Canadian Nova Restomod: 1970 Acadian (Pontiac)

The Acadian was a GM brand of automobile sold in Canada between 1962 and 1971. It began as a rebadged Chevy II/Nova and was expanded later to include the Chevelle (Beaumont). They were sold at Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers but were never branded as either. The seller has a 1970 Acadian that appears to be something of an SS clone (note the hood) with a 400 cubic inch V8 packed under the hood. It comes across as better than a daily driver and would attract attention among other Chevy Nova owners. Located in St-Georges, Quebec, this interesting vehicle is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $32,500 CDN ($23,500 USD approx.).

General Motors of Canada produced the Acadian. Initially, the idea was to give dealers a compact to sell as the Pontiac Tempest wasn’t available in Canada (probably due to the APTA, aka Auto Pact). The Chevy II platform was chosen as it was more conventional than building a Canadian Corvair. These were automobiles built north of the border to be sold to Canadian citizens. Acadians came with a wide range of engines, but inline-6s and small-block V8s were the most common.

This “Nova” began with a 6-banger and a minimum level of trim, suggesting it once was a basic grocery getter. Over time, the little engine was dropped in favor of a 400 V8 using Vortec heads, and we’re told it runs quite well. A floor-shifted 700R4 transmission is also onboard along with a 12-bolt rear end, so it’s definitely a sleeper.

The body is solid, and the paint color is some version of green, not how the car was built. The interior has been redone in tan (or “saddle”), and the bucket seats employed look newer than 1970 because they’re hi-rise, not having separate headrests. There are some issues with the chrome on the rear bumper, but it sounds minor. If you’re looking for an out-of-the ordinary Nova and okay with having one brought over the border (if you’re in the States), how about this Acadian? BTW, thanks for the tip, JDC!