1967 Beaumont

The 1967 Beaumont was created for the Canadian market but the marque would also be built in Chile and sold in Puerto Rico and the Republic of South Africa.

 General Motors of Canada Limited first established its policy of creating unique Pontiacs for the domestic market in the 1930s. Pontiac grilles were grafted onto Chevrolet bodies with enough of Pontiac's Indian-theme--and later the silver streak trim--to distinguish one nameplate from the other. This increased profits handsomely for GM's Canadian subsidary since the company got two birds for just one stone without having to build or import Pontiac models from the States.

The 1948 Vauxhall Velox was introduced to Canadians. A RHD model is seen here.

After World War Two, GM of Canada began importing Vauxhalls from GM's British subsidiary but they sold in small numbers, at first.

The posh compact Nash Rambler bowed in 1950 as an upscale station wagon and a convertible.

 In 1950 Nash created a new segment in the automobile market, the compact. Canadians recoginzed the value and responded by snapping up the small cars. At Nash, corporate thinking was that small did not mean cheap. Rambler came dressed to the nines with a radio, heater, whitewall tires and leather-trimmed seats at no extra cost. Priced virtually the same as a stripped full-size Chevrolet, Rambler caught on with the frugal, buying public.

The 1954 Volkswagen Beetle.

Nash was not alone in recognizing Canadians' appetite for smaller vehicles. Volkswagen took a hard look at Canadians' hunger for smaller and thriftier cars and established its first overseas subsidiary on Canadian soil in 1954. VW was on the money as consumers lined up for the pint-sized West German import.

In the fall of 1959 GM Canada began to compete with Volkswagen with its rear-engined Corvair but it missed the mark. GM brought a more traditional small car to market in 1962. Chevrolet dealers got the Chevy II and Pontiac dealers were given the Acadian.

Acadian shared a shell with the Chevy II but it was distinctly Canadian. The new brand appealed to national pride and history of the proudly tragic French-speaking colonists who arrived in the early 1500s to settle in what is now Newfoundland, the Maritime Provinces, Maine and Quebec. Expulsed en masse from their homes by British conquerors and immortalized in Longfellow's poem, Evangeline, the name still evokes strength and endurance today. 

 

 

Beaumont began life as the top-of-the-line series for Acadian. Unique maple leaf chrome trim, a split grille, different interior fabrics and soft trim made the Acadian distinct, although it used the Chevy II instrument panel. Power plants were identical to Chevy II with both four- and six-cylinder engine offered.

The Acadian sold very well, taking 3.5 percent of all new car registrations that year. Acadian's strong showing slotted the new make right after Oldsmobile and just ahead of GM's popular captive import Vauxhall, sourced from Britain. The latter was displayed on Pontiac showroom floors alongside the homegrown Acadian.

While the Acadian brand was continued through 1971, the Beaumont name was chosen to adorn the larger Chevelle-sized Acadian introduced in 1964. Acadian now rode on two wheelbases. From 1964 onward the larger vehicle mated Pontiac Tempest's instruemt panel to Chevelle interior fabrics, upholstery, trim and door panels. 

The 1966 Beaumont Custom Convertible.

In 1966 the popular Beaumont bacame a marque in its own right. Records show that 12,827 Beaumonts were sold that year. Two six-cylinder engines were available as well as Chev's 327-cubic inch V-8.

The 1967 Beaumont was restyled.

Nine Beaumont models were offered the following season--in time of Canada's 100th birthday. A total of 12,356 units sold during Centennial year, almost beating out Ford's Fairlane. While Pontiac's Tempest and LeMans models were available, they were expensive imports costing up to $700 more than the domestically-built Beaumont. Since the imported Pontiacs weighed a good 270 kilos (600 pounds) more and came with smaller engines, a Beaumont would knock the socks off of any Pontiac GTO. Beaumont was popular because it represented a lot of car for the money.

Despite increasing sales, the popular Beaumont was cancelled in 1969 a casualty of AutoPact, the Canada-US trade agreement that allowed trans-shipment of automobiles between our two countries without tax or tariff. It is estimated that 55,000 Beaumonts were built between 1966 and 1969.

1969 was the final year for GM Canada's Beaumont. It was replaced by the Pontiac LeMans.

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Copyright James C. Mays 1998
 All rights reserved.

1974 Chevrolet Nova

The 1974 Chevrolet Nova was the 12^th most popular selling car in 1974 with 22,283 units delivered to Canadians during the calendar year.

When General Motors of Canada introduced its rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair for the 1960 season its creators were surprised that it failed to take sales away from the imported Volkswagen Beetle or the even the homegrown Rambler. 

Built in Oshawa, Ontario, the 1960 Chevrolet Corvair was designed to compete directly against the Renault Dauphine and the VW Beetle.

Disappointed division honchos hurried to bring a more conventional car to market. The Nova name first appeared in Chevrolet lineup in 1962 as the name of the top-of-the-line model in the new senior compact series Chevrolet Chevy II. For good measure, Pontiac-Buick dealers were given a Canada-only badge engineered Acadian that shared the new Chevy II body.

The 1962 Chevrolet Chevy II was introduced to make sure GM had a popular domestic nameplate in the compact segment of the market.

By the 1968 model year all Chevy IIs carried the Nova name and a year later the Chevy II emblem was retired altogether. The car was not particularly popular with consumers. With 8,915 sales It ranked 27^th in the 1968 calendar year behind GM’s captive import Vauxhall, well behind Plymouth Valiant and GM’s homegrown Beaumont built on the Chevrolet Chevelle body. 

The 1968 Acadian shared its shell with the Nova but was sold through GM Canada's Pontiac-Buick dealer body. Ironically, the Canada-only brand was built in Willow Run, Michigan.

Nova sales rose to 12,289 units delivered in 1969 to give it the 22^nd spot. Because of AutoPact, GM Canada dropped the popular Beaumont at the end of the 1969 selling season and that, in part, helped Nova to capture 18^th spot in 1970, even though actual sales were off to 12,064 units.

The 1971 Chevrolet Vega turned heads and stole sales from the Nova.

In 1971 the GM spotlight shone brightly on the new Chevrolet Vega. No doubt that helped to steal sales from the compact Nova, which finished in 25^th place with 10,925 units. There is no question that compact cars were popular; sales figures show that Nova didn’t share in that popularity. The public bypassed the bowtie for Toyota, the second best selling car in the country, Datsun skidded into the lot at Number Four and Volkswagen parked at the Number Five spot. The Plymouth Valiant took 7^th and its Dodge Dart kin held the Number Nine spot. 

The 1972 Toyota family.

The figures for 1972 place Nova at 18,727 units, moving it up to the 16^th place. It was still a small car world for Canadians. That year Toyota stole the Number One spot from the full-sized Chevrolet. Datsun moved into the Number Three position, the Plymouth Valiant took the five spot and VW landed in the sixth spot. Inching upward to the 15^th spot in 1973, the Nova reached 22,493 units. 

The 1974 Chevrolet Nova Custom four-door sedan weighed in at 1529 kilos (3,371 pounds) with the 5.7-litre (350 cubic-inch) V-8 engine.

Virtually unchanged for 1974, Nova returned for its 13^th season. That sameness was the Chev’s virtue this year. Advertising was blunt. “Experience is the best teacher. And if you know your Novas, you know we’ve been building essentially the same car since 1968. We think we’ve got it down pat.”

The most trouble free car in its class, there was little to add. “This year we’ve given nova an improved bumper system, front and rear, to help cushion minor impacts. There are some new colours, new carpets new trim. And for the first time ever, you can order steel-belted radial ply tires for your new Nova.” 

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Nova was powered by the Turbo-Thrift 4-litre (250 cubic-inch) six-cylinder mill. It generated 100 horsepower and was mated to a three-speed manual transmission. Turbo Hydramatic transmission was optional. The Turbo-Fire 5.7-litre (350 cubic-inch) V-8 with a two-barrel carb gave the driver 145 horses while the four-barrel version cranked that right up to 160 horsepower.

Nova Customs came with “a touch of sportiness.” There were black impact strips on front and rear bumpers, deep cut-pile carpeting and extra insulation. Special nameplates let one know you had paid extra for the fancy stuff. There was a four-door sedan and a hatchback coupe, with .77 cubic metres (27.3 cubic feet) of space on a nice flat, carpeted floor.

The 1974 Chevrolet Nova SS was a mean little pocket rocket.

The Custom SS stood apart with a blacked out grille with bold SS badges throughout, some serious striping fore and aft, rally wheels, special centre caps and bright lug nuts. The car came with beefy suspension, a remote control mirror on the driver’s side and an ordinary on the passenger side.

Interior of the 1974 Chevrolet Nova could be upgraded with bucket seats and a centre console.

Cabins were dressed up in black or blue cloth and vinyl upholstery or black or neutral all-vinyl upholstery. Of course there were cloth and vinyl combos in black with trim or green with black trim. Strato-Bucket seats could be ordered in black and white sport cloth for the coupes and hatchbacks. For those who preferred, black, green or neutral vinyl covering was available. The bucket seats were a natural with the extra cost sporty centre console.

 Like Nova itself, the instrument panel was the epitome of good taste and ergonomics.

One was hard pressed to tell the difference between the Standard Nova and the Custom. There were fewer trim extras and upholstery choices were less fancy. The base Nova was no nonsense, for sure.

An Interior Décor/Quiet Sound Group added lights and insulation. A new feature was the seat and shoulder belt that was interlocked with the ignition. The car would not start unless buckled. Drivers hated the feature.

Colours offered were Antique White, Bright Blue Metallic, midnight Blue Metallic, Aqua Bleu Metallic, Lime Yellow, Bright Green Metallic, medium Dark Green metallic, cream Beige, Bright Yellow, Light Gold Metallic, sandstone, Golden Brown Metallic, Bronze Metallic, Silver Metallic, medium Red Metallic and Medium Red. Now, one could order two-tone variants with Antique White over Midnight Blue Metallic, Aqua Blue metallic, medium dark Green metallic, Light Gold Metallic, Bronze Metallic and Medium Red Metallic.

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Nova might not have been the most flashy car on the Number One Highway but the list of options was as long as the drive from Moose Jaw to Winnipeg. Well, it seems like that. Chev wasn’t shy to shovel out the extra-cost goodies. 

One of the most unusual options available for the 1974 Chevrolet Nova was this Hatchback Hutch for camping.

There were vinyl roof treatments in ten different colours. Soft-Ray tinted windows and Four-Season air conditioning made for a more comfortable ride. The ComforTilt Steering Wheel with six-way adjustment, power disc or drum brakes, an AM or AM/FM push button radio and power steering made driving more pleasant. The Turbo Hydra-matic transmission eliminated shifting. There was Positraction, a forced-air rear window defogger, electric clock, power mirrors, sport mirrors, deluxe seat and shoulder belts. One could dress up the car with wheel trim rings. More room could be had in the trunk with a Space-Saver spare. For cold weather and hauling needs, there was the heavy-duty battery and rad. A trailer hitch, trailer wiring harness and trailer mirrors were useful, too.

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Copyright James C. Mays 2006
All rights reserved.

1980 Pontiac Acadian

After being discontinued in 1971, the proud and popular Acadian nameplate made a comeback late in 1979. This time it bowed not as a brand of compact car but under the Pontiac banner as GM Canada's feisty import fighter. The newest subcompact in Oshawa's stable would have its work cut out for it, doing battle against the Top Ten imports: Honda, Toyota, Datsun, VW, Mazda, Lada, Subaru, Chrysler’s Mitsubishi, Renault and Audi. These value-loaded offshore offerings would grab 21 percent of the domestic market during the 1980 model year, the highest total in decades.

Aside from international competition, there were plenty of domestic contenders, too. In addition to its cousin the Chevrolet Chevette, Ford’s Pinto and Mercury Bobcat,  AMC’s Spirit, the Dodge Omni, Plymouth Horizon and Chrysler Expo already filled the field.

Oddly enough, the Canada-only Pontiac Acadian was an import itself, built in the United States on the same lines as the Chevrolet Chevette. Advertising went to great lengths to stress that the baby Pontiac was part of the GM World Car programme. “The vehicles described in this brochure are assembled at facilities of General Motors of Canada Limited or car Divisions of General Motors Corporation or at facilities of General Motors Corporation operated by the GM Assembly Division.”

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Badge engineering was employed on the Acadian. It received the Pontiac emblem and Acadian decals, complete with a distinguishing maple leaf. Other than that, it was virtually identical to the Chevrolet Chevette. Still, there was a need; Canadians had been shopping at their Pontiac-Buick dealers for thrifty little Vauxhalls since 1948. With the demise of the ill-fated Vauxhall Firenza in 1973, that entire subcompact segment of the market had been lost. Dealers were acutely aware of the sales that slipped through their fingers during the four-year absence. The addition of the Acadian to showroom floors was good news, indeed.

Introduction of the Acadian was most timely. Gasoline prices rose dramatically as the National Energy Board and Alberta squabbled bitterly in public over production quotas and tax rights. The Bank of Canada continued to hike interest rates in a desperate bid to shore up a sagging dollar. Weary consumers were caught in a nightmarish spiral of double-digit inflation and shrinking earning power. From groceries to mortgages, everything cost more and debt loads rose dramatically. Those who were in the market found small economical cars more desirable than ever before.

Advertising for the pint-sized Pontiac hit home with an anxious public. “No mistake about it. The 1980 Pontiac Acadian offers something you just don’t see much of now. Your money’s worth. That’s why we’re proud that Acadian continues the tradition of being a lot of car.” Cashing in on its GM heritage, it boasted a unitized Body by Fisher.

Designed in West Germany as General Motors’ first attempt at a car for the world market, the Chevette first bowed through GM’s Brazilian subsidiary in the spring of 1973. Model variants there included a pickup truck. In September of 1973 it was introduced in Germany as the third generation of the Opel Kadett. In the fall of 1974 it was built for the Argentine market as the Opel K-180. In November, the Japanese could buy it as the Isuzu Bellett Gemini. In 1975, Britons met the Vauxhall Chevette, Australians said ‘good day mate’ to the Holden Gemini and North Americans greeted the Chevrolet Chevette.

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Acadian could be had as a two- or four-door hatchback. A stripped S version listed at the rock bottom price of $4,345, putting it squarely in league with Lada, the lowest priced car on the domestic market.

Under the hood of the Acadian was the 1.6-litre L4 four-cylinder, overhead cam engine with a two-stage carburetor. A faster version of the mill added a high-speed camshaft and a dual-takedown exhaust manifold. Primarily produced by the Chevrolet Motor Division at the Flint, Michigan Motor Plant, an advisory noted that the GM-built engines found in Acadians could be produced by various divisions. All mills were mated to a four-speed manual transmission for “good horsepower good driveability, a positive cold drive-away response and peppy acceleration.”

Pontiac’s little foot soldier came with a number of standard goodies including front disc brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, a diagnostic connector for quick hook-up to the computer at the dealership, a fold down rear seat and a centre floor console, the latter installed on all but the lowest price S Hatchback Coupe.

Interiors of the base S model were finished in Black or Camel-coloured vinyl or cloth. Higher cost models offered interior choices in Blue and Carmine as well. Top-of-the-line Acadian Custom interiors could be had in upscale vinyl or custom cloth finishes. Seats reclined on all models but the S. Advertising promised that a “liberal application of acoustical materials” had been used throughout but then there was an optional custom interior trim package that packed in more insulation—just in case.

Entry-level vehicle that it was, Acadian came with a goodly number of extra-cost options to dress it up. Customers were invited to “build your own Acadian.” Sunday best niceties included an intermittent windshield wiper system, a Comfortilt steering wheel, colour-keyed seat belts and floor mats, sports mirrors with remote control operation for the driver’s side, air conditioning, tinted glass, an AM/FM radio and the requisite number of speakers, a three-speed automatic transmission, the Delco Freedom heavy-duty battery, a roof rack, wheel trim rings, sport wheel covers, steel-belted radial ply tires, an auxiliary lighting package, an electric clock, a tachometer, an electric rear window defogger, exterior striping and for all but the very early production models, a rear window wiper-washer. A very useful and important option was the Continuous Protection Plan, designed to extend the warranty.

Exteriors were finished in three coats of paint. Colour choices were Beige, Black, Bright Blue Metallic, Dark Blue Metallic, Light Camel Metallic, Dark Claret Metallic, Grey, Dark Green Metallic, Red, Red Orange, Silver, White and Bright Yellow. In addition there were five smart two-tone colour combinations.

A total of 19,361 Pontiac Acadians were built during the 1980 model year. They did their job well, helping GM Canada to have its second best year on record despite the deeply troubled economy.

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Copyright James C. Mays 2005 All rights reserved.