The glory days of the Pontiac Parisienne and the Ford Galaxie 500

Shakespeare’s Danny Morey enjoys cruising in his classic Pontiac Parisienne convertible. With colder weather on the way, top-down days are limited, but Morey says he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. A repaint might come in the future – though most vintage car owners agree that keeping the car in its original condition adds to its charm. Gary West photo

By Gary West

It’s always a treat to see classic cars from the past brought back to life, especially for those who remember the eras when these vehicles ruled the roads.

Last week, Shakespeare’s Danny Morey was spotted in Tavistock driving his vintage Pontiac Parisienne convertible through the Tim Hortons drive-through, soaking up the sunshine with the top down on a warm fall afternoon.

During the mid-1960s and early 1970s, Pontiac led the way for General Motors in vehicle sales, with models such as the Strato Chief and Laurentian complementing the more luxurious Parisienne and Grand Parisienne. The Executive Line Parisienne could be purchased brand new for about $9,300, featuring a 350-cubic-inch engine with either a two- or four-barrel carburetor.

At the same time, GM’s Chevrolet lineup offered the Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala and top-of-the-line Caprice, all part of what many call the glory days of General Motors in Canada, with Oshawa standing proud as the country’s leading car manufacturing hub.