June is finally here and we have another great Acadian Beaumont convertible feature car. This time it's Tony Braga's attractive white '62. I've always had a soft spot for this body style and while V8's are a lot of fun, there's a lot to be said about GM's venerable straight 6, especially with today's gas prices! Tony gives us the details:
This car sat tarped in my backyard for 4 years.
The owner (my brother) had not the time nor money to restore it, so it sat there tarped season after season never seeing the light of day.
At the time I was driving a 69 Buick Skylark that i had purchased from him a few years back.
As I slowly started to restore the Buick spending $3000 on tires,mufflers, exhaust pipes and a full tune up
My brother soon realized how much he missed that old Buick from his younger years and proposed a trade for the "convertible under
the tarp".
His simple reasoning was that I looked like 'a little old lady driving that big ol Buick' and that the small convertible
Would suit me better, Besides " all that convertible needs is a carburetor and a tire, plus it's a classic and the first
year they were produced".
Feeling like I was on the Monty Hall show "Let's Make a Deal" and knowing how much sentimental value
the Buick had to him, I agreed on the condition I would spend $3000 of HIS money getting the convertible up
to par. Besides..all he said it needed was a new carburetor and tire right?
Well he was right about it being a classic and the first year they were made.
As I embarked on my new restoration project with my newly acquired 1962 Acadian Beaumont Convertible
I soon realized how much work this car really needed, everything from getting it started to getting it to stop.
I have never been mechanically inclined besides a oil change but I decided to make that $3000 stretch a bit
and do the work myself. Finding all I could about Acadians through Youtube videos and Internet websites
I came across 'Canadian Poncho ' who to this day have helped me get this car to where it is today, with
changing a carburetor, push rods, a distributor ,fuel pump,break lines, brake cylinders, spark plugs
and wires.
I must admit I was hesitant at first showing off the Beaumont with all its rust spots and ragged top
as a feature car.
It's far from a show car and doesn't compare to all these wonderful Monthly Feature
Cars on this site but she runs nice and stops well and soon on its way to a full restoration.
Right after I get those brake lights to work.....
Tony
-- Edited by 03cts sport on Saturday 31st of May 2014 04:40:54 PM
-- Edited by 03cts sport on Saturday 31st of May 2014 04:43:22 PM
Tony, you need to have NO shame in having your car featured here. I think I speak for almost everyone here when I say this is exactly the kind of car we love seeing featured. That is a gorgeous car and I look forward to seeing it in person one day.
In the meantime, keep asking questions here if you are stumped.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
love it, looks great . you will have a lot of fun with it have you had the info plate on the firewall decoded yet? would be fantastic if it is one of the rare ones with factory buckets.
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Surrey BC
1963 Acadian Beaumont Sport Deluxe http://www.63acadian.com/
Its coming along real fine and I'm lovin it.
Thanks for offering it up as a successful candidate for car of the month.
The early smaller Beaumonts are one of my favourites. Certainly the "right" colours.
Keep us in the know as you continue along with work on it.
"So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think... The good outnumber you, and we always will." Patton Oswalt
Very nice little car you've got. I'm all for drivers myself. If your car is too perfect, you can't drive it for fear of chips, scratches, etc. I say, put the top down and enjoy the ride. And the bonus is all the thumbs up you'll get.
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'68 Parisienne 2+2 Convertible Matador Red (Resale Red but not for sale).