Beaumont Enthusiast for ~35 years / Hi Friends, from S/W Ontario.

Beaumont67SD · Guru

Beaumont Enthusiast for ~35 years / Hi Friends, from S/W Ontario.

slinky · Addicted!

welcome you 'll enjoy this place

Slink

-- Edited by slinky on Friday 18th of May 2012 05:29:06 AM

Beaumont67SD · Guru

^^^^ Thanks, for the kind welcomes.

poncho62 - Hanover drive-in brings back some good memories...I grew up on a farm between Wingham & Teeswater.
At one time, we had +25 parts cars (Chevelles, Beaumonts & Corvairs) out side sitting on a cemented barn yard & the upstairs of the barn full of A bodies...my Dad drove a cement truck btw.

67BBSD - my 67 SD came out of Saskatoon SK.
The husband street raced it for 6 years and his wife took a bank manager job promotion...in London...car was only in Ontario for 2 weeks, when I spotted it
I saw it driving through St. Thomas on my drive home from work...only 5 blocks, to home.
- so if I leave work a minute sooner or one minute later, I would have never found it.
I saw the quarter panel louvers and my heart began to pound, and like a maniac, I did a quick turn-around in someones driveway and headed after the 1967, in hot pursuit.

Luckly, I didn't have to run any red lights (LOL) and he puppled into a Macks convience store.
When I walked up to the car, saw the strato buckets, through the back window, yes all the SD trim there, BB hood, 4 gear...very nice, I thought.
Owner was already in the store, getting directions from the clerk...his buddy was in the passenger seat.
In the trunk was a vacuum clearer...he had just took a carpet cleaning job..and didn't know his way around / and needed a gar that was now better on gas.

Owner comes out, and I have him pop the hood...there is the 350 HP mill (w/Holley cast intake) and the driver side chrome valve cover is factory dimpled as used to clear the Nova power brake boster...I am liking what I see.
Inside, the buckets had no foam left, with blankets on the springs / but this is a 4 sp console car with Competition Plus shifter, factory tack, two factory underdash switches (one for radio speakers and one for rear defrost)

Test driving it was another matter...this car was trashed mechanically.
- cracked piston ring, sounded like
- shifter bushings worn completely out...linkage would got stuck (under the floor) shifting between 2nd & 3rd
- Muncie input/output bearings going
- ball joints shot
- Canadian Tire cheap wood wheel with no horn button
- brake pads worn down to the rivets
A month later the deal came together, it was mine and I couldn't have been happier...my 10 year search, was finally over.

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Friday 18th of May 2012 07:51:44 AM

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Welcome aboard! I look forward to photos of your fleet!

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Welcome from Canada's east coast Larry. Nice list of cars! There are a few people on here from St. Thomas and the surrounding area.

poncho62 · Poncho Master!

welcome from a little north of you

67BBSD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I want the 67 SD !!!!

any owner history ?

Captain Beaumont · Poncho Master!

Welcome from Edmonton, cool story

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Larry, what shape is the '67 SD in now?

2drpost · Uber Guru

welcome here!

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

great story !! welcome and look forward to more !!!

great cars...

Beaumont4008 · Uber Guru

Welcome from Winnipeg. Looking forward to seeing pics.

67BBSD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Beaumont67SD wrote:
^^^^ Thanks, for the kind welcomes.

poncho62 - Hanover drive-in brings back some good memories...I grew up on a farm between Wingham & Teeswater.
At one time, we had +25 parts cars (Chevelles, Beaumonts & Corvairs) out side sitting on a cemented barn yard & the upstairs of the barn full of A bodies...my Dad drove a cement truck btw.

67BBSD - my 67 SD came out of Saskatoon SK.
The husband street raced it for 6 years and his wife took a bank manager job promotion...in London...car was only in Ontario for 2 weeks, when I spotted it
I saw it driving through St. Thomas on my drive home from work...only 5 blocks, to home.
- so if I leave work a minute sooner or one minute later, I would have never found it.
I saw the quarter panel louvers and my heart began to pound, and like a maniac, I did a quick turn-around in someones driveway and headed after the 1967, in hot pursuit.

Luckly, I didn't have to run any red lights (LOL) and he puppled into a Macks convience store.
When I walked up to the car, saw the strato buckets, through the back window, yes all the SD trim there, BB hood, 4 gear...very nice, I thought.
Owner was already in the store, getting directions from the clerk...his buddy was in the passenger seat.
In the trunk was a vacuum clearer...he had just took a carpet cleaning job..and didn't know his way around / and needed a gar that was now better on gas.

Owner comes out, and I have him pop the hood...there is the 350 HP mill (w/Holley cast intake) and the driver side chrome valve cover is factory dimpled as used to clear the Nova power brake boster...I am liking what I see.
Inside, the buckets had no foam left, with blankets on the springs / but this is a 4 sp console car with Competition Plus shifter, factory tack, two factory underdash switches (one for radio speakers and one for rear defrost)

Test driving it was another matter...this car was trashed mechanically.
- cracked piston ring, sounded like
- shifter bushings worn completely out...linkage would got stuck (under the floor) shifting between 2nd & 3rd
- Muncie input/output bearings going
- ball joints shot
- Canadian Tire cheap wood wheel with no horn button
- brake pads worn down to the rivets
A month later the deal came together, it was mine and I couldn't have been happier...my 10 year search, was finally over.

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Friday 18th of May 2012 07:51:44 AM

great storey-I love 67 SD's my all time favorite car-theres a black/black one in the St. Thomas area from down here in the 1970's - I've been chasing a couple as long and had a few

Beaumont67SD · Guru

Pontiacanada wrote:
Larry, what shape is the '67 SD in now?

My 67SD (red on black) has been mothballed for the past 25 years and parked in a foam sprayed tobacco pack barn (including insulation, under the concrete floor)...very nice and dry storage.

Still needs drivetrain rebuilt (did drive, but with worn faults)...the 396-350 HP, Muncie 4 speed and 12 bolt 411 gear posi.

Sheetmetal - needs 2 full quarter panels and trunk floor install (Larry is, always looking for NOS 1/4's and front fenders).

Even before I bought the SD, I purchased a nice BB hood w/louver inserts, that was imported from Arizona, the rare speed warning speedometer, both NOS rear SD diecast horizontal trim, one new front fender eyebrow aluminum trim from GM and an original disk brake setup with PB booster & master cylinder w/proportional valve (from a restored SD, that was smashed head on into a tree...1 of 40 per 1967 production numbers). Plus I picked up one good Chevelle door with full green tinted glass, that came out of a house basement (at TN junk yard) when I was on vacation 20 years ago (I was hopefull of getting an SD sometime, just didn't know when, so I started to collect parts several years before).

BTW, the occupant floor pans, are still in excellent shape (under the carpet, no rust and nice original red paint) . When I drove it the summer of ~1987, there were no water leaks, so the windshield and rear glass sheetmetal channels are solid...I did weekend rust repair bodywork (panel fabrication & welding, prep & paint) for 15 years (in the family farms inplement garage) so I can honestly say...I was pleased sheetmetal wise, with the 20 year old car, when I first purchased it....this former SK car, was better than most original daily driver tin, from Ontario...that I was use to.

In 1987, I did a very quicky & temporary repair on the rear quarter rust through and patched the trunk floor corners (easy to undo)...I would not butcher a rare muscle car with cheap aftermarket half-quarters, that was only available from Cross Canada, at the time.

Mechanically - new brakes, ball joints, exhaust and competition plus shifter rebuild...to get the SD licensed, for the 1st summer drives.

Cosmetic - swapped a nice pair of strato buckets, rear seat, carpets and steering column out of a 1967 Beaumont Custom parts car, to spruce up the black interior, and keep it looking original and more respectable.

Wheels - setting on 14" original Olds 442 Rally II rims with Firestone 721 radial tires...it was what I had off my first 6 cylinder Beaumont.

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Saturday 19th of May 2012 09:53:36 AM

Beaumont67SD · Guru

Beaumont4008 wrote:
Welcome from Winnipeg. Looking forward to seeing pics.

Beaumont4008, only have a few old pics. When I got my first Canon 35mm camera, 35 years ago while in College... I couldn't afford the print developing.

Photo #1 - 1967 Beaumont Custom, 6 cyl. drove daily for 6 years
Photo #2 - 1967 Beaumont SD....garage is full of Beaumonts to the far wall
- beside the SD is a 1984 Monte Carlo S/S with nice factory blue bucket seat interior, winter stored since new
Photo #3 - 1965 Chevelle Malibu S/S, 283-V8, purchased from original owner in 1980
- my twin brother bought this car from the original owner who was 65 years old when he bought it off the showroom at Eastown Chev-Olds (GM dealer) in London, ON
Photo #4 - 1965 Chevelle Malibu S/S, showing its rare 2 tone interior

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Saturday 19th of May 2012 02:05:38 PM

Beaumont67SD · Guru

03cts sport wrote:
Cool. Whats the '66 that we see the front end of?
Welcome aboard!

^^^^ Appreciate the kind words: front end picture is the 1966 Beaumont Custom, 283-V8 original paint bench seat car - 75K miles
- in Danube Blue & blue interior / same exterior colour as my first 1965 Chevelle 2-door post which I bought when I was 17 y/o...so the colour code has much sentimental value

Also: 1967 Beaumont Custom, 283-V8 original blue paint & black bucket seat interior (sport option?) - 65K miles
- this one is parked in family barn, in the top left corner of photo

And behind the parked 1966 is this one...on the upper barn floor: 1967 Beaumont Custom, 283-V8 bench seat car, PS, PB...gold colour.

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Saturday 19th of May 2012 02:56:47 PM

03cts sport · Uber Guru

Cool. Whats the '66 that we see the front end of?
Welcome aboard!

67BBSD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

wow

kelico · Poncho Master!

welcome to a great site.
cant wait to see the fleet.

65sssd · Poncho Master!

My Canadian built 65 SS chevelle had that same interior but with a white exterior. I have no idea where it is now and I hate selling cars because I always miss them. Nice fleet. I wish I had a few. Paul.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

65sssd wrote:
My Canadian built 65 SS chevelle had that same interior but with a white exterior. I have no idea where it is now and I hate selling cars because I always miss them. Nice fleet. I wish I had a few. Paul.

wink Looks like Larry might have as many as you biggrin

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Beaumont67SD · Guru

65sssd wrote:
427carl wrote:
65sssd wrote:
My Canadian built 65 SS chevelle had that same interior but with a white exterior. I have no idea where it is now and I hate selling cars because I always miss them. Nice fleet. I wish I had a few. Paul.
Looks like Larry might have as many as you

I don't know what your talking about. Paul.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
427carl - thks. for taking the time, to properly load my pics...it is fun for me to share the old stories, we did what we had to do, back then...buy what we could afford, and goggle over the rest

65sssd - looks like many members here, are great at saving & building Canadian collections & outsanding rides (way beyond my modest fleet) / just glad I finally found this site, and can be a part of it

The green '67 (6 cyl) car was my first Beaumont...it had original paint, 45,000 miles, and rust holes on the bottom panels & trunk floor corners.
Purchased in 1976 while I was driving home (to London, ON.) and I was turning left at a set of red traffic lights when I spotted the car in the through lane.
I pulled up beside the gal, and motioned for her to roll down her window / she was reluctant to give me her address and I did manage to get her phone #...after I told her, I would bring my wife with me...to view the car, later that night.
She was divorced, but gave me her number and we struck a deal, that night / provided she report the broken windshield and have her insurance company replace it.
She calls up her insurance agent, and now he wants to buy the Beaumont to / but she kept her word, and it was mine, a week later
Then she called her insurance agent, and took off the coverage...he was pissed, after the windshield claim and the fact he asked to buy it.

Drove it up to my Dads farm (75 miles North) and over the next several months, proceeded to make sheetmental patch panels, that I brazed on...prior to mig.
This was car #4 that I was working on, in my farm implement garge / my twin brother and I had already taken over 2/3rd of the building...LOL.
My first amateur and self taught body and paint job, was on a 1966 Vailant 4 door, so this 2 door hardtop needed more love to keep the Oxy/Acet heat from warping the razor straight sheetmetal.
I made my own patch panels out of 19 or 20 gauge steel, using Vise Grip Welding clamps, a SnapOn body hammer and a 2 foot rail road tie for bending.
The passenger rear quarter lip was half replaced and 1 full patch behind and infront of the wheel 1/4 arch, was bazed up solid.
With a few autobody cars under my belt, I was so excited that I was beginning to control panel warpage, to a minimum...through earleir trial & error.

After College, I got married and this green Beaumont became our one & only every day car for 6 years straight...ended up putting 70,000 miles on it.
5 years after the first paint job, I hung good doors on it from a smashed '67 Chevelle parts car and did some spot repairs and repainted it.
A year later the harmonic balancer on the 6 cyl. was toast and the engine was using 1 quart of oil, with every tank of gas...so car was unplated.
Funny thing was, cars right blinker switch was always broke (replacement not found) so turning corners with one hand holding the turn signal lever while the other hand turned the steering wheel...and this with manual steering. (not fun for the wife, either)

This old green Beaumont, started my love affair for the Canadian Pontiac version of the Chevelle.
As I previously had a 1965 Deluxe 300 Chevelle 2 door post (194cu.in.6cyl.) for 3 years when I was 17 y/o, my preference's went to the Canadian models, over time. Once I discovered the rarety (and that was from taking a 3 week business trip to Ohio in 1980, and couldn't spot a Beaumont...to save my soul).
When my son was born, almost 30 years ago, it was the dependable and reliable old green Beaumont that picked up my wife and new born, at Victoria Hospital...with my first doberman (Tanya) on the back cloth seat.
The green Beau. was also a great ice breaker when I routinely scouted city sub divisions (with wife) on many Sunday mornings.
She even spotted '67 Chevelle rear tail light bezels through a white picket fence, from 2 blocks away...we bought that one to.
With the green machine, I could go up to a stranger and say: "I like your old Beaumont...I have one just like it" (then point to the car)...then say: "its the best vehicle I have ever owned" / while some others would say: "hey man, want to sell your car"?
This one car, got me more, throughout the years.
^^^^ just a 35 year old trip, down memory lane...I wanted to share...with the great members here / the used muscle car era and a daily driver

Cheers...Larry

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Sunday 20th of May 2012 03:17:49 PM

65sssd · Poncho Master!

427carl wrote:
65sssd wrote:
My Canadian built 65 SS chevelle had that same interior but with a white exterior. I have no idea where it is now and I hate selling cars because I always miss them. Nice fleet. I wish I had a few. Paul.
Looks like Larry might have as many as you

I don't know what your talking about. Paul. biggrin

Beaumont67SD · Guru

Hi 427carl^^^^ Valid question and besides raising a child and a decade of his competitive sports (throughout Canada, USA and a trip to Japan):

When I bought 90% of my "A" bodies, only one GM rear quarter was still available (for a while, before being discontinued) and not both. The first discontinued 1/4 panel was unavailable in the 1980's and when found, was priced through the roof. No new doors or front fenders either. I only used one Cross Canada half 1/4 panel once...never again. When the repro-jobber trunk floors became available, the sheetmetal stamped pans were in 3 pieces and the floor brace supports came seperate. Watching from the sidelines, the repop market making 55-57 Chev, 67-69 Camaro and early 65-68 Mustang stuff...slowly this aftermarket sheetmetal got better & better.
I figured within time, 64-72 Chevelle tin availability would catch up and also improve. As a licenced GM product now, it has...as trunk floors are complete, and the full exterior parts are made again. Making a clean & straight restoration, more affordable & easier...than the search for all NOS.

Here is a AutoBody Replacement Classic & Muscle Car Body Parts Manufacturing video, I just came across / that some may find interesting: http://www.goldenleafautomotive.com/ccbd/ccbd.php

Fortunately, there are a few companies restamping off-shore or American made body panels...still seems unfortunate though, some fit better than others, between years and suppliers (while using cleaner modern steels and thicker gauge metal, in one case / one guy had to order 3 sets, to get one pair 1/4's he could live with). I have no problem, finally going the aftermarket route...but even on the other forum...the verdict is still out, and a common concern still rears up. Some full quarter panels fit perfect like a glove while some OEM full stampings have produced inconsistent door gaps & fit / even at the hands of a skilled autobody technician (and door edges have been mig welded with steel filler, to lengthening the door and shortening the gap). Stamping dies wear over time (even original GM did) or some repro OEM panels aren't made exact, to start with...but the hobby restoration tin is improving.

I once bought both NOS rear quarters & one NOS front fender for my 1970 Judge RAIII plus used Southern USA doors and a rust free trunk lid...and I did drive this car to work and local cruise nights. Also drove my 1987 GTA TransAm L98 "T" top for a while to.
However, for me...finding the GTO sheetmetal was much easier than the Chevelle/Beaumont tin...and I had even made a wrecking yard road trip to the States once, years ago...came back only with one door.
My old Beaumonts, were never intended to be pre-retirement projects. I have had other rare and fast Pontiac's, to fill the old car void & driving rush / and not mess up survivor cars, by making do with inferior sheetmetal panels...early on.

Hi red rat - I know what you mean (per quote - best car ever had). The 67SD styling is still more appealing to me now, then anything GM is currently building / like the classic 1957 BelAir, just 10 years newer...Got to love those 4 speeds !!

Cheers...Larry

-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Monday 21st of May 2012 03:18:24 PM