Parisienne a great big throwback

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/04/2023 (1118 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Their beautiful ride is almost four feet longer than your average car. It definitely weighs more, and takes up most of the space in their garage, but those are pluses for Val and Norm Poersch, who are in love with their Parisienne, whether the top is up or down.

They don’t make them like that anymore, Val said, referring to their 18-foot long, 1965 Pontiac Parisienne Custom Sport two-door convertible with its 283 cubic-inch V8 engine and 86,652 original miles.

“It rides just beautifully, it just kind of floats down the highway and it’s very easy to drive,” Val said. “Takes a little getting used to with the size, even turning corners, and it’s made of metal, nothing plastic on it at all.”

At a glance, one might say the colour of the Parisienne is mint green, but for vintage car enthusiasts who are particular and picky about the finer details, the official colour is reef turquoise.

In the 1960s, turquoise was a popular colour in fashion and society, and the automotive industry followed suit. The colour may be common from the ’60s, but this model of convertible is somewhat a limited edition.

“For the 1965 Parisienne, Pontiac produced a total of 860,652 cars, but the Parisienne models were never produced or marketed in the United States. They were only available in Canada,” said Poersch. “And this particular model that we have, there were only 4,246 convertibles made, so, that actually makes it a fairly rare car.”

Val and Norm have had their dream car since 2017, after about an eight-month search online. Norm knew he wanted a Parisienne, since that’s the kind of car he was seen cruising in during his high school years, in and around Gladstone.

The couple found their ’65 Parisienne in a small Alberta community between Edmonton and Jasper National Park.

Paperwork they acquired showed the original point of sale at a dealership in Peace River, Alta., and then three or four other owners.

But once back in Manitoba, it became painfully clear the investment of time and money that would be needed to get a valid safety certificate, or what most people refer to as “getting safetied.”

Norm said even though they knew it wasn’t going to be perfect because it’s an old car, it was “everything I knew it would be,” so they got to work with a little help from their nephew Andrew, and four of their closest friends — Pete, Roy, Dale and Dave.

“We needed a new trunk, backup lights, welding because of the rust, fixes were required to the exhaust system, and the neutral safety switch had to be replaced. That switch ensures it doesn’t start in drive, only when in park,” said Norm.

Both Val and Norm are retired, and like many people do, looked to the future as a time to relax, and enjoy visits with their son, two daughters and six grandchildren.

When Norm “was just barely 50,” he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but he said, “I have Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s doesn’t have me,” and added, “Whatever this world tosses you, take it with a grain of salt and don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Keeping the Parisienne maintained and up and running is a great diversion, Val said, and being active members of the local Road Rebels car club has been super for them both.

It’s also pretty special, she said, when they take their car to places like retirement homes and you can almost see the memories flooding back on people’s faces.

“The seniors are just so appreciative. They come out and say things like, ‘Oh, my husband and I dated in this car’ or, a gentleman would say, ‘this was my first car.’ One fellow was almost in tears, thanking us for keeping this vehicle on the road. So, that was heartwarming,” Val said.

And now, they’re trying to get the younger generation excited about the Parisienne by installing seatbelts in the backseats so their six grandchildren can take turns riding with the top down.

Both Val and Norm laughed as she told the story about their littlest granddaughter, and how she couldn’t figure out why the car didn’t have a roof.

“And that’s the beauty of vintage cars, isn’t it?” Val said. “They’re not a cookie cutter, each one is an individual, and that’s why it’s so important to preserve them.”

Val and Norm will be supporting an author and fellow car enthusiast May 6 in Minnedosa. Author and photographer Steve Van Vlaenderen created a book called “Vanishing Wheels,” with 125 pages of antique, one-of-a-kind vehicles that he photographed and then researched. The title “Vanishing Wheels” is a tribute to the vehicles and the days gone by.

Van Vlaenderen has Parkinson’s, and proceeds from the sale of the book will go to Parkinson’s Canada.

The book signing on May 6 will be at the Minnedosa Regional Library, located at 45 First Ave. SE.

For more information about the Road Rebels Car Club, visit facebook.com/roadrebelscarclub.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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