Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September in both Canada and the US. Besides being another great excuse for a BBQ, block party or a trip to the beach, it also marks the unofficial end of summer. From here on in, the BBQs and block parties will become less frequent and going to the beach will become less and less desirable, depending on where you live. Convertibles will also be more likely to be driving around with their tops up.
That wasn’t the case when I visited gorgeous Vancouver earlier this summer. Where I live (Brisbane), we don’t have this distinct demarcation between seasons. Though we may be less inclined to go to the beach in our winter, temperatures in the coldest season are nothing for us to whinge about – the weather was about the same in Brisbane’s winter as it was when I arrived in Vancouver’s summer. Because of the harsh sun and decades of “Slip, Slop, Slap” sun safety ads, convertibles have never enjoyed the popularity they have in countries like the United Kingdom where one has to enjoy as much of the summer warmth as possible.
Vancouver may bask in the most habitable climate in all of Canada but I dare say this ’67-68 Pontiac Firebird driver will be putting his top up in a few weeks. Despite the large dent in his door, nothing appears to be putting a dent in this driver’s day. I spotted this Firebird a few different times that day in downtown Vancouver and the weather was indeed enjoyable for a summer, top-down cruise. The colour of this Poncho is suitably summery and looks splendid against the off-white interior. I hope the driver took advantage of the beautiful day and cruised out somewhere nice. A drive along the Sea to Sky would have been just the ticket.
Well, I can see one little cutie who’s definitely enjoying a cruise! This MG Midget’s got its top up but the windows are down and the little doggo is enjoying its favourite olfactory past-time: sticking its head out the window. Dogs are in hog heaven when they can stick their head out because their superb sense of smell allows them to partake in thousands of different scents as they’re driven along. It’s a smorgasbord of smells!
This Midget’s been customized somewhat so it’s a bit hard to pin down the year. During the course of its almost 20-year run (1961-79), it was powered by a range of inline fours displacing between 1.0 and 1.5 liters. That’s quite a bit less than the Firebird but these weighed almost exactly half that of the Pontiac and were around four feet shorter. There’s enough room for a grown adult – not too tall, though, unless you drop the top – and this relatively small dog.
Finally, let’s end with a rather left-field choice for a summer cruiser: the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Believe it or not, this wasn’t the only CrossCabriolet I saw in Vancouver. I’ll tell the full story someday because this is one of the most delightfully weird cars of the 21st century. Oh, sure, there’s nothing terribly exciting about the car’s mechanicals – it’s your typical softly-sprung Nissan crossover with a CVT. But it’s a high-riding convertible with absolutely zero sporting aspirations but virtually no off-road ability, and that’s just such a strange proposition it’s enough to keep resale values of this commercial failure surprisingly high.
Sadly, it’s so long, summer, at least for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, our days in Brisbane are about to go from highs of 71°F (22°C) to highs of 85°F (29.5°C). We won’t need to put our tops up!
Photographed in Vancouver, BC in June 2019.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: 1967 Pontiac Firebird Convertible – Dig That Aqua Paint!
I’m glad to see that the Firebird owner decided to enjoy the last of the Summer’s fun before putting his car in the body shop. I like that little “opera window” that was added to the Midget’s top. It’s hard to see out of the blind C pillar, especially when backing out of a parking slot in a supermarket lot. I have the same problem with my Mustang, surrounded by all those huge trucks and SUVs. You tentatively back slowly until you’re far enough back to have an actual view. People are so rude now, instead of waiting for you complete your maneuver, they try to whiz by. Annoying.
Those little porthole/opera windows and the large oval rear window in the MG were the first things I noticed about it. I have never seen one of these (or of anything else, for that matter) with a convertible top like this.
That is a ‘67 Firebird. Evidenced by the vent windows and lack of side marker lights. First year model.
I believe DeLorean said he reduced the ride height from that of it’s cousin the Camaro. Something more to differentiate it.
Side marker lights were required in 1968, and on the Firebird, distinctive: a wraparound white light combined with the parking light on the lower fascia at the front, and an illuminated red Pontiac emblem on the rear quarters. Chevrolet took the easy route on the Camaro: bland rectangular lights, white front, red rear, plonked onto the car’s flanks.
Its not the dirty big hole in the ozone layer that made convertibles unpopular here or the subsequent high skin cancer rates, it was the difficulty of getting one that problem seems to have been solved now and if you want open top motoring in New Zealand its only a mouse click away, lack of import tarrifs have led to a wide variety of everything being seen on our streets now,
choose wisely though trademe is littered with shattered dreams that cannot be complied for our roads due to bodgy repairs carried out by previous owners
That Murano is neck & neck with the Aztek for the title of Ugliest Car Award!
The answer to a question nobody asked?
The Murano looks okay with the top down, but downright awkward with the top up. Which is okay, the top isn’t meant to be up.
I can’t really say either one really stands out anymore given modern car styling.
Ouch
As a lover of the convertible, I heartily approve this message.
That Firebird should be filed in the “What Makes A Grown Man Cry” folder. That one was hit hard enough that the fix will not be a simple pull n paint. Oh well, a winter in the body shop will open up some garage space for a few months.
And that Nissan. There are (or at least were) a couple of those running around my area. These inhabit that weird area of my brain where I kind of like them but would never consider owning one.
It’s called Labour Day in Canada. 🙂
William, looks like you were visiting the West End of Vancouver for part of your trip around downtown, at least as far as Burrard Street. Definitely one of my favorite areas of Vancouver to visit, especially in the summer.
You’re right – you need to make the most of the summer there as one never knows when the rain begins again.
We were happy to see a convertible-worthy Labour Day weekend here in the interior of BC as well.
That first photo, the blue Camaro, has an excellent custom touch. The artful concavity on the door echoes both wheel wells, aping wasp-waited jet fighters designed by the aerodynamic Area Rule. It’s a fine, post-modern addition to the Chevy, making it look contemporary again!