Cesar and Todd, thank you for shedding some light on the subject. I just learned something. I find all this stuff so neat to know and it just goes to show that you never stop learning. Good luck with your Beaumonts and please feel free to post more information on your special Chile editions of the Pontiac Beaumonts. Excellent stuff my brother. Cheers. George.

heres the chilean Beaumont history  i found years back and translated to english




Acadian and Beaumont made in Chile:

According to the publicity, he was " The advanced automobile more of
Chile". We only can agree: The Acadian was a fine North American
automobile of sport, very reliable aspect, constructed between 1963
and 1971. In my experience, it is the best car than I have had, in a
rank from Mercedes-Benz to Mitsubishi 2002. Keeping the proportions,
according to their time, the Acadian was unbeatable in comfort,
smoothness and trustworthiness. They never failed.

Marca

The Acadians was a tribe native single-breasted uniform jacket of
Canada. And so Canadian it was the mark that the selected emblem was
the leaf of red color, that appears in the flag of that country.
Several models were constructed but in Chile only two were armed:
Acadian Canso and Acadian Beaumont.


We must recognize that the origin of the mark is not of parchments.
It was a creation of General Motors of Canada in front of the taxes
applied to the imported vehicles. Therefore it was created by
marketing.

Nevertheless, in the automobile universe the marks created only by
desire to make an automobile superior are very few: By all means
Bugatti, Lincoln (before being incorporated the Ford group),
Cadillac, Lancia, Ferrari and some other. The majority of the marks
was created for reasons of market. Capable industralists in mechanics
who saw in the creation of the automobile a beneficial invention from
the point of view of businesses. Acadian was perhaps the last mark
created by General Motors and this makes valuable.
The development in Canada

Basically the Acadian initially Chevrolets was Canadian, in a moment
to happen to be Chevelles with inner bodies and of more high level,
because they shared elements with the Pontiac. In fact in Canada they
were commercialized instead of the Pontiac Tempest and Le Mans by the
liaison net Pontiac-Buick. Then, we cannot watch them in less.

The first Acadian, left to the market in 1961, denominated I tire was
identical to Chevy II. From 1963 the model is added Beaumont with
designs Pontiac type. The basic motor was 6 cylinders and a V8 of 5.4
liters was optional. It is more, existed the Beaumont SD who took a
V8 motor of 350 HP. From these no arrived at Chile. Today the mark
does not exist, but between the fans in Canada it is a cult mark.
Superior is described like a vehicle to all the other cars of its
time, or how General Motors in full dress transformed a Chevrolet
into a suit.

The manufacture in Chile
By the end of 50 years 'and all the decade of the '60, Chile like
other nations of South America tried to be self-sufficient in the
industrial headings. And thus it was that we had factories of
motorcycles and automobiles. With very little success.

Most knew to find its niches of market and therefore the listing of
vehicles armed in Chile can be impressive for a small country.
Between these marks it was Acadian with both models already
mentioned. They caused sensation and it was not for less. After the
Studebaker and Chevy II, it was the first car of American origin,
with a streamlined and modern design in being armed in Chile.

The vehicles were engaged in disarmed in drawers from Canada to be
assembled, in very careful form in the plant of TECNA in Arica. The
integration of national pieces was relatively low, which was verified
by the long duration of the components of these automobiles in spite
of the passage of time. Of national origin they were some lateral
windshields and glasses, some plastic pieces, micas, carpets, tires
and " it stops of contar".

In the launching of models 1965 it was gotten up, (Chilean creation
for this automobile), cowling and cover of fiber glass suitcase. This
initiative was important in the disrepute that underwent the mark.


The Acadian was an expensive automobile, between its representatives
told to ATAL Cars, company that always represented fine vehicles.

The Beaumont, on the other hand, was made only in the version of two
doors. Clearly it was not a utilitarian automobile. In fact,
according to the North American nomenclature of those years they were
classified in the personal category sport. Therefore, the original
buyers of the Acadian were falsified and they did not like to have a
car with parts of the body " of plástico" , as it were said then.

Only in the last made units, in 1971, one became to the Canadian
original metal cowling. Probably one was elements that the first
house stops were leftover stock when being finished the manufacture
of the mark in that market.
How many models had?

In Chile five models were armed of Acadian:

First of them in 1962, denominated I tire. It was a Chevy II of four
doors, not very distinguishing, that was different especially by some
chromium platings.

The second model was the one of 1963, where cupé of very clean and
nowadays still modern style was gotten up magnificent, with the same
design of escasísimo cupé Chevy II, of low ceiling.
Cupé Acadian of 1963 was a beautiful automobile of clean and elegant
sport lines. Only 1.500 were constructed


In 1965 the one was armed in Chile that would be the most elegant
Acadian. Great and of formal aspect, it was a small limousine but of
two doors.

The body already was the one of the Chevelle but its aspect was very
modified with special accessories for the Acadian and the mask and
the interior of the Pontiac Tempest.

Very elegant and of smooth walking, it incorporated the chassis
articulated where each back section was, in independent form,
connected to the main chassis.
Some, the automatic ones were equipped with motor 230 and apparently,
with version 250.
In 1967 it very changes to the style, using the body " muscle" of
Chevelle '67.


It was characterized to have the back glass in a species of tunnel,
since the ceiling were united to the maletero through two small fins.



The 1967 model was only made during two years. Nevertheless she is
the Beaumont of muscular aspect but, sensation that increased for
being a very clean design, almost without chromium platings.



A very desirable vehicle for those who likes of automobiles of net
sport aspect. One offered with the same motor 6 cylinders of 140 HP.
Its light body and good aerodynamics made very running.

In 1969 the typical and remembered Beaumont arrives at Chile but:
Model GTA, based on the body of the Malibu almost fast back.


For unknown reasons, some of them were armed with a differential with
fast crown - my father had one of them. This vehicle was a formidable
horsebreaker. In those years to already exceed the 100 kilometers per
hour in one of these Beaumont was very easy. And worse still, the
conductor did not realize it.
In March of 1969 " appeared in the santiaguina press east warning of
then the novel model; GTA". The illustration came from the Canadian
original catalog and slightly was deformed to make appear to the
still more long automobile than already it was.


Such era the level of smoothness of these vehicles, the one that
already had to the design of the suspensions and its classic
articulated chassis.

In 1971, Chile was perhaps the last country where they were sold the
Beaumont. It was exactly the model of 1969, but with the beautiful
metal cowling with two false blower pipes.


The range of colors of the Acadian was very ample. They were offered
in target, smooth yellow (until 1967), green grayish metalist,
celestial grayish metalist, red and in 1969-71 some in burdeo color
and, very few, in two special colors: a beautiful color " morado"
dark with golden impressive white tapestry and an intense one. Models
1963 and from the '67 to the '71 included between optional the vinyl
ceiling.
Still in 1983, when this photo was taken, the lines of Beaumont GTA
excelled between the modern vehicles but. Its sport design had an
aspect advanced to its time.
How they were sold in Chile?

The Acadian was product of General Motors and therefore they offered
some concessionaires GM. (The other were occupied selling Chevy II
and Nova). It directly sold it to TECNA and in some independent
concessionaires. To many they directly brought them proprietors from
Arica.

They were the envy of all, especially model 1969 due to its
aggressive sport aspect without pillars. Between the characteristics
that announced for this model, we can mention:

" Fascinating sport line without pillars - Powerful motor of 140 HP
and legitimate trasmisión of General Motors of Canada - All the
synchronous speeds - Body Fisher Body on chassis - Direction by
telescope of security - anatomical Seats that do not tire in long
trips - Brakes of automatic adjustment - Other refinements: Radio -
Heating - Parking lightses laterales"
Epilog: It recovers a Acadian

This is not an exhaustive history of the Acadian and Beaumont in
Chile, but a logical conclusion is to avoid that the few vehicles of
this mark that are disappear. They were much more fine refinings and
than normally one thinks and in addition they represented a great
advance in armaduría of vehicles in Chile, because an automobile of
high tech was armed in the country and with the same characteristics
that it had in its market of origin.

They are not difficult to recover, because its motor is the universal
GM of 6 cylinders. All their mechanics is very easy and is very rare
that the bodies have oxide because they were of steel with treatments
anticorrosion of high quality, appropriate for the Canadian market.
Already there are some models 1969 and '71 that entered the circuit
of the restoration. Also a 1965 unit has been conserved at least. We
recommended to look for a model to him of 1967, clean lines and with
aspect of brute force. Its luck would be too much if it finds cupé of
1963. Only 1,500 units made anywhere in the world, and mine I sold
it in 1978!

Much more it would be possible to be written of the Acadian, but You
discover your incomparable smoothness of march and sensation of
modern comfort, recovering and handling one. The words will exceed.


The Acadian was a mark produced by the General Motors of Canada as of
years 1962 to 1971.

This mark was introduced for the Canadian distributers Pontiac and
Buick, the idea was to have a compact model (Coupé) to sell, since
the Pontiac Tempest was not commercialized in Canada for reasons of
Marketing.

The original plans were that the Acadian was based on the chassis of
the Chevrolet Corvair, model that was produced in the plant of Oshawa
de General Motors, nevertheless these plans were changed being based
on the chassis of Chevy II, concept that would be introduced in 1962
and that would be commercialized under the name of I tire.

More ahead the model is added Beaumont, who was based on the chassis
of the Chevelle, but also contained some elements to the highest
style of Pontiac, like back lights, mask, board, among others.

In Canada from year 1966 to 1969 Acadian and Beaumont they were
independent marks sold by the distributers of Pontiac, were
nevertheless not considered like models of Pontiac properly so.
Several models to Acadian made in addition, between which they count:
They soothe, Station and Convertible, models that never arrived at
Chile.

It is in the decade of the '60 in Chile begins to bloom in the
Automotríz industry, being given beginning to the birth of which it
would be the unique plant in arming the first vehicle of Canadian
origin in Chile.

You take care of in it of Arica, north of Chile, was Industria de
Vehículos TECNA Ltda. that was the plant dedicated to the integrated
armed one and of the components of the Acadian. The vehicles were
brought disarmed from Canada by boat, in wood boxes to be assembled
here in Chile.

It was in 1962 that the first Acadian left to the market from the
plant TECNA Ltda. based on the platform of Chevy II and was called I
tire.

From 1963 the model is added in line Beaumont with a motor of 6
cylinders and 230 inches cubical. In Canada this model with different
motorizations could be found: 230, 250 and 396, this I complete was
position in the sport version of Beaumont SD of 350 HP.

Like other marks, the Acadian also received part of the technology "
Chilean-Criolla" , incorporating the creation of pieces in fiber
glass, calls at that time " plástico" , initiative that I take to
discredit the National Industry, because these pieces became broken
with facility if they were not handled with due the well-taken care
of one.

In the models of year 1965 in future the cowling was gotten up and
cover of fiber glass suitcase and only became to the Canadian
original metal cowling at the beginning of year 1971.

Whats the chances of getting one of them Chilean car license plates to hang on the wall of my shop?

go for it steve






-- Edited by 68sd on Tuesday 9th of November 2010 09:42:59 AM

i have one 69 and one 68. Like? Send me an address if they are okay.

steve: You have two identical plates sent you an email with my address.

thanks Cesar I'll put them in the mail friday. The 69 plate should look good on your car at the local car shows.

nice cars ....... looks like they don't use salt on the roads in Chile......you should put more clamps on your fuel filter.....would want to see that baby burn !!!!

Its friday and they are on the way.

Hi Cesar

welcome aboard, from sudbury ontario, canada!