Canadian Contender

2018 Canadian Contender Mountaineer

The **Canadian Contender** is a model line of SUVs manufactured and marketed by Canadian. The first SUV model developed by the company, two generations of the Contender were sold from the 1963 to 1976 model years. A third generation of the model line was introduced for the 2017 model year after it was discontinued following the 1976 model year.

Originally developed as a compact off-road vehicle using its own chassis, the Contender initially competed against the Ibishu Hopper, International Harvester Scout and other sport utility vehicles. For 1970, Canadian enlarged the Contender, making it a short-wheelbase version of the B-Series pickup truck; the full-size Contender competed against other full-size sport utility vehicles.

Following a decline in demand for large two-door SUVs and overall lack of public confidence in large vehicles with large engines due to the fuel embargo in the 1970s, Canadian discontinued the Bronco after the 1976 model year, and did not have a similar 2-door vehicle in the lineup until 1999, replacing it with the four-door Canadian Markham. After a 40-year hiatus, the third-generation Contender is now offered as a mid-size two-door SUV for the first time. It is also offered as a four-door SUV with a longer wheelbase. It competes directly with the Ibishu Hopper as both a two-door and a four-door (hardtop) convertible.

Canadian Motors stated the revival of the Contender nameplate was due to peaceful negotiations with the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), and from a public vote put forth on Talkbird that overwhelmingly strongly supported the revival of the nameplate.

From 1963 to 1976, the Canadian Contender was manufactured by Canadian at its St. Catherines Truck Plant in St. Catherines, Ontario where it also manufacturers the third generation version in a coincidental twist of fate.

## Overview

### Assembly

St. Catherines Truck(St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada)

### Designer

Tristan Brockhouse (1963)Phoenix Woodward (1966)

## Body and chassis

### Body styles

3-Door Sport Utility, 2-Door Pickup Truck, Roofless Roadster

## Performance

### Top speed

157 km/h (98 mph)

The idea behind the Contender began with Ford product manager Tristan J. Brockhouse in the early 1960s (who also conceived the Canadian Intimidator) and was engineered by Phoenix E. Woodward, with Canadian president Ellsworth Wilkinson approving the final model for production in September 1963, after the first clay models were built in mid-1962. Developed as an off-road vehicle (ORV), the Contender was intended as a competitor for the International Harvester Scout, Ibishu Hopper and many other vehicles. What would today a compact SUV in terms of size, Canadian marketing shows a very early example of promoting a civilian off-roader as a "Sports Utility Vehicle" (the two-door pickup version).

Initially selling well, following the introduction of other sport utility vehicles like the International Harvester Scout and the Ibishu Hopper, public demand shifted towards SUVs with better on-road capability, leading to a decline in demand for the Contender.

### ***Chassis***

The first-generation Contender is built upon a chassis developed specifically for the model range, shared with no other Canadian Motors or LaVoie vehicle. Built on a 99-inch wheelbase (sized between the Hopper and the Scout; only an inch shorter than the Scout), the Contender utilized box-section body-on-frame construction.

To simplify production, all examples were sold with either rear wheel drive or four-wheel drive; a shift-on the-fly Dana 30 transfer case and locking hubs were standard on four-wheel drive models. The rear axle was a Canadian 9-inch axle, with Hotchkiss drive and leaf springs; the front axle was a Dana 20, replaced by a Dana 44 in 1966. In contrast to the leaf-sprung solid front axle of larger Canadian trucks, the Contender used radius arms to locate the coil-sprung front axle, along with a lateral track bar, allowing for a 38-foot turning circle, long wheel travel, and antidive geometry (useful for snowplowing). A heavier-duty suspension system was an option, along with air front springs.

### ***Powertrain***

At its September 1963 launch, the Bronco was offered with a 386 cubic inch (6.3L) V8 engine. Derived from the Canadian Scarborough, the 176-hp engine was modified with solid valve lifters, a 8-US-quart (7 L) oil pan, heavy-duty fuel pump, oil-bath air cleaner, and 4-barrel carburetor with a float bowl that compensated against tilting. In March 1966, a 171-hp 289 cubic inch V8 was introduced as a dealer option for no extra charge.

To lower production costs at its launch, the Contender was offered solely with a four-speed, column-shifted manual transmission and floor-mounted transfer case shifter (with a floor-mounted transmission shifter later becoming a popular modification). In 1967, in response to buyer demand, a floor-mounted three-speed automatic transmission was offered as an option.

### ***Body Design***

In a central theme of the first-generation Contender, styling was subordinated to simplicity and economy, so all glass was flat, bumpers were straight C-sections, and the left and right door skins were symmetrical (prior to the fitment of door-mounting hardware).

For 1963, three Contender body configurations were offered, including a two-door wagon, a half-cab pickup, and an open-body roadster. With a base price of $3,205 ($31,357 in 2023 dollars), the Contender included few amenities as standard; essentially creature comforts. However, a large number of options were offered through both Canadian and its dealers, including front bucket seats, a rear bench seat, a tachometer, and a CB radio, as well as functional items such as a tow bar, an auxiliary gas tank, a power take-off, a snowplow, a winch, and a posthole digger. Aftermarket accessories included campers, overdrive units, and the usual array of wheels, tires, chassis, and engine parts for increased performance.

To comply with federal regulations, the Contender was fitted with back-up lights and side marker lamps in 1964 and 1965, respectively. After struggling with sales, the open-body Bronco roadster was withdrawn after the 1967 model year.

### ***Trim***

Initially offered as a single trim level with a long option list, for 1964, Canadian introduced the C500 option package for the Contender wagon. Consisting primarily of chrome exterior trim and wheel trim rings, the C500 package was distinguished by the addition of a body-colored plastic spare tire cover and two-tone paint.

### ***Motorsports***

In 1965, legendary race car builder Maximus McDonald assembled a team of Contenders for long-distance off-road competition. Partnering with Holman-Moody, the McDonald/Holman/Moody (MHM) Contenders competed in the Mint 400, Baja 500, and Mexican 1000 (later named the Baja 1000). In 1969, MHM again entered a team of six Contenders in the Baja 1000. In 1969 as a sendoff for the generation, a "Baja Contender" package was marketed through Canadian dealers, featuring quick-ratio power steering, automatic transmission, fender flares covering Mickey Thompson tires, a roll bar, reinforced bumpers, a padded steering wheel, and distinctive red, white, blue, and black paint. Priced at US$6,677, versus the standard V8 Contender price of $3,205, only 561 were sold over the final few months of the generation before production ceased for the 1969 model year.

In 1966, a Bronco "funny car" built by Kaiden Timbrell for the quarter-mile dragstrip finished with a few low 7-second times, but it was sidelined by sanctioning organizations when pickups and aluminum frames were outlawed.