Northern beauty

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/05/2007 (6976 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IN the late 1940s, Canada’s unique vehicle market prompted most manufacturers to offer mid-priced models that differed from their U.S. offerings.

With Canada’s wage structure slightly behind our American cousins, vehicles in the low-price field were the prime sellers. To keep the market lively with some added choice, Canadian manufacturers were quite creative in crafting that mid-price look for only a few dollars more.

At General Motors, the U.S. Pontiac shared the Oldsmobile frame, but in Canada the Pontiac shares its kinship with the Chevrolet. Built on the Chevrolet chassis and generally powered by Chevrolet running gear, the Canadian Pontiac was much less expensive to build and maintain making its list price of approximately $2,300 an attractive alternate to the low-price Chevrolet.

In 1954, General Motors opened their new Oshawa, Ont. assembly plant for Chevrolet and Pontiac production. Rolling off that line was one of the upscale Pontiac models built exclusively for the Canadian market, the bright new Laurentian.

While it retains the Chevrolet’s size, it uses similar trim and chrome found on the U.S.-built Pontiac Chieftan model. Offered in both a sedan and a two-door sport coupe model, the Laurentian presented the Canadian buyer just the right dash of style with rock-solid reliability.

For Don Swaffer of Winnipeg Beach, his 1954 Pontiac Laurentian Sport Coupe was literally dropped in his lap in September of 1990.

“A couple of the guys at Mission Auto in Steinbach wanted to know if I would take the Pontiac as a trade on my ’72 Chevrolet pickup,” says Swaffer. “I told them the truck wasn’t for sale and that I wasn’t interested in any kind of a trade, but that I would like to buy the car outright.”

Swaffer’s Laurentian Sport Coupe is number 1,127 out of 1,170 produced at the Oshawa plant and was originally delivered and sold in the Vancouver area, later making its way east to the Keystone province.

Finished in a pleasant Guard blue over Breton blue two-tone paint scheme, it carries blue leather and patterned broadcloth upholstery. Rather posh for the times and rated big on comfort, the Pontiac comes nicely optioned with tinted glass, Deluxe AM radio, electric clock, cigar lighter, signal lights, passenger-side sun visor, side-view mirrors, front and rear bumper guards and fender skirts.

Power comes from a 239-cubic-inch L-head in-line six-cylinder engine, developing a reasonable 117 horsepower at 3,600 r.p.m. and is transferred back to a three-speed manual transmission.

In good running condition, Swaffer was able to drive the car for several years before it needed any major work. He started the restoration in 1999 by securing the needed parts.

Norm Dumontier at Mid-Canada Suspension came up with the new suspension components and brake hardware while Minute Muffler supplied and installed a new single exhaust system. Basically a straight and rust-free car, Bob Keller performed the necessary bodywork and repainted the car in its original colours. Chrome trim was replated at Riverview Plating and Swaffer spent many hours polishing the stainless steel trim.

National Chevrolet in St. Paul, Minn., supplied new rubber seals for the doors and windows. With virtually no reproduction parts being manufactured, Swaffer was faced with finding parts cars to come up with missing items and body trim.

“I managed to find parts in Eriksdale, Lundar, Anola and a complete sedan model parts car in Gilbert Plains,” says Swaffer.

For the interior, Mitch at A&A Glass & Trim installed a new carpet and reupholstered the door and rear side panels. For added visual impact, Swaffer installed 15-inch Denman wide whitewall tires mounted on Tru-Spoke wire wheels.

Swaffer, a member of the Manitoba Street Rod Association and the Gimli Car Club, has logged several miles with the Pontiac, attending shows and even pressing the car into service for family weddings and special events on occasion. Also a member of the Khartum Shrine Temple Vintage Car Club, it’s been in numerous parades throughout the province and sharp-eyed viewers can also catch a glimpse of it in the movie The Arrow.

Today, the Canadian-built Pontiacs are very collectible vehicles due to their low production numbers. Some may say the General Motors of Canada marketing strategy at the time was doing nothing more than dressing a three up like a nine, yet the Pontiac often accounted for nearly eight per cent of total annual vehicle sales in Canada. I’d say that makes it a perfect 10.

larry.dargis@freepress.mb.ca