I h t: t. 'i 4 by JiI Mclntosh Canadian car tacts So, it is good news or bad news? There's no Fail Classic,, but on the other hand we're still the undefoated Champions Of basebail. Now that's something to crow about. But this is an automotivo columin, so instead Ilil cover some car-related points of interest regarding this wonderful country of ours. How about: - Eight-five \per cent of Canadian-built G M vehicles are imported te, the-U.S. - The Iast Ford Tempo/Topaz rolled off the Oakville assembly lino on Friday, Oct. 1, 1993 at 2:11 p.m. Canadian production was 1,889,343 vehicles over il model years; the Une was moved to Kansas City after that point. The last 400 Canadien models were white. - Ail 1958 and 1959 Edsels built. in Oakville had white steering wheels and columns. American-built Edsels had their wheels coloured-keyed to the car. - When Ford«s Oakville plant was built in 1953, it cost just $65 million including the cost of the equipment. - Due to. government controls afler World War 14, very few American-built cars were imperted into this country. Buicks, which were made only in the States, wore not sold in Canada until- model year 1951, when GM began building them hore. - Another car that could not bo bought in Canada was the Briclin,. the sportscar built in New Brunswick, they were only made for exprt. Only a fow over made. it out the door, and tho government of New Brunswick eost $23 million on the deal. Malcolm Bricklin, incidentally, had been president of Subaru of Arserica and was the man who introduced the Japanese-bulit car te North Anierica. - From 1931 to 1939, Packards were built in Windsor to be sold in Canada. - When CNR introduced double-docker transport cars for deliveirng vehicles, the first car to be carried on one was an Oshawa-built 1957 Oldsmobile. - Eleven days after incorporating Chrysier in 1924, Walter P. Chrysier founded the Chrysier Corporation of Canada in Windsor. - The last Studebaker was built in Hamil1ton on March 16, 1966. Throughout most of their history they had been built in South Bond. Indiana, but aise, had a plant in Los Angeles. - While that Hamilton plant was in trouble, Studebaker head of operations Gordon Grundy came up with several ideas to save the company. One of them involved importing Japanese cars under Studebaker nameplates. Theoidea waskidlled off bythe law patner of one of Studebalcer's board chairs. That partner was Richard Nixon. S- The flathead engine was used on Canadian Fords, for a year after the American plants phased it out. Ford of Canada continued to rebuild them and even as lato as .1980, they were occasionally roconditioning themn for industriel use. SER PAGE 18 t COVmIST ofVAIVOUNÉ CANAD>A Lm. Myths aboDut car thlýe<.ft Automobile theft is often thought of as a minor crime but in reality it's a serious problem in our society. Let's dispel some of the more common myths around this growing problem. Myth #1: OnIy sports cars or deluxe models -are stoLen. -Who>* would want.a two or three-year- old ordinary car? Authorities report that the most popular makes are the most likely stoen and the least likely te, bo recovered.'Ordinary sedans are the backbone of the lucrative stolen used parts market and therefore are the least frequently recovered. Myth #2: Car thet is not really a big issue- and everyt/iing is usually covered under insurance anyway. In Canada, thieves steal a vehicle every five and Qtne-quarter minutes'and a vehicle is broken into every 30 seconds. "Auto theft is a crime that everyone pays for, especially insureds when their premiums are due," says Deborah Blewett, an auto insurance expert with The Co-operators. Car theft costs Canadien consumers about $375 million a year in insurance premiums for unrecovered vehicles, dama¶fe to vehicles that are stolen and ater recovored, and items stelen from vehicles, Myth M.- Canada bas a much loueer auto theft rate t/ian the United States. When it cornes to theft of insured cars, the Canadian rate exceeds the Anrcan- rate by more than two to one. There is noý doubt that oranzed crime rings are involved in 'the auto theft market, which, presents very low risks for thieves and generates spectacular profits. Myth #4: Cars are ,nostly stolen for joy rides and are usually /bund intact very quickly. Statistics show that 60 per cent of the time authorities find tho stolon vohicle within two to 10 days. The -stato of tho recovered car depends on what the thioves ~-used tbem for. and thoy are rarely abandoned intact. in, 1991 noarly37,500yhic-1 were stolen and- not reovered. Whilo automobile *'theft is an urban phonomena, whathappens to your car dopends on where you live in Canada. For. exemple, a car stolen in Quebec is quite likoly to) end up in piecos in a 'eh h oP."The vehicles are dismantledIand the parts sold, often for much more than tho* whole ýcar may have been -wýorh. 'A car stolen in Aberta would more likely' be taken on a joy ride and recovered. Myth M#5 I don't par/i in dark SEE PAGE 18 * T0 ~ 1 ! VOLKSWAGEN JETTA a ir M owerIocks, tne glass, dual mirrors, FREE10 EAR 60,00kmEXT lDE advanced safety system, and much more. POW 0 ERA IARA100kiETNY! FROM $1%5,370 P-OWR TRIN W RRANY.M Both available in gas or turbo diesel witha on '94 model year or equivalent value. today. 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