Our Canadian cousins may seem just like us, but the truth is that they have been socialized quite differently. Have you ever see their paper money with the Queen? Or how how men in their 60s play intramural hockey? They even have had weird cars that looked like ours but had different names and trim! One of the latter is our Pick of the Day, a 1967 Meteor Montcalm convertible. It’s listed on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. (Click the link to view the listing)
To Americans, the Meteor was the low and middle trim level for 1961 Mercurys (Meteor 600 and Meteor 800), then it became Mercury’s cousin to the mid-size Fairlane for 1962-63. However, to Canadians, Meteor was a brand sold by Mercury dealerships. If you’re wondering why there would be a need for a mainstream brand in Canada beyond Ford and Mercury, you’re not alone.
It goes back to Canada being different than the United States. When Meteor was established for 1949, Canada was still a developing country. (Truth be told, the U.S. was as well, but that almost-as-large country below Canada was further along in its development.) The population of Canada was much less than that of America and, in the central provinces, the population density was meager. Giving dealerships a two-pronged approach in selling to different market segments was a way to help dealerships survive the desolation.
Why did Ford of Canada feel the need to create a new brand with unique styling? For one thing, Canada had a tariff for imports from America until 1970, so the country was interested in protecting its industry. Plus, the country that was often drowned out by those boisterous Yanks wanted to have something of its own, and Meteor was it. Even the model names were uniquely Canadian. Through 1961, Meteors looked like Fords, but then the brand was discontinued. In 1964, the Meteor marque was revived, now looking like Mercurys. If that’s not confusing enough, Ford of Canada also produced the Monarch for a number of years, another hodgepodge of Ford and Mercury design and styling elements sold by Ford dealerships, though it was discontinued for 1962.
This Oakville, Ontario-built 1967 Meteor Montcalm convertible would be somewhat like a Galaxie 500 in America, especially as seen from the interior. The Meteor trim levels were Rideau, Rideau 500, Montcalm, S-33, and Montego, with the latter being the first time the Montego name appeared. Few Montcalm convertibles were built – only 985 – so it’s a novelty even in Canada. The seller says it recently has been repainted in Autumn Maple metallic paint, which doesn’t appear on Ford or Mercury’s paint chart though we’re curious if it’s the factory Burgundy metallic under a nom de plume; the interior is black cloth, though that too seems to have been reconfigured from the factory build. “Strong-running 390 with a four-barrel Holley carb,” says the seller. “New brake booster, starter, [and] rear coil springs.”
This Meteor, which originated from Victoria, British Columbia when new, comes with spare parts including convertible top weatherstripping, taillight lenses, starter, fuel pump, door arm rests, and headlight bezels. The taillights are especially golden because they’re Canadian pieces with subtle distinction from American Mercurys, but the other items are standard Ford fare, which makes much of this car as easy to service as your typical 1967 Ford. For Can$35,000 (about $25,646), this unusual ragtop will make Yanks do a double-take. Or keep it in BC and bask in the short, sweet summers.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
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