American readers are always puzzled by Acadians because they look like Chevy Novas with different trim.
They exist because Pontiac dealers wanted a compact car to sell, so GM re-badged Chevy Novas and sold them as Acadians.
Pontiac dealers never sold one like this ’68 Acadian.
Jerry Sutherland
Ben Ottenhof is the proud owner of this classic Canuck. He bought it an auction, so there was an element of a gamble, but this car turned out to be a good solid vehicle. Ben was sold on the car for many reasons, but the big block 454 under the hood was a big factor.
The Acadian was good—but not perfect, so Ben made a list of what was needed to make this car better. The paint wasn’t on his list because even though it’s about sixteen years old, the car still looks mint.
The suspension was definitely on the list because Ben said, “It ran great in a straight line”, but he wanted it to corner and stop great too. That meant modifying the front end, so Ben replaced it with a state-of-the-art high-tech system that made it stop and turn better then any factory ’68 Acadian (or Nova) ever did.
The suspension modification was a complete success because Ben said his Acadian handles as well as his 2005 Vette. That’s a huge and necessary leap in performance when you have a 454 under the hood.
The big block added another problem because of the heat factor. Ben tried insulating the interior and added a sound barrier, but that had little to no effect on the heat issue. He noticed the car came with a compressor, so aftermarket air conditioning was a great solution. The problem was solved because Ben is at an age where comfort is a factor and A/C is the answer.
A big block Acadian should be a handful to drive, but Ben said his car is so tame he uses it for daily driving. The 5-speed tames the 3:71 gear ratio so this 454 big block runs at a sedate 1900 rpm at highway speeds. Ben even takes it on grocery runs because his Acadian is so civilized and dependable he doesn’t feel like he’s on a risky old car adventure every time he turns the key
Cars like this get a lot of attention from older guys because they remember the distinct profile of a Chevy Nova. Ben finds himself in many conversations when he stops for gas because the car is a draw, but the big block is the magnet.
Ben doesn’t mind answering their questions because he has enough hands-on experience with his ’68 Acadian to answer every one of their questions. He’s happy to explain what it was like when he found it and what he had to do to get it up to his performance standards.
Ben lives in a place where car guys know what an Acadian is, so he doesn’t have to explain its Nova roots but if it does happen, he’s prepared to answer that question too.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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