1959 Pontiac Parisienne (not Bonneville/Star Chief/Catalina) Walkaround/Drive: Narrow-Track Pontiac

[@jonmoore8995]

The more I watch you channel, the more I like 4 doors. It's good to see the beautiful cars.

[@glenkepic3208]

I think the car is gorgeous ! Summer of '82, my Wife and i go with some of her family for a family reunion in northern Washington State. We were a day or so early so mixed is some trips on the side, one taking the ferry to Victoria Canada for lunch. Make our way thru the nearest town, looking for a place to eat. I must have seen like 5 Pontiac Parisienne's in various ages that day. I dug all of them though it was all new to me. Pretty good day :)

[@jeffreysproul9110]

My parents didn't have a 59 Pontiac but they did have a 59 Buick LeSabre station wagon. That car was a beast.

[@DustinDriver]

This car is just gorgeous inside and out!

[@jamesdonald7485]

My father had a 1959 Canadian built Laurentian in Auckland, New Zealand - different roof-line and not pillarless. 6 cylinder and manual 3 speed column shift - no synchro in 1st! I learnt how to double declutch in that car. We used to travel about 5 hours north of Auckland to our holiday house in the Bay of Islands with a cat, 2 dogs, and a cage of birds plus heaps of food and our belongings. Wonderful car and great memories. It was followed by a 1961 Laurentian, then a 1963, '65, and then Impalas - a '66 and a '68 before these great cars became unavailable in NZ and we had to drive Holdens - GM's Australian car. None of those ever equalled the great American/Canadian GM cars of the era.

[@kickstnd]

My grandma had one. 3 on the tree standard transmission. Strait 6 like this one, same color. Two door. The doors where hugh. I drove it when I turned 14. 1969. She still had it in the 80's Southern Alberta.

[@danielboisvert139]

Very nice condition. So smooth while running et so much space under the hood :-D

[@cdstoc]

Man thatʻs a nice running engine. My dad had a 1964 Belair with the 230 I6 engine, with a 3-on-the-tree instead of Powerglide. It sounded very similar, but as a kid I always thought the V8s were cooler. Still, it was very reliable, took the car literally across the country multiple times. It had over 100,000 miles when dad finally sold it and it still ran great.

[@petermartinijr.1012]

Another beautiful car.

[@adeeponionbrah]

Nerve wracking in that traffic. Thanks for the ride. Great car!

[@ddellwo]

OMG - what a joy it must be to work on that engine - EVERYTHING is so simple and accessible……😮

[@CQBWarfighter]

I’ve always loved old cars and I consider myself very knowledgeable, but this channel has given me a new appreciation for the average cars of the 60s and 70s. I have a much greater appreciation for the engineering that went into them too.

[@volktales7005]

I love this Pontiac! As a Canadian, I remember seeing old Pontiacs EVERYWHERE back in the '70's. The '59's were a rare treat, and one of my favourites. The flat top sedans were some of the best looking at the time, too. Spent a lot of time in Pontiacs back then as a kid; my buddies Dad had a '72 Laurentian wagon. When we hit 16, we cruised all over in that boat. Great times! Recent subscriber and working my way through the back catalogues...

[@bobhill3941]

Me too. I'm also from Canada and I remember going to car shows with my dad and whenever we saw a Parisienne from the late 70s he always told me about assembling them on the line in Oshawa when he started there as a student. Thanks for the pride, nostalgia, memories and great content. Keep it up. You're always very informative.

[@JeffKing310]

There’s definitely a Canadian car mafia angle to this channel that I love (yes, I am Canadian as well).

[@bobhill3941]

@@JeffKing310 Great to hear Jeff.

[@lloydyoung8628]

Canadian as well, i worked at the Oshawa plant . Also remember riding in Dads 62 Pontiac Laurentian and my older sister's 67 Beaumont convertible! Thanks for the great content Adam

[@Vegaswill714]

Thanks for another educational video I remember the Pontiac Parisienne back in the day., never understood what they were.

[@jack3inflesh]

Those twin double fins make this 59 so unique to all the other brands of that infamous year. What a terrific look!

[@gordonborsboom7460]

Love the flat top cars. Much more integrated than the fastback back glass.

[@jobamasux]

You must get alot of thumbs up on the highway too! I recognize that straight 6 from a 63 Chey Two Nova wagon I had as a kid with powerglide ! That interior is beautiful and no cheap looking molded plastic parts!

[@tombob671]

in 1963 I moved from Tulsa to Calgary. the Canadian cars were a big surprise. You are right the big six was enough as Calgary had no freeways and the top speed on the TransCanada was 60. In Tulsa six banger big cars were a minority. If you think about it the set ups in the Parisienne made sense in the Canadian market. Yours is a beautiful example, eh?

[@cybair9341]

I owned 2 Parisiennes. One 1963 and a 1964 convertible. They were surprisingly inexpensive when I bought them in the 70's. And they were fairly reliable too; except for the bearing housing in the middle of the 2-piece driveshaft, right inside the X of the X-frame. I remember that one because it challenged my skills as a kid. :-)

[@DSP1968]

Such a beautiful car -- quite the jazzy interior for what was a very medium-priced car. And the best part is that it is so quiet. Thank you for taking us for a ride.

[@gergatron7000]

We got later Parisiennes in Australia in CKD kit form, assembled at a Holden assembly plant in RHD. Other countries got them too, namely New Zealand and South Africa.

[@charlesdignam780]

Beautiful

[@puggsandgunsandthings]

Agreed!!!

[@Ric278]

11:42 Woodward and 12 mile, my old stomping grounds. Thanks for the memories !

[@billnasburg1361]

I just love that 59 Canadian Pontiac. As I live in the center of WA State as being less than 100 miles from British Columbia we used to see those from time to time. When I was in High School in about 1966 a friend of mine had a 59 Canadian Pontiac and it had the six, powerglide and power brakes and was identical to yours except for the color. His was more of a green color. We had fun cruising that car. I forgot to mention that he got that car from his Aunt who lived in British Columbia and she got a new car and gave my buddy the Pontiac. As I recall, it only had about 32k on it at the time. It was in very good condition and that was a long time ago. I have often wondered what ever became of that car. I would guess it now may well be metal parts on a Kia

[@ronniescopeline7486]

A totally cool car. Just smooth.. Dripping with iconic 1950's decor- time capsule too with little wear. A gem. 👌🏻

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Adam, I'm glad that you're able to enjoy spring weather!! This flattop Pontiac is a rare beauty indeed!!! Thanks for sharing this fun video!! 👍👍

[@dalebelseth3058]

Super nice Poncho

[@judgegixxer]

Those seats look like they were made yesterday, it's crazy. My buddy had a red 67' Parisienne with a 283 & Powerglide. We had a lot of fun with that car on the backroads of Alberta in the late 80's. The absent B pillar was great for getting in & out Dukes of Hazzard style.

[@cjdesign5700]

Love the 59's..love the flat tops...love your other cars...love you mid century brick ranch neighborhood and homes.

[@DanEBoyd]

I'd rather see a late '50s to early '60s school building at the end of the street than that modern prison-style garbage they build today.

[@cadillacnational7539]

Look at all that room to work on the engine, in that engine bay. Beautiful car.

[@tommcmillan3143]

Very cool drive Adam! Thanks!

[@heikkiremes5661]

What a Beauty! One of the prettiest cars I've ever seen. 😍

[@sodiebergh]

Stunning! I could listen to that inline six hum all night long 💙💙💙

[@jakereal3604]

That’s awesome how you appreciate it for what it is/was and not concern yourself that it’s not the fastest or coolest car to own. It IS a neat piece of history worth preserving IMO

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

03:54 close the doors effortlessly there is that classic Fisher body clunk. No other doors had that distinctive clunk. You could go into a underground garage blindfolded open and close three different cars from the big three makers and you can definitely know exactly when a body by Fisher GM door clunked shut.

[@codyluka8355]

That is so true! I thought I was the only "nut" that noticed little things like that! And the distinct sounds of the starters from different automakers too! Good ear and a sign of a true car nut! 👍

[@DerrickOil]

@@codyluka8355 I thought I was the only nut too.🤷‍♂️

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

@@codyluka8355 that was one of my pet peeves back in the day Cody when you watch some of those classic TV shows of the '70s. They used that double reduction highland hummingbird AKA Chrysler starter dubbed into everything. be watching The Streets of San Francisco, kojak, etc somebody would jump into a Buick or a Chevy and it would sound like a Chrysler starting up LOL

[@MonteCarlotta]

@@truckerkevthepaidtourist YES- I hate that too! Director Ron Howard intentionally messed with us in his 1985 film Cocoon where a 1962 Cadillac Fleetwood starts with a sound like a 1962 Plymouth Belvedere.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

@@MonteCarlotta 🤣🤣🤣

[@markbehr88]

Very nice car. I recall watching your other video on this one.

[@Marilyn52]

Adam: Thanks for posting this video - it brought back a lot of great memories - also subscribed to your channel. My first car was a 1959 2 door green Catalina with a 389 V8 that I bought in 1969 for $300.00. Gas in the US was cheap at 27 cents a gallon then and car insurance was $200.00 a year. It was a great riding car and quite fast with the 389 four-barrel. It had power steering and power brakes. I remember it had a green light on the dash that would come on to indicate that the engine had warmed up. I enlisted in the army in 1970 and ended up giving the car away.

[@scooterp7009]

Lots of room for some 8 or 10 inch deep dish wheels with 50 and 60 series tires on that beauty! 😝

[@akejonsson790]

Greetings from Sweden. I own a 59 Laurentian Safari and a 59 Parisienne Safari. More fun than the chevrolet and the availability of spare parts is better than for the American Pontiac. The track width facilitates on narrow roads. Has changed engine to 283 which is easier to maintain. Better driving characteristics and comfort than my 81 Grand Prix. Follows and appreciates your movies!

[@rightlanehog3151]

You own a few Canadian cars, did you know we used to make Volvos in Canada?

[@bigjoe330]

Love your vids. One more enjoyable then the next. The highway and streets of around your neighborhood are so clean. Good road surface too. Nice to see roads without the usual litter everywhere.

[@bennyhill3076]

Thank you Adam for sharing this unique vehicle with us! I am very much intrigued by it because it is so quirky!

[@Kathy-xy2sr]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful car with us! That engine is really smooth and quiet, especially at the lower speeds. What a great car! And, what is most impressive to me is that you drive your cars! You maintain them properly and you enjoy them, the way they were meant to be! Really great, thank!

[@crankychris2]

A lovely classic car in original shape!

[@sergioleone3583]

Cool ride. I agree, the vista rear window/roof is very cool.

[@SuperSportSS]

Adam the fact that you can drive one of those classics on 696 and keep your blood pressure in check is a true feat. I enjoy your videos.

[@HiroNguy]

Regarding mirrors: You mean we can actually *turn our heads* to actually *look* before changing lanes??? Imagine that! 🤯 Also, that is one of the absolutely quietest Otto cycle 4 stroke engines I've ever heard. Nice!

[@timgaines8865]

I have always loved the Canadian only GM cars. The Acadian and Beaumont were also beautiful cars.

[@tntanto]

Best looking car on the road the day you recorded this. The drivers around you were all saying, “Ooo, wow, look at THAT car!”

[@ceciltrane5418]

Beautiful day to drive. Beautiful shinny paint to match the sky. Love that inline 6, and a glide. What a cruiser. Truely amazing how much better the visibility is in this 59, than modern A & C pillars. I really took notice of the comment on good response from the power brakes. It reminded me of a fellow early in my life showing off his power steering equipped 59 Impala. I didn't know but it seemed as if (Chevrolet?) just added power to the standard ratio box. With one finger, you could literally steer from the left stop, to the right stop with the car parked My first impression, (because I was driving a non power 24 to 1 Saginaw box at the time), was this is too easy, and could possibly be a little dangerous.

[@shadowofthenight7316]

Nice car!

[@SierraJohn]

Beautiful interior. Really like that rear window, too.

[@3beltwesty]

Greatly enjoyed the drive around Detroit in such a classic car. Brings back memories when I lived there. Went to Wing Lake elementary school on Maple just West of 15 mile road Telegraph. Also went to Conant elementary on 16 mile road and Miss Malone was a knockout in 1st grade as teacher. Abit awhile back. The Ford Rotunda was a still there. Visiting the Ford plant a few times really influenced me going into Engineering. It is cool ro show these rare Canadian variety of cars. One of my neighbors as a kid was George Walker who designed the Thunderbird. He lived on wing lake road.

[@gene978]

Love the ‘59 Pontiacs. We had one as a Family Car the US Pontiac Star Chief. We lived on the 2nd hilliest City in the country. Mom, my sister and her girl friend all in the front seat going down a very steep hill. They Lost the brakes half way down the hill and they all panicked. At the bottom is major traffic. Mom didn’t think of the E Brake until the very last second. They laugh telling this story since it happened.

[@JohnnyAloha69]

Beautiful condition car, very impressive. The story on those Canadian Pontiacs is interesting. There were three principal factors that led to these unique Canadian Pontiac’s. 1…Up until the end of the sixties Canada had tariffs on imported cars including those from the US. 2…The Canadian standard of living was significantly less than than in the US (still is) 3…GM dealers in Canada were almost always paired up; either selling Chev-Olds or Pontiac-Buick Canadian production avoided tariffs which lowered cost to GM (generally speaking in that era cars in Canada retailed for about 15-20% more than in the US in addition to the currency differences). Looking for ways to increase Canadian production in the 30’s led to the decision to market Canadian built unique Pontiac’s in Canada. Due to the small size of the Canadian market it would have been too costly to build an entirely different car line so they basically took the Chevrolet body and chassis, dropped in a Pontiac engine and designed specific grilles and lights etc that mimicked US Pontiacs but that fitted onto the Chevrolet bodies. This was moderately successful and gave the Pontiac-Buick dealers cars that were cheap enough to compete against ford and Plymouth and of course Chevrolet. This was especially important in rural areas where GM didn’t have both types of dealers in one town. In 1955 They reversed the concept by instead putting a Pontiac body onto a Chevrolet chassis and powertrain. (The Canadian Pontiac body was actually a mix of US pontiac parts and unique local built parts to fit the shorter Chevy chassis. This pattern followed through till about 1970. It was very successful sales wise because unlike the US where the cheapest Pontiac was $300-400 more (10%) than the cheapest Chevy because of its bigger heavier chassis and standard large displacement V8 the Canadian Pontiac was within $25-50 thanks to sharing everything including the Chevy inline 6 as base engine. By the mid to late 60’s in Canada full sized Pontiacs we’re selling about as many cars as full sized chevies did, even outselling them a few times. By comparison in the US full sized Chevy typically outsold Pontiac 3 or 4 to one. In 59 this blend of Chevy chassis’s and Pontiac bodies looked really odd thanks to a growing spread in wheel based and especially the new WideTrack look of US Pontiacs. In the 60’s Canadian Pontiacs adopted different offset wheels to reduce (but never eliminate) the awkwardness of their stance and even marketed them as “WideTracks”! A new trade deal in the late 60’s combined with ever greater model proliferation across GM led to the ending of these blended cars by the early 70’s. However GM of Canada continued to have specific Canadian models but they were just differently equipped or trimmed American models or Asian imports.

[@bobjohnson1587]

Canada has the wealthiest middle class in the world. It just doesn't have the same percentage of super rich and super poor that the U.S. has.

[@ProjectMercuryMarauder]

Hello from the 65-68 Mercury fullsize page. I’ve never seen one of these before. Definitely looks like a awesome Pontiac to drive!

[@pappalink7734]

That straight six is beautiful

[@jamesmisener3006]

Nice car Adam. Just the way it was. We have a 52 Pontiac 2dr, body of a Chev BelAir it has the tinted mirror but side mirror, turn signal, radio delete! It does have a clock, 3 ashtrays and a cigar lighter though! I installed integrated turn signals and a drivers side mirror. The differences and similarities of The big 3 cars between Canada & the US from the 40's on are interesting topics. Our car has a Pontiac 239 flat head 6 engine, chev trans with torque tube driveshaft to a chev rear end. Inside its Pontiac but Chev wheel and column, outside its a Chev from the back and sides even the lights but all Pontiac out front! Cheers 🇨🇦

[@ohioyodertoter6827]

Absolutely beautiful car

[@markcollins457]

The Parisienne name plate was used when Pontiac used the Chevrolet Caprice chassis and some body panels in the 80's it made a handsome car.

[@AECRADIO1]

MY FAVORITE, WAS MY DAD'S '66 STARCHIEF EXECUTIVE. MY FIRST CAR AS WELL. I WOULD LOVE THIS CAR.

[@CSltz]

Your cars look so much like I remember. Sitting in the driveway of my grandparents house in there subdivision in Utica.

[@kens.213]

My dad bought a new 1984 Parisienne that was offered in the states in that year, and probably others as well. It came with a Chev 305 V8 and whatever automatic that came stock. It was a nice ride, quiet, not too gutless, and gave great fuel mileage of around 20 around town, and 28-30 on the highway.

[@joeespo177]

It's an unusual Pontiac for a number of reasons, but most of all to me is it can hardly be called a "wide track" Pontiac with the wheels so far inboard. Nice car though. It puts me in the mood for a Drive-In movie. Thanks!

[@aa64912]

I’ve known three people who have owned these. Never asked where they purchased them. They were nice cars. That one still is

[@MoparDan]

Adam, I was a bit surprised seeing your video on Woodward Avenue because I have also watched many videos on KZbin from Old Car Alley and have followed along watching Howard expertly restore a '66 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible to absolute new condition. A lot of Howard’s driving videos in his cars were also recorded on Woodward. I’ve never been to Michigan but I feel like I kind of know Woodward Avenue. Tomorrow or Monday here in northern Colorado it should be nice enough for me to drop the top and drive my '12 Chrysler 200 Touring convertible.

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

Beautiful day!!!

[@kurtb3606]

What an absolute beautiful car

[@ellisonhamilton3322]

Nice ride. Thanks. And have a wonderful Easter weekend!

[@xAnAngelOfDeathx]

That is one sweet ride, a time capsule. Liked and subbed.

[@manofthehour6856]

Living in a border town, I saw lots of Parisienne and Laurentians in the late 1970s, and they are still held in esteem by Canadian collectors. But by then, those cars were just Canadian-market names for Bonneville and the stripper Catalina. I think Catalina was in the lineup in Canada by then. I thought it was cool that the Canadians had some degree of autonomy in the market. I remember seeing a blue '64 Parisienne driving around Canada a few Summers ago, and I also photographed a nearly identical car crossing the O'Connell Street Bridge in Dublin several years ago.

[@johna.4334]

Wow! So that's the famous Woodward Ave. Someday I hope to cruise this stretch.

[@PorscheRacer14]

I know these Canadian cars look odd without the widetrack wheelbase, but... I've you've ever needed to change a rear tire in the mud or snow, that extra clearance is a blessing.

[@m.cooper1854]

Thanks for the childhood memories. My dad had the mid range 59 Pontiac Laurentian in Montreal. Until you explained it I could not understand why Canadian Pontiacs did not have the wide track look I built at the time as a plastic model kit of a Bonneville. As I drive a 7 speed transmission today I am reminded of my Dad's two speed Powerglide. Keep up the videos!

[@CJColvin]

For me I would add mirrors on both the driver side and passenger side just makes life easier for backing up and changing Lanes.

[@andrewjacobson556]

Greetings from Northwest Illinois yeah it looks like spring might be here!!

[@jimbo3214]

Wow what amazing glass front and back. Probably never could replace the glass if you had too. Great car!

[@billmcmahon2211]

Love the car and your lovely spring weather. Still waiting for spring weather in St. PAUL MN

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

It would definitely be a learning experience to drive without side mirrors in today's traffic. Especially since the side mirrors are the only ones I use. I never use the center rear view mirror in any car. Especially at night. I keep it pushed up so headlights of following cars don't blind me. It's definitely a beautiful car. I don't mind that it's a blend of different vehicles. As someone who customizes almost every vehicle I buy, it seems normal to me

[@skunkworks9-3]

She's a good looker. Only sore to the eye is those sunk in wheels but she's proper so that's fine. You're even around my neck of the woods. Hopefully see ya out on the dream cruise. I'll be in a 08 Saab 9³ wagon or a 09 Cobalt SS sedan.

[@paulfrantizek102]

Love the drive past the Shrine at 11:15!

[@RexCars1]

HA.. As a Late Teen.. ?? I would have HATED this car.. ( now that i'm 60 )..I LOVE it... What A GREAT City Cruiser... How relaxing it must be on a nice day to put the windows down.. and just meander threw town... I think you pointed out in an earlier episode.. Even though the 261 was a Truck Engine.. It was fitted with a Hydraulic Camshaft for the passenger cars...

[@pokerinthefrontliqueurinth4971]

Nice.

[@Commentator541]

Gorgeous!!!

[@puggsandgunsandthings]

I second the the "beautiful" comment !!!

[@leightonfarms4962]

she is a gem

[@peterselten500]

Great car love the cars from that time

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Nice 😀

[@fourdoorglory]

Hello spring! Time for that full review on the Monte Carlo. With so many cars in your collection needing a spin around the block it might be awhile. 😂

[@johngriffith7032]

I have always wanted one of these. The 261 6 cyl.engine was used in GMC trucks. The Chevrolet trucks used the Chevy 230 6. The Pontiac body was shortened at the front to fit the 119" wheelbase of the Chevrolet chassis. It did not have the Catalina wheelbase.

[@johnjacobjingleheimerschmi3857]

I lost a rear axle in a '62 F-100 loaded with brick when I was 16... I couldn't gear down, it had no emergency brake, I just had to ride it out... Finally it stopped due to friction on the right rear back plate... Of course the friction started a fire due to the leaking gear lubricant. Luckily I had a fire extinguisher... The axle and tire passed me up on the highway, crossing through oncoming traffic and ended up bent in a ditch on the opposite side of the road. Fortunately no one was hit or injured. Good times. ;-)

[@richardmorris7063]

Very basic family sedan & man do I miss these days.I can almost smell that interior!Not what you'd consider a collectors pc but that's exactly as you'd see one in the earl sixties.The tires r too small & needs the wider track but that little six was smooth as butter.

[@fknfreddy5625]

Great walk around video. 👍

[@ddellwo]

That door closing sound reminds me of my 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria - very similar “solid” sound……!!!!

[@douglasburskey6411]

Backup lights must have option on those cars, and those sharp tail fins that Dad inpailed himself on my uncles 59 Star Chief. P.S. I love that shade of blue!

[@althunder4269]

My dad had a '67 Ford Fairlane with 4 wheel drum brakes and they were really touchy, like quite grabby. It took me awhile to get the knack of stopping smoothly in that car.

[@cliffm6566]

Highly valued by Canadian car guys. A unique product of GM of Canada.

[@MonteCarlotta]

Flash to pass turn signals? GM cars & trucks in 1968 incorporated "Lane-Change Feature" turn signal control; partial movement of the turn signal lever enabled turn signal flashing and would then spring back to center if you let-go. A full movement of the lever allowed mechanical detent to hold the turn signal on.

[@WhittyPics]

I see you have the 59 back out. It does look a little odd with the wheels sitting so far inside the wheel wells. I do like the color.

[@SammyVista1972]

We would say it looked like the Canadian Pontiacs would tip over going around corners because the wheels were tucked in so far!

[@AECRADIO1]

THAT SOUNDS REALLY SWEET!

[@michaelwilliams8297]

You northerners got the short end of the checklist. Narrow track, truck motor and the pot-luck option list. That got to make restoration a monumental chore. It's a beautiful car just the same, I would be proud to drive it anywhere.