of the crushers. Very low production around 2500 if I recall correctly. They need work but you could make one really nice one out of the three. Every once in a while I look at those sexy front ends and get ambitious and then I remember my other projects. Too bad!
The blue Grand Parisienne 4 door hardtop pictured was originally sold to the Russian Embassy in Ottawa! It's one of 2159 8 cylinder 4 door hardtops built. Owner still has original wheels/hubcaps.
That was one of the great things about GM back in the day, the interchangeability. When I was young in the 70's and 80's and we built our own cars a lot, I saw all kinds of engine swaps between the divisions using all factory parts. The chevy bell housing was a bit different, but if you left 2 bolts out it still would swap either way. But olds in pontiac, or buick in olds, or whatever went together pretty easily. There was even one guy from a couple of towns away that had a Chevelle, with a GTO front end, Powered by a 455 Buick. It ran pretty strong. We used to call him "GOvelle"
Gold with a black top and interior was my first car. It had a 350 hp 400 and would absolutely grind the right rear tire until cords were showing !!! Loved that car and wish it had survived my youth. I always wanted to put the engine into a much lighter Ventura and race around with that but after the sad demise of the GP I got a Cuda with a 440 6 pack and was Mopar from then on.
A guy who was in the local Pontiac club (the chief Blackhawk chapter) had a 67 grand pariesenne 2+2 convertible. Was supposedly 2 of 250 made. Had a Chevy 427 in it, as the Canadian ponchos had Chevy drivetrain. It was lowered and had lake pipes on it with flame throwers on it. One of the coolest 67 pontiacs I’ve ever seen.
I remember the first time I saw a 67 Pontiac Laurentian I was a young boy, my neighbor across the street had a dark green one 4 door, what a beautiful car!! A Lot of Great cars where built in GM Oshawa Plant 🇨🇦🇨🇦👍👍
That was fun! I knew next to nothing about Parisiennes. When I was a kid we had a series of Catalinas, then a 1969 Grand Prix, a black SJ. I love Pontiacs!
Leave it to Adam to find us another quirky, out of the blue, left field subjects that I would have never even heard of before this great content Adam supplies! Bravio!!
My Grandfather loved his PONTIAC's. Plural Vehicles and end of statement. I do miss him and the Grand Sized front seats that you could lay down on and not hit your head or bend your knees.
I miss my 67 Grande Parisienne, 4 door hardtop , Black Vinyl top , Black paint and kinda dark red interior Just a base small block engine and powerglide transmission , one of the best riding cars I owned , I am now about to turn 60 and being disabled , I could never find one affordable to fix up myself, I sure liked that car though ... I did find a 67 BOnneville a few years later , in better shapr bodywise , however I let it get away too , shame on me These are some of the best driving full size cars I have driven
I learned to drive in a beige 67 Laurentien 4 dr. equipped with the 283 ci V8 and Powerglide tranny. What a beast. No acceleration to speak of, but it would cruise at 80+ all day long. Good times.
I got married in my mom's 1967 Pontiac Parisian 2+2 with the 396! Ragtop! One of 500 made! Cream, white leather interior! Real wood accents! She's gone now and we had to sell the car, but it was a beauty! So is she!
Thanks, great . Interestingly, we got married in a 1966 FORD GALAXIE 500 XL, DEEP,BURGANDY, 4 speed/352 4 BBL/ Black deluxe INTERIORS… ( e.g. Jay Leno’s1966 w/ o 7LITRE….).. lot of improvements I added..* ps Still Married !
I remember these well up here in Canada. They were great looking. My dad did advertising for a local GM dealership and I had a sales facts book which helped me learn about cars in general. The good old days.
Great video. 67 Grand was a very handsome car. Growing up in Canada a Parisienne was a normal full size Pontiac. We live on Vancouver Island so the there were lots of US imports. Catalina’s were around but the big Bonnevilles were rare.
Yep Adam, some cool Pontiacs rarely seen and worth a bit to collectors like yourself. Didn't know there was a Grande Parisienne or Safari, but in OZ have seen a number of Pontiac Parisienne's over the years. Cheers fm Damo🤔👍
Thank you Adam. It is appreciated you shared the Pontiac Grande Parisienne. I liked the photos and the information you shared. I liked you discussed it was a Canada and international car. I learned about this car years ago looking in a global car book. They talked about how they sold them as kits in Australia at GM there and built then in Holden plants. I am just glad you featured it too. I wonder why they did not sell this in the United States when the brought Parisienne in the 1980's under that name or when they created Grand Ville( Grand Bonneville) in the 1970's. I knew about the Chevrolet parts and it was quite clear when you see them. GM did what they needed to do because of the laws back then. A Bonneville with a Grand Prix from = Grande Parisienne. I must admit the sedan looks grand.
What most people don't think of i,s the fact that Canadian Pontiac were Pontiac body with Chevy engines. there were no Pontiac engines in Canada in the 1960's. The Canadian Pontiac I liked best was the 1969 Beaumont SS396.
Yup , seen a couple as a kid. The 427 was no slouch. Pontiacs were a real staple in my home town of Oshawa .The 2+2 was highly desirable… Mostly 327’s.I lived near a wrecking yard and we new which engines to pinch.Yea the good ole Cheviacs.
I love your videos. However, on the wagon, I think this was a Bonneville in that the name tag on the fender looked like it said Bonneville. Also the wagon had hidden windshield wipers, whereas the other models had exposed wipers.
Good eye. Bonneville Safaris didn’t have the hidden headlights. Someone had put the GP front end on it. However, Grande Parisiennes did have this front end.
My dad had a 1967 US Catalina Safari and you are on to something, the concealed wipers were standard on all US full size Pontiacs, not Chevrolets. Concealed wipers were in industry first in 1967 and only US Pontiacs had them. BUT, the Bonneville did not ever have the wood - only the Executive Safari came w/ wood - my dad later had an Executive Safari and that was the only full size Pontiac wagon w/ wood from 1967-70.
Laurentians followed by Parisiennes were probably the most common of the GM car models when I was young in the 60s. More than Chevys in the full size category. I don't recall anyone having a Strato Chief.
A friend of mine was a roustabout in the Montana oil fields. He would pick up 4 other on his crew and drive the 120 miles to the field in 2 hours. One day he overslept an hour. He hopped in his late 60's Pontiac Executive, picked everyone up and made it to work in an hour, driving on gravel roads the whole way. He still had that car years later.
Not only did the Canadian Pontiacs get Chevrolet engines, they were mounted on Chevrolet frames, including the front & rear suspension. Remember, Pontiac was marketing these US cars as "WideTrack" back then which was more than just a slogan. The track width on the Canadian Pontiacs was 1.5 to 2.0 inches narrower which makes them pretty easy to spot, even from a distance, with a bigger gap between the outside tire sidewall and the lip of the wheel opening.
I remember as a kid of 10…walking to the Canadian Embassy in Vienna after my parents decided to emigrate to Canada from Czech Republic after the Russian invasion. My dad had his brand new Skoda MB 100 with its stable of 42 horses under the hood. It was finished off in a sober socialist shade of beige…but it was a source of pride for all of us at the time. With that said, on our short walk to the governor’s building, we rounded a corner and there sat a brand new gleaming burgundy Pontiac Parisienne Convertible with black leather interior…and the top down, chrome literally spilling out of it in every direction.
I remember going into what I can only describe as a slight altered state as I gazed at this beautiful behemoth..with a dashboard that went on forever….and under which our Skoda could have served as an ashtray. It seemed impossible that a car like this existed. That it could somehow still float down the narrow streets of this ancient European city like some kind of another worldly vessel. I still remember trying to pronounce the name before knowing any English and how the oddity of it only added to the allure.
To cut this story short, we ultimately left the Skoda at the Vienna airport, jumped on a red and white, maple-leaf adorned DC 8 and emigrated to Canada.
In about a years time…my father actually bought his first American car…an absolutely gorgeous 1966 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88…finished in deep emerald…with well over 300 hp…leaving us wondering how that Skoda could ever function with just 42 horses.
I actually still remember the first time we had a ride in an American car…it was white 1967..2 door Olds Delta 88 with a black hardtop roof…and when Mr. Jean leaned into it, which he seemed to do at every light, I almost flipped over while my 7 year old brother came close to losing his lunch. It was truly like a ride on a roller coaster after being used to my dad’s anemic shifts in our communist jalopy. What beautiful cars these American works of art were back then.
Underated comment. Glad yall got here safe and hell yeah brother
@@gravedigger525......And maybe when I do get into a discussion 'bout Communist and socialism maybe I should think 'bout this discussion!!!!.I can understand on why people would want to defect to the west , This is one such reason!!!!.
Welcome! Thanks for sharing your memories. Glad to know things have worked out for you and yours. All best!
Thanks for commenting……we ( I am from Northern Indiana !)heard about, & a few came to US, FROM CANADA, WHEN I started Driving(* 1962, etc)….my “” AHA , Car moments were with seeing Lincoln’s,loaded Grand Prixs’, etc””.
Those Oldsmobile were great cars and that 425 was fabulous!
As a former owner of a handful of classic Pontiacs, I considered myself well-versed in all models, including the Canadian models. I never knew this car existed until today. Thanks for sharing!
Same here thought I seen em all. That car is flipping beautiful!!
Pure class.
It kinda looks familiar, but I've never heard about it.
The 70's sucked but man, so many great great cars. Pontiacs, Buicks and models we have just forgotten about. Plus the paint colors were just great. I never thought I would have an affection for any of those cars as a kid, but now, they seem just right in their own way.
It's Impala!! In the 80s, the Parisen was a Caprice Classic with a face lift!!! Few were sold in the Middle East..
I love it when you feature the unique Canadian market cars, and this was a great episode!
Interesting tidbit, 67 Grand Prix’s sold new in Pennsylvania used the valance mounted parking lights of the Catalina and Bonneville rather than above the bumper. This is because Pennsylvania didn’t allow parking lamps above headlamps. On these Pennsylvania GP’s they left out the upper parking lamp lenses so those slots in the head panels were just open slots.
Another grande Parisienne tidbit is that 67 was the only year they used the Grand Prix roofline on two door hardtops. Before 67 the grande Parisienne used the regular Pontiac roof (like a Catalina) and in 68 they couldn’t use the Grand Prix roofline because the 68 GP had a unique rear end with unique quarter panels, trunk and bumper etc. So the 68 grande Parisienne reverted to the regular Pontiac roofline but using the 68 Grand Prix hideaway front end. For 69 and later the grande Parisienne used the standard Pontiac body look because there was no longer a full sized Grand Prix to copy.
I'm a 60yr PA resident and and former motorcycle inspection mechanic, it's weird how things OK on a MC in PA are NOT OK in NJ!
Still, a seriously cool ride... so many more!
"67 Grand Prix’s sold new in Pennsylvania used the valance mounted parking lights..."
Wow, fascinating? Any photos?
"Pennsylvania GP’s... left out the upper parking lamp lenses... just open slots"
One would think Pontiac could just leave out the bulbs. Wouldn't dirt and water collect in those slots?
Thanks for bringing back memories of American car history. “Those were the days my friend; we thought they’d never end…”
Canadian Pontiac models were all built on Chevrolet frames with all Chevy underpinnings. This is due to tariffs and it didn't end until 1970. This is why you see different hoods, Chevrolet pedals and steering columns and of course Chevy powertrains. Canadian Pontiacs were not "Wide Track" but rather the narrower Chevrolet track width too.
I don't know how you find all these great cars but please keep it up.
Also don't forget the Pontiac Canadian sub-brands like Acadian and Beaumont.
Yeah pretty weird, Pontiac by styling only.
I can't say I really liked them either. Maybe it's just because we are used to things made or built in America is sort of the Standard for everywhere else! They just didn't look right to us, and also what was the need to make them different?
The last car you showed is right-hand drive and deginitely from South Africa. I remember these from the 60's. There was only one in my town.
Back in 1967 I knew 2 different people who owned gold with black top and interior Grand Prix convertibles. What cars for the time! Got to ride in one of them. That was a popular color combination for Grand Prixs that year. Great styling and was impressed seeing that front end on Grand Parisiennes on 4 doors and wagons on trips to Canada.
GP's were top of the line for Pontiac.Luxury with a bit of sport thrown in, back then they were much more fun than a Caddy
and more upscale than a Chevy. Pontiac and Oldsmobile were my favorite GM brands. Back then GM gave each of it's brands a different feel with each division having its own engines, sheet metal, interiors, etc. When that ended it didn't make sense to market 5 different mediocre chevy''s. As GM's market share shrank year after year, only Chinese Buick sales saved them.
Buick doesn't make cars any more, just SUV's. GM's EV program went from first to dead last, in a decade.
Like Chevy, Buick doesn't build passenger cars any more. nor do they plan on doing so in the future. So says Mary Barra,
GM's beloved CEO. She says GM can't make a profit from ICE cars, except for the C8. She declined all questions about the next gen Vette. EV or hybrid? My guess is that it will be hybrid,
Thanks for this one, Adam.. There's no such thing as too much 1960s Pontiac content ! Keep it coming !!
MarinCipolina There is, UP here in the Cleveland Ohio area a 1969 Acadian Beaumont SD396 that I'm aware of. Ofcoarse it looks alot like a 69 Chevelle SS396 but with all that Canadian Pontiac trim, as I understand it 1969 was the last year that GM did this.
Yup, fond memories
How I was wish my father was still alive so he and I could watch your channel Adam. He would certainly have stories to tell me as he was working on the assembly lines in Oshawa when these very cars were being built. Thank you for preserving and educating us on our automotive history..
Thx so much.
Live the past, and last 😎👆💥
5:12 Thankyou for mentioning the "awful aftermarket wheels" 👏👏👏
The 385 horse 427 had a hydraulic lifter cam, oval port heads and a single quadrajet carb. Very powerfully and docile.
The background scenery on the brochure is the site of Expo67 held in Montreal. Beautiful cars.
We drove to Expo 67 in my Aunt's Pontac when I was 10 years old.
Classic cars offered more options, quality, styles, and durability than today's "safer" computer designed boring cars. Thanks.
I’ve always considered the ‘67 Pontiacs to be the most daring in their already excellent styling. From the brand new Firebird, the intermediates and the full size. They were really pushing the envelope this year.
My dad had a 1963 Parisienne convertible with the 283.
An awesome, beautiful car.
I'll say it again, those mid 60s Pontiacs were just so beautiful. I remember my dad's 66 Bonneville, with that FM radio and reverb including that great interior .
Great video I love how our Canadian Pontiacs have unique models and drivetrain options when compared to their US cousins....this even applied to the T-body ....in the US Pontiac didn't have a Chevette counterpart untill 1981 but Pontiac Canada had the t-body Acadian starting in 1976....I'd love to have a 427 Grand Parisienne Safari 4spd...I'll keep dreaming as I rebuild my 1964 Parisienne 2dr 283 Powerglide....same as my grandfather had...Karl from eastern Canada
Neat video! The red wagon you show isn’t a grande parisienne though. It’s actually a US model, an Executive wagon that someone added the Grand Prix front end bits to. You can tell because of three elements. First is the Executive name plate on the fender, second is the 8 lug wheels which were US model only and most importantly the hidden windshield wipers which were a Pontiac exclusive in 67 were not used on Canadian Pontiacs which were really just chevies with some Pontiac looking sheet metal.
I’ve mentioned my uncles car like this a few times already on your channel, thanks for featuring it, Adam! 🎉 his biggest problem is fender skirts limiting how much tire you can put under it to manage the 427 4bbl power…
Take them off!
Only came across a couple 428s in my life.
One was a guy from Church...other was a buddy in HS mid 80s. 68 FIrebird had headwork healthy cam and 4.11s
Will never forget feeling that engines vibration in my chest when he fired it up and how easily with no throttle it would smoke the tires.
That thing was frigging fast.
I had a 428 in a 1969 Bonneville hearse. Wish I still had it.
I have a 0090 over bored 428 in my 1980 Trans Am.
wow, what a beautiful car
Always love the Parisiennes! On every street in Canada at one time...
My Mom had a 1967 Catalina 2 door hardtop. She loved that car!
My mom had a ‘67 Bonneville which I got to drive. She loved it too. As I remember it floated down the road and was really fast.
Thanks RCC&A, my wife saw this and left me for a Grand Parisienne, virility. Damn. And I loved Pontiacs😂
Awesome car! It always reminded me of the Batmobile!
Yeah...I can see it now! In the front!
The Batmobile was based on a Ford Futura, not a GM product.
My first experience seeing these was when my parents took a trip to Alberta and British Columbia in 1972. I saw both 1967 and 1968 Pontiac’s with Grand Prix front ends. Very cool!
That ‘67 wagon is so cool! Back in 1978 I went on family vacation to Canada and remember seeing these hidden headlights Pontiacs, also spotted Beaumonts and my first Mazda RX7. You can see what makes a wide-track Pontiac special if you compare it to a Chevy based Canadian model. I love the Expo 67 background drawings in the brochure!
I always remember the Chevrolet Tonawanda sticker on my sleeper 67 StratoChief with a 396 and Muncie M21 4-speed. To this day the 396 is my favorite engine!
Surprising GM went to the trouble of making a separate hood for the Canadian Pontiacs -- apparently just to not include the US Pontiacs' hidden wipers.
5:35 stunningly beautiful 4 dr hardtop -- and I love the wheels too!
Adam, I am still grappling with the whole concept of a Grande Parisienne Safari. I wonder what sort of creatures one might encounter in the Bois de Boulogne. 🤔 On the day after the Academy Awards ceremony it is worth remembering, we'll always have Paris. 😁
Lovely looking car-!
Such awesome cars. Thanks for featuring these. Wish today's cars had just a hint of styling...
Living in mid-michigan not very far from Port Huron Michigan We have the privilege of seeing The Canadian built Pontiacs, Quite a few live in the Port Huron,Michigan area be it a Beaumont, Acadian, Laurentian, Parisienne, etc. A lot of car people over there and a lot of Canadian people come over for the car shows with their Canadian built Pontiacs !
These Pontiacs were the ultimate cruisers ! Super cool - even great with a big straight 6 cyl .
Engine and a 3 spd . Transmission w/ the clunky column shift . Really good cars !
So true!
Very happy you covered the 67 Parisienne model and please do more of these weird Canadian cars. Lot of us have very little idea what was available in Canada.
'67 Grande Parisienne model.
I thought Canada only made syrup ham and hockey pucks!
Canadian Pontiacs are really cool! Not weird at all, other than the models with the wider frames for the wheels.
Canadian Pontiac fan here. I was always fascinated by the different models and engines from the US.
@@lsj1 Yes, me too. lt was always neat seeing how different the U.S. Pontiacs were from the Canadian ones.
> This Pontiac is really a beautiful car, as a kid growing-up in the 1960's, I always looked forward to each year's new models.
As an 70s kids we used to ride to the local dealerships to see the new models. Nice treat to look forward to .
Today they all look the same to me. Cant tell a MB from a Toyota to a Kia or chevy.
TIn boxes of electronics desined to fail.
Thanks for doing 67 Pon Tons. I didn't know about the Canadian Pontiacs in that way. Very cool. We used to see the Laurentians and Parisiennes on the Northway I - 87. I grew up in Schenectady NY.
Pontiacs were beautiful in the 60s
No idea 💡
Thanks for these videos
Always loved the unique aggressive and sporty look Pontiac gave these vehicles. Never knew they were Canadian exclusive. Good to know. 👍🏻Excellent documentary on this.
My parents wedding car was my uncles, White convertible 400/4spd 67' Grand Prix. the car is still gorgeous even today.
A friend inherited one from her grandfather. Hasn't seen pavement since the 80's. We did a bunch of work to get it running the other year. Few more bits to square up and we will have it on the road
1962 with the original 327
My Dad had bought a new 1967 Bonneville Station Wagon. I wished it had that front end on it with the hidden headlights and turn signals
3:04: The illustration on the brochure is set at the Expo 67 grounds on Ile Ste Helene, in Montreal.
Oui.
@@rightlanehog3151 C'est la pyramide inversée du pavillon du canada , le Katimavik = lieu de rencontre .
Has anyone ever come across a Beaumont, similar to the Chevelle and GTO, that has the "Cheetah" package?
These were low volume dealer installs from Conroy Pontiac Buick in B.C.
Some offered with a 427. Pretty cool cars!! And rare.
As a kid I remember the N & N logging truck that lost brakes coming down Taylor Way's 9% grade, ending up in Conroy's showroom. May have been Rogers Pontiac before Conroy???? Those logging trucks had water cooled brakes, us kids were amazed at the steam and bit of water trailing behind.
In early 80’s I had 65 Pontiac Parisienne 4d ht with 283 and powerglide. Still missing it.
The front end with the concealed headlights is the coolest thing on a full-size car from GM from the 1960's. Absolutely love it. Have seen one here at a classic auto venue.
Cool old Pontiacs.They had style.If you have one of these ,you got something!
Thanks Adam. I learned a lot from this video...my brother has the likely 1-of-1 376hp 428 HO red/red 4-spd US GP convertible...knew very little about Canuck variants.
I had a Canadian customer who would visit my shop in NC every year. He loved the fact that I knew Ponchos inside/out and had family in Canada so we always had a lot to talk about. He had an Acadian. Rough around the wheel wells but drove like new.
Acadian. 🙂
@@bobjohnson205 typo..thanks. I fixed it.
That last car pictured was really interesting seeing it was right hand drive. Would love to see interior shots of that one
Another commenter identified it as a South African model.....
I actually owned a 67 Grand Parisienne coupe a few years back. Was a real head turner and looked good with the headlight doors closed or open. Kinda gave the car a completely different look.
Grande Parisienne. 🙂
A friend i know has a 1978 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham 4-door sedan. He bought the car used in Lloydminster, Alberta. The car is alpine white with burgundy vinyl roof and interior. It is fully loaded with all the toys, and 1978 was the year Canada 🇨🇦 went on the metric system, and the speedometer is kilometers per hour large, miles per hour small.
Compare this art-gallery worthy nose with "Bunkie Beaks" of '70-71 T-Birds! Sublime-to-ridiculous doesn't begin to express it. (Kudos for your polite post about those Birds, dear gracious Adam🙏.)
Hey Hey ... Some of use love American Racing Torque Thrust rims ! 👊🤣👍 Also note you could get a bucket seat interior with a 3 or 4 speed manual stickshift ! Wow ! What a gentleman's muscle car that would have been.
Dude, I hear you! Similar thing happened to me when I was 7, nearly 8, and my family emigrated from Switzerland to America. I fell in extreme love with the friendly people that helped us everywhere. And the great American flagships that cruised the highways with never ending hoods, taillights from one end to the other, powerful, melodious engines that made want to jump up and down. I knew I landed in heaven, and wondered why it took so long to get to the promised land. I fell deeply in love. It only took a few days. My beautiful diamond white, 2008 Buick Lucerne with a silky smooth 3800 engine is a watered down but greatly appreciated reminder of those wonderful days in the late 60s of my first love.
Adam, having grown up in Alberta Canada, (note the 1967 Centennial plate on the car you feature here ^ ) and also being a French immersion kid in the Canadian school system, I clearly remember the Parisienne and Laurentian nameplates (and all the other Canadian model variations, such as Acadian, etc.) I especially wanted to thank you for pointing out the “assembly plant oddities” that I then never knew about: i.e. the “stealth turn signals” … of this stylish front end treatment going on the 4-door above but never being available on 4-door chassis in The States. Thanks to your research focus, I also enjoyed learning about your Canadian-built blue 6-cyl ‘59 Pontiac sitting on the slightly non-aligned Chevy chassis, making it your beloved, smooth idling but “slightly un-wide track” Pontiac 😊 Where else are we going to get deep-dive content like this ? Appreciation here 🤙🏼
Adam, I still love your Catalina the best.Mike the Greek
Title it 427 and wait for the comments, works every time.
Pretty sure it was a 428
@@migmadmarinenot
As an Aussie, t had the sense that the Parisienne was THE Pontiac, and they are still a popular resto-mod vehicle in particular. It was a genuine looker.
are there very many left
That front-end styling ... ! ! !
I owned a 1967 Grand Prix hardtop. One of the three 1960's Pontiacs I had the pleasure of owning. '61 Bonneville and '66 GTO were the others.
The US hardtop featured the hidden opposing wipers and no vent windows.
The doors to the hidden headlights were vacuum driven. I recall having an issue with them at some point.
Mine was maroon with a black interior and black vinyl top.
Looks sort of reminded me of my GTO, but the GP was much larger and handled more like a boat.
Why only Pontiac came in a Canadian model? Why not Olds Buick and Chevy? What made Pontiac the chosen one? Love these reviews of cars from the mid to late 60s and early 70s. Especially when artist renderings of initial designs are shown. It's fun to see the concept and how it ended up. I love those mid to late 60s luxury cars like the 98, Electra and DeVilles. Those years in my opinion were the best and just before plastics became the standard over higher quality materials especially on the interiors.
What I noticed is that the Canadian Pontiacs seem to have 3 different styles of windshield wipers. The red car at the beginning has exposed parallel style wipers, the red Safari wagon (at 6:00) has the hidden wipers like US cars, and the last car, the one with RHD, has exposed butterfly wipers. I love your episodes on Canadian cars, Adam!
only US Pontiacs had concealed wipers in 1967, that was an industry first.
Since the "butterfly" wipers were on a RHD model, perhaps that was special just for RHD? Left-facing wipers on a RHD car leave a large wedge-shaped section unwiped right in front of the driver's field of vision on most cars.
Excellent observation!
That's because the one @6:00 is actually a U.S. Executive wagon and not a Canadian Grande Parisienne model. You can see the name on the front fender. Adam being a little careless churning out his videos.
Back in 1975 I saw a Gold 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix for sale on Lacey Way in Olympia, WA! It happened to be a very clean low miles example with something like 68000 miles. At the time it was for sale for $650 but that was a lot for a 16 year old kid washing dishes at a local restaurant! Anyhow I was driving a wore out 1962 Chevy 2. I had to sell the car I had before I could buy anything else. Unfortunately and sadly for me the Grand Prix sold before I got the Chevy 2 sold. It was one of my most serious car regrets of my life! Once the Chevy 2 was sold I did get a deal on a black 1968 Chevy Nova SS with 4 speed. It had a bad clutch and a rear end problem but it was a really decent car otherwise. Once I got those issues resolved it was a great car for a young guy!
Even growing up only 100 miles from the Canadian border, I never knew their Pontiacs had Chevy engines until I worked at a gas station my senior year of high school. Also noticed their names were different from their American counterparts. Great piece of history.
It’s heartwarming that GM gave the Canadians something a little special at one time.
The 67 GP 2 door coupe hardtop or convertible was my favorite of all the Pontiacs
BTW… those ‘67 GP turn signal were declared illegal in Pennsylvania! Those GP’s reverted to the turn signals below the bumper, as in Bonneville, Executive, and Catalina. Pontiac Historical Society verified this as I restored a “Pennsylvania “ GP convertible about 10 years ago. Adam: you do a superlative job!👍
I really enjoy the Canadian car features as that is right up my alley. Speaking of which I have three of the 67 Grande hardtops in my back yard that I collected to keep them out the the hands of the crushers. Very low production around 2500 if I recall correctly. They need work but you could make one really nice one out of the three. Every once in a while I look at those sexy front ends and get ambitious and then I remember my other projects. Too bad!
The blue Grand Parisienne 4 door hardtop pictured was originally sold to the Russian Embassy in Ottawa! It's one of 2159 8 cylinder 4 door hardtops built. Owner still has original wheels/hubcaps.
Are you sure it was not sold to the Soviet embassy?
@@rightlanehog3151 My bad. Yes, Soviet
That was one of the great things about GM back in the day, the interchangeability. When I was young in the 70's and 80's and we built our own cars a lot, I saw all kinds of engine swaps between the divisions using all factory parts. The chevy bell housing was a bit different, but if you left 2 bolts out it still would swap either way. But olds in pontiac, or buick in olds, or whatever went together pretty easily. There was even one guy from a couple of towns away that had a Chevelle, with a GTO front end, Powered by a 455 Buick. It ran pretty strong. We used to call him "GOvelle"
Gold with a black top and interior was my first car. It had a 350 hp 400 and would absolutely grind the right rear tire until cords were showing !!! Loved that car and wish it had survived my youth. I always wanted to put the engine into a much lighter Ventura and race around with that but after the sad demise of the GP I got a Cuda with a 440 6 pack and was Mopar from then on.
Good choice on your Mopar.!
I think you just introduced me to my new favorite car. I really want one. Looks custom from the factory
A guy who was in the local Pontiac club (the chief Blackhawk chapter) had a 67 grand pariesenne 2+2 convertible. Was supposedly 2 of 250 made. Had a Chevy 427 in it, as the Canadian ponchos had Chevy drivetrain. It was lowered and had lake pipes on it with flame throwers on it. One of the coolest 67 pontiacs I’ve ever seen.
I remember the first time I saw a 67 Pontiac Laurentian I was a young boy, my neighbor across the street had a dark green one 4 door, what a beautiful car!! A Lot of Great cars where built in GM Oshawa Plant 🇨🇦🇨🇦👍👍
That was fun! I knew next to nothing about Parisiennes. When I was a kid we had a series of Catalinas, then a 1969 Grand Prix, a black SJ. I love Pontiacs!
Leave it to Adam to find us another quirky, out of the blue, left field subjects that I would have never even heard of before this great content Adam supplies! Bravio!!
My Grandfather loved his PONTIAC's. Plural Vehicles and end of statement. I do miss him and the Grand Sized front seats that you could lay down on and not hit your head or bend your knees.
I miss my 67 Grande Parisienne, 4 door hardtop , Black Vinyl top , Black paint and kinda dark red interior
Just a base small block engine and powerglide transmission , one of the best riding cars I owned , I am now about to turn 60 and
being disabled , I could never find one affordable to fix up myself, I sure liked that car though ...
I did find a 67 BOnneville a few years later , in better shapr bodywise , however I let it get away too , shame on me
These are some of the best driving full size cars I have driven
I learned to drive in a beige 67 Laurentien 4 dr. equipped with the 283 ci V8 and Powerglide tranny. What a beast. No acceleration to speak of, but it would cruise at 80+ all day long. Good times.
my brother in law had one of these with the 396, he loved that car
I got married in my mom's 1967 Pontiac Parisian 2+2 with the 396! Ragtop! One of 500 made! Cream, white leather interior! Real wood accents! She's gone now and we had to sell the car, but it was a beauty! So is she!
Thanks, great . Interestingly, we got married in a 1966 FORD GALAXIE 500 XL, DEEP,BURGANDY, 4 speed/352 4 BBL/ Black deluxe INTERIORS… ( e.g. Jay Leno’s1966 w/ o 7LITRE….).. lot of improvements I added..* ps Still Married !
A 396 IS A CHEVY ENGINE! NOT PONTIACs had 389s The video Titles WRONG TOO! PONTIACs DIDNT HAVE 427s , they were 428s !
I remember these well up here in Canada. They were great looking.
My dad did advertising for a local GM dealership and I had a sales facts book which helped me learn about cars in general.
The good old days.
Love that Canadian GP Safari. My favorite is the US '67 GP convertible.
Very pretty bit of lore, thank you. My family had a Ventura 2dr fastback and a wagon from 67.
Great video. 67 Grand was a very handsome car. Growing up in Canada a Parisienne was a normal full size Pontiac. We live on Vancouver Island so the there were lots of US imports. Catalina’s were around but the big Bonnevilles were rare.
Yep Adam, some cool Pontiacs rarely seen and worth a bit to collectors like yourself. Didn't know there was a Grande Parisienne or Safari, but in OZ have seen a number of Pontiac Parisienne's over the years. Cheers fm Damo🤔👍
There is a 1964 Parisian two door, 409, four speed here in Key West; I believe it uses the shorter wheelbase Chevy frame, very nice car.
Never saw this! Lived through this period. Great stuff.
Thank you Adam. It is appreciated you shared the Pontiac Grande Parisienne. I liked the photos and the information you shared. I liked you discussed it was a Canada and international car. I learned about this car years ago looking in a global car book. They talked about how they sold them as kits in Australia at GM there and built then in Holden plants. I am just glad you featured it too. I wonder why they did not sell this in the United States when the brought Parisienne in the 1980's under that name or when they created Grand Ville( Grand Bonneville) in the 1970's. I knew about the Chevrolet parts and it was quite clear when you see them. GM did what they needed to do because of the laws back then. A Bonneville with a Grand Prix from = Grande Parisienne. I must admit the sedan looks grand.
What most people don't think of i,s the fact that Canadian Pontiac were Pontiac body with Chevy engines. there were no Pontiac engines in Canada in the 1960's. The Canadian Pontiac I liked best was the 1969 Beaumont SS396.
Those Beaumonts were beauty.
What a great front end. One of my buddy's parents had a white 67 executive wagon, that was a beautiful car.
I´ve never heard of this pontiac before. its a very sharp car!
Yup , seen a couple as a kid. The 427 was no slouch. Pontiacs were a real staple in my home town of Oshawa .The 2+2 was highly desirable… Mostly 327’s.I lived near a wrecking yard and we new which engines to pinch.Yea the good ole Cheviacs.
I love your videos. However, on the wagon, I think this was a Bonneville in that the name tag on the fender looked like it said Bonneville. Also the wagon had hidden windshield wipers, whereas the other models had exposed wipers.
Good eye. Bonneville Safaris didn’t have the hidden headlights. Someone had put the GP front end on it. However, Grande Parisiennes did have this front end.
My dad had a 1967 US Catalina Safari and you are on to something, the concealed wipers were standard on all US full size Pontiacs, not Chevrolets. Concealed wipers were in industry first in 1967 and only US Pontiacs had them. BUT, the Bonneville did not ever have the wood - only the Executive Safari came w/ wood - my dad later had an Executive Safari and that was the only full size Pontiac wagon w/ wood from 1967-70.
My dad had one and it was yellow with the black vinyl roof, I’m Canadian and there were a few on our short street, 1967
Laurentians followed by Parisiennes were probably the most common of the GM car models when I was young in the 60s. More than Chevys in the full size category. I don't recall anyone having a Strato Chief.
A friend of mine was a roustabout in the Montana oil fields. He would pick up 4 other on his crew and drive the 120 miles to the field in 2 hours. One day he overslept an hour. He hopped in his late 60's Pontiac Executive, picked everyone up and made it to work in an hour, driving on gravel roads the whole way. He still had that car years later.
Not only did the Canadian Pontiacs get Chevrolet engines, they were mounted on Chevrolet frames, including the front & rear suspension. Remember, Pontiac was marketing these US cars as "WideTrack" back then which was more than just a slogan. The track width on the Canadian Pontiacs was 1.5 to 2.0 inches narrower which makes them pretty easy to spot, even from a distance, with a bigger gap between the outside tire sidewall and the lip of the wheel opening.