Canadian low budget cars of the 80s

Canada as many of you might know had quite a few different cars than the US, mostly in the budget category. Many Eastern Block cars like Ladas and Skodas which would not have gone over well politically south of the border at the time. Others like the Hyundai Pony and Stellar were trial runs in the North American market.

The delightful article is an interesting read from period. If I was picking I know what it would be - the Skoda no question. Been quite a few years since I've seen one of the road. I don't ever remember seeing a Dacia. They were mostly sold out east and are reputed to be the biggest piles of crap ever sold here. What would you pick?

article - click on each for a bigger view - http://oldcarjunkie.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/canadian-cars-of-the-80s/

Did the Lada Riva make it to Canada?

We had the very odd Dacia around here. There was a lot in the north end of the city that was filled with unassembled (Romanian) Universal tractors in about 1980. They got sold off gradually over about 15 years, I presume for less and less money as more paint flaked off the hoods. Anyway, there was a Dacia in there.

Haha, I vaguely remember some of those things clattering around southern Ontario when I was a kid. The Road Salt Capital of the Universe sure had its way with them though.

I'd still like to see a gloss black, slammed Pony with huge box flares, a Starion G54b (bolt in!), and rear window louvers. Hell, I might even like to own that.

I had a sick fascination with those strange imports. I tried to convince my sister to buy for her first car an innocenti, but she cleverly chose a Toyota instead. I almost bought a Renault Gordini soon after, mostly because of the exhaust note. And I worked for a guy with a forestry consulting business who bought a lada 4x4. As I was doing all his wrenching at the time, I became well acquainted with it. It had a hand crank for the many times the starter failed. In 1986 or thereabouts. Actually it was usually broken and he got rid of it after a couple of years.

Over on BaT someone posted pix of a Pony mini-truck...was that offered in Canada? It was a boxy, 4 cylinder, El Camino-ish vehicle, sort of a Korean Rabbit pickup.

This is also an interesting article of the same era.

Look here for a bigger pic.

I had a Skoda in the early 90's. It was a good, but very simple car, with no options. I really liked it. My wife really hated it. When looking to replace it, I did look at Lada Samara's, which, at the time there were about $5000 new. I ended up with a diesel Rabbit, and probably would have been far better off with the Lada. I remember Dacia's from the car shows in the 80's, but don't recall ever seeing one on the road. Everybody knows my Pony story

Jay, check this out http://jed1180.tripod.com/

I sold him a bunch of my race parts for it. It was easily an 8000+ RPM screamer. He's from Toronto, and probably still doing it.

ArthurDent wrote: The delightful article is an interesting read from period. If I was picking I know what it would be - the Skoda no question.

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1986-Skoda-120-GLS-W0QQAdIdZ364536783

Too bad he wants so much for it.

Zomby Woof wrote:

ArthurDent wrote: The delightful article is an interesting read from period. If I was picking I know what it would be - the Skoda no question.

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1986-Skoda-120-GLS-W0QQAdIdZ364536783 Too bad he wants so much for it.

If it was a grand instead I'd buy it in a second.

Sweet I can use Canada to fuel my strange obsession for Eastern Bloc cars.

A buddy that worked in the Canadian oil fields would talk about the strange and neat old trucks he would run across. Abandon and sitting 4X4's, unusual crew cabs, etc.I would love to get up there and bring back something like this:

93EXCivic wrote: Did the Lada Riva make it to Canada?

The Riva is an update of the Lada 1300 we got. The Lada Niva was quite popular around here in the early 90s.

ArthurDent wrote: If it was a grand instead I'd buy it in a second.

You never know what can happen. I don't think it's going anywhere at that price. Apparently those are old pics before the suspension work.

Zomby Woof wrote:

ArthurDent wrote: If it was a grand instead I'd buy it in a second.

You never know what can happen. I don't think it's going anywhere at that price. Apparently those are old pics before the suspension work.

Yup - I'll going to keep an eye on it. I know of another Skoda around here but has been stored in a field for many years so likely not worth reviving. Sourcing stuff like glass gets tough.