Usually when I'm preparing a feature car I'm too busy downloading, editing, and resizing photos to really take notice of the car itself. It's not until the feature is posted when I can really take the time to admire the vehicle. Well this time it was different. I found myself pausing at many of the photos of Jeff Friesen's 1967 Beaumont Custom to admire what he has done to transform this car into a real driver's machine. It really makes me wish I could visit each feature car in person as this is one Beaumont I'd love to go for a ride in! Jeff takes it from here:

"My dad had always been interested in the Beaumont since a guy in his bowling league bought it new. He told him if he ever wanted to sell it he would be interested. In the mid-late 70's his buddy had traded it in at the Pontiac dealership in Carman. They called my dad and said the car was there and they heard he was interested in it. He drove there right away and bought it. He used it as our family car and drove around Manitoba buying flax straw from farmers for Kimbery Clark at the time.

Then he bought a different car in the early 80's and the car sat until my second oldest brother bought it. It wasn't long until the stock 283 got a 4-BBL carb and intake with the help of my oldest brother. Then came the paint job and a new interior. My brother drove it like this as his family car until the mid-later 80's when his family was growing and the need for something other than a 2 door was needed. My cousin then bought the car and had it for 20 years. 

During that time, the 283 got replaced with a 350 and different wheels. The rest remained the same. When my father passed away in 2010 I had to get it back from my cousin who wasn't driving it. It was sitting in my uncle's driveway for the past 2 years. I made a deal over the phone from Michigan where I was managing Carman Custom.

This was a restoration shop that my childhood friend and NHL Hall of Famer Ed Belfour owned. We built and restored custom cars and hotrods for over 15 years, so this new purchase had to be restored here my way. My friend Rich Koffel and I jumped in the truck and trailer one Thursday night and headed for Manitoba. My brother's had picked the car up from Portage and brought it back to the family farm property where my oldest brother now lives. We loaded up and headed back to Michigan the next day with my new car.

I began taking it apart almost immediately after I finished taking pictures of it. This began a 15 month full restoration of the car.  It only needed quarters which had rust repair from the years of mud and dirt that the car saw in it's life on country roads. The rest of the metal was really good with only minor repairs. I built a solid roller 454 with the help of the Koffel family at one of their locations. It dynoed at 550hp and 545 ft/lbs. Together with a Tremec TKO 600 5 speed and a 12 bolt with 3.42 gears it runs very nice down the highway.

I installed drilled and slotted rotors on all four corners from Master Power Brakes, A/C from Vintage Air, console and rear backseat portion from a 300C and an 8 speaker sound system with a 700 watt JL amp and stereo from Clarion.

Power steering, belt drive and pulleys were from Billet Specialties. Paint is Marina Blue and clear coat is from Dupont. Gauges are an insert with Autometer classic gauges. Wheels are Boss 338 18x9 rear and 17x7 in the front wrapped in Nitto 555 tires.

Every nut and bolt was refinished or replaced with a bolt kit from suppliers and I have no future plans to change anything. I just want to enjoy the car with my family and friends.

  Jeff"