What have we here from that alternate universe to the north of us? Looks like a '69 Chevelle Malibu with a Pontiacesque (that already sounds like a Canadian car) nose job. Well, it is just that. The Beaumont, a brand unto itself, was sold by Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers.
And this one is sporting a 396 badge. So is it one of the legendary Beaumont SD 396 models? Well, if it is a genuine SD, then yes, as by this year, all SDs were 396s.
This picture of a genuine SD 396 is wearing its correct striping and badging, but not that there's no US-style 396 call out next to the front side indicator light.
The dash was borrowed from the Tempest/LeMans. But under the hood and otherwise it was a Chevelle. Meaning the usual line-up of Chevy six (230) and small-block V8s (307, 327, 350), and of course the big-block 396. Exactly which version(s) of the 396, I'm not sure.
The back end is interesting too, with some rather unusual narrow twin tail lights in new end caps.
A quick history recap: the Acadian was the version of the Chevy II sold by Pontiac-Buick dealers. The top trim version, comparable to the Nova, was called the Beaumont.
But in 1964, the new Chevelle-based intermediate was given the Beaumont name, although the Acadian prefix technically hung around for another year or two.
In 1966, the Beaumont was now a stand-alone brand, having shed the Acadian connection. And starting in 1966, the SD version, including the SD396, was available. This one is a more modest Custom.
And by 1970, the game was over, as Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers finally got a…genuine Pontiac Tempest and LeMans, thanks to a change in the two countries' trade agreements.
And there was even a genuine GTO on tap to replace the SD.
Except for the yellow high beams, that's rather French.
La plaque d'immatriculation n'est pas du Québec, cependant les lumières jaunes ne doivent pas ajouter à l'harmonie de l'apparence.
Ontario plates and looks like a Toronto neighbourhood.
I grew up on the North Shore of Vancouver, BC. The local Pontiac Buick dealer, Conroy sold a dealer modified SD Beaumont called Cheetah in the late 60's. Mostly a stripe and trim package but some were also sold with 396 and 427 engines. I don't know if they were factory built COPO cars or not but as COPO Camaro's were built in Canadian GM plants it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to do a Beaumont.
Am I the only one who sees Sam The Eagle when I look at the front of this car?
Definitely a '68, side marker light on the front fender and the crease formed in the front bumper validate it; great find!
In 1968-69 there was no "garden variety" SD. They were all 396s , and yes those are definitely incorrect emblems. If you wanted a "sporty" Beaumont (buckets and console) with a smaller engine you got a Beaumont Custom and ordered the bucket and console options.
All SDs are 396s and all 396s are SDs.
Negative not all SD's are 396's, but yes all 396 Beaumont's are SD's.
Up until early in the 1967 Model year (Cars built prior to Dec 1966), you could get a SD with any engine offered in the Beaumont line-up. I know of a GM documented 6 Cyl 1966 Beaumont SD & here is documentation for a early 67 SD with a 283. In fact most SD's prior to 1967 were probably born with 283's.
My bad. I don't know anything about these cars in detail, and the wording in Wikipedia was less than very clear. I've substantially edited the post and title.
Paul, FWIW the Beaumont essentially followed the Canadian Chevrolet offerings. The SD was like the Malibu SS, where it was a trim and appearance package until the early 1967 MY cars. After that, like the Canadian SS396, it essentially followed the US SS396 model.
In 1968, you could get the cooking version with 325 HP or move up to the 350 HP version. Same in '69. No 396-375 solid lifter L78 option for hosers, at least not officially.
Somewhere in my neighbourhood a 69 SD 396 Convertible is parked in a suburban garage. I've never seen it up close. Rumour has it, that its a true survivor with 37,000 miles on the odometer . I did spy it once on the road, with the top down. A very unique car.
I see all kind of SS 396 Chevelle's that started life as grandmas 6 automatic . Beaumont's ??? Not so much.
I first saw Acadians and Beaumonts on the web (don't ever remember seeing either "in the metal") about 20 years ago and assumed they were mildly restyled Chevys for the Canadian market. I had no idea back then that there was extensive mixing and matching of parts like the engines and instrument panels.
The only noticeably Canadian market car that I remember seeing was 1 of those re-badged Corsicas with Pontiac details added to it.
It's interesting to speculate what Beaumonts and Acadians might have looked like it they had survived through the 70s.
There's an SD 396 within an hour from me; it shows up on the road or at cruises from time to time. IIRC it's completely stock.
Here's a memory from when I lived in Niagara Falls, ONT 1969-1970.
I totally dig the awesome sunshine-pop harmonies in that jingle!
Here's a concurrent U.S. Pontiac commercial, also with a harmony-drenched jingle. How did this devolve into "Get on your Pontiac and ride, Pontiac, ride" by the 1980s as if it were a motorcycle?
I loved seeing these when I use to visit Vancouver several times a year in the early '90s.
Around 1980 I remember seeing a '66 or '67 Beaumont El Camino style pickup in a Madison, WI junk yard – does anyone know the name of this variant (if produced)?
I understand that Beaumont's were also made in Chile. Does anyone know that story?
That El Camino would be a homebrew, none offered from factory.
I don't know the story of the Chilean Beaumont, but they were offered in Saudi Arabia as well.
PaulChgo / Roger628, no Beaumont "ElCamino (Beaumino)" variant was ever built, however there are a few homebuilt ones I know of, but it's hard to imagine one being found in a junkyard after all that work.
The Deal on the Exported Beaumont's was they were shipped overseas in "CKD Kits" (Knockdown kits & and they were then assembled in the local country with a certain % of locally made parts. The Chilean cars had fibreglass hoods & front bumpers.
Others were exported to South Africa & Spain, I have never heard of any exported to Saudi (rich Saudi imported one maybe)? Another interesting fact about the African cars is they were Right Hand Drive!
Thanks- the pickup might of used the front clip from a Pontiac, but I don't recall it having stacked headlights and doubt it was a '64. Your right it was probably a homebrew – it's hard to remember something from nearly 40 years ago!
I think GM had a plant in Chile. Didn't know about Beaumonts in Saudi Arabia.
The automotive import/export laws changed in the late 60s (1968, maybe?). When cars were free to cross the border both ways, it was the end of all these weird Canadian-American mashups. That's why the '70 models were pure Pontiac.
and from when I bought it. Helpful hint: NEVER buy a car you want to restore if its already in rattle can primer. As this was a strip job and color change, not a big deal, but it hid much needed panel straightening. Still liked the 194 though…Smooth!
The first time I ever saw an Acadian/Beaumont must have been in late 1966 (I was 12) shortly after the family moved from St. Louis to central Florida. I kept seeing what seemed to be oddly-customized Chevy IIs and Chevelles. It was some time before I worked out that the cars I saw were GM variants brought down to Florida by snowbirds from the Great White North.
Actually, per the pic posted above by roger628, Chevy rally wheels with a plain flat cap are correct for these. The full-size Parisienne 2+2 used them also.
I've amended the text and pictures. Thanks.
I´ve never heard of this brand. Before visting CC I had no knowledge about the differences between US and canadian cars.
Interesting how the trade agreement drove such a variation, and not just dealer agreements.
Nice find, and looks well cared for.
I'm going to wager that the mis-matched front side marker lights are a factory screw-up. It would have been real easy for an assembly line worker to slap the correct light on one side, and a base, non-engine-call-out light on the other. Remember, too, that 1968 was the first year for the mandated side marker lights.
Then, in the interest of originality, the owner(s) simply never changed it.
CC effect strikes again. We're in Vancouver for a few days and on a tour by a fellow Buick owner ( in an Electra convertible, no less) we saw the very same car, same background, near Kitsilano Beach.