Our November feature car hails from Lappeenranta, Finland and is owned by Markku Kervinen. This 1966 Beaumont Sedan was exported to the country fairly early in it's life. Markku has and is continuing to work to preserve the originality of the Beaumont while at the same time improve it's appearance and reliability. Markku tells us about the car's interesting history and how it ended up in Finland:
I am Markku Kervinen from Finland. I have been engaged in the construction of American cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles for over 30 years. I changed the Harley project to this Beumont project in December 2020. The Beaumont was dismantled to start the project.
I started by restoring the frame and its fasteners and welding in new floors . The original upholstery has been cleaned and restored. The engine and other technology was just serviced and installed back in place.
All joints and steering, chassis, and shock absorbers etc. were renovated with new parts. The renovation for next winter has already started. The purpose is to go through the engine, replace a new clutch and improve the fitment of body panels. This car will be kept as original as possible.
The car was apparently bought at Glacier service in Smithers, British Columbia. The car doesn't have either brake booster or power steering booster. It does not have a radio. The engine is a 194 straight six and "three on the tree".
There is no certainty but propably Finnish citizen Eino Niemelä ordered the car new. If brought to Finland even a radio would have been an expensive piece of equipment for tax reasons. In any case, Eino imported car when moving back to Finland in 1970 to my home town Lappeenranta. He worked in the sawmill industry and was in Canada learning about the local sawmill industry. From 1973 onwards the history is better known.
The car has passed into the ownership of a Transport Business named Kalevi Kela in Northern Finland. Due to the car's relatively minor rusting, this has been a good thing, because roads are not salted at all in the north. In the first car wash in Kajaani the wrong (or too strong) detergents were used in a car wshing mashine sometime in the late 70s and the shine of the paint was then lost thanks to that car washing machine.
From 1990 to 2019 the car had been parked in the corner of the garage (truck depo). From there my friend Harri Äijälä brought it back to Lappeenranta and we have started the restoration by dismantling the car. More to come! Thank you.
Looks like snow on the inside headlights, very Canadian, I bet you never see another Beaumont? Thanks for sharing it with us.
Don
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Monday 31st of October 2022 12:17:56 PM
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
So cool! I love basic, rustic cars. It appears to be very original and very basic, as in no options. It's the Beaumont equivalent of a Chevy Chevette Scooter. Factory colours & survivor interior (a rarity). Note the horn ring; hidden under the wheel wrap are 4 bright bands around the rim like the U.S. Malibu & SS396. In Canada the base Beaumont & Canadian Chevelle 300 used that wheel. The 300 Deluxe in the U.S. came with the horn ring but not the bands.
Giving it the attention it deserves has extended the service life. Just be sure to flush it out thoroughly after a salty drive. Also some deep creep oil underneath and in the body cavities would be desirable if you are going to drive it year-round. Congrats on owning Feature Car of the Month, Markku. Your enthusiasm shows, and you should be proud.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
Looks like snow on the inside headlights, very Canadian, I bet you never see another Beaumont? Thanks for sharing it with us.
Don
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Monday 31st of October 2022 12:17:56 PM
Very Canadian except the AIR FRESHENER! Needs a maple leaf in that beautiful Canadian built car.
Air Freshener is now gone. No Canadian fresheners to be found in stores here, only those with star and stripes. That freshener goes to son´s 1966 Ford Galaxie and never again will hang in Beaumonts mirror again. This car is to be driven in summer times only, no bad weather driving.
-- Edited by Finn1966 on Tuesday 1st of November 2022 12:29:01 PM
-- Edited by Finn1966 on Wednesday 2nd of November 2022 11:49:01 AM
I'm loving this month's feature car. It's fun seeing all the different cars that are out there and I hope that this is incentive for guys who say my car is "only a 4 door" or "my car isn't fast enough, or shiny enough" or whatever. Great feature car!
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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 these plain Jane cars with 6 cylinder power. This car has a unique story too. The only thing that would make it even more attractive to me is if it was a 2 door post car. It is a fine candidate for feature car. Congratulations to the owner.
Very cool to see Markku. (I too have a 66 Beaumont.) Great to see the original reverse lamps and dog dish hub caps. Also luv the stance of the car.
(Send me your address and Ill try to send you a Canadian air freshener.)
PS. Im not sure if youre aware but, for a fee, you can get a copy of the GM build sheet.
What name should the car be called so that other enthusiasts here can understand it?
A. Most auto show visitors consider it as a Chevelle.
B. Some think it is Acadian. Here are 1963-1965 Acadian cars that were sold new both Canso and Beaumont. They were mainly 4 door sedans and used as a Taxi ( much more practical than WV Beetle)
C. Pontiac Beaumont?
D. This one I use. It is Beaumont. its own brand 1966 onwards. Body and technique is based on Chevrolet Chevelle. Interior parts and Dash are from Pontiac Tempest. Front grille and tail lights are Beaumont own Pontiac style parts. It is made by Canadian General Motors Pontiac division and sold by Pontiac/Buick dealers in Canada.
66 327 sd Nice car you have almost same color as I had in my 1965 Cadillac In the Cadillac that I owned at the turn of the millennium.
Photo from Amerikan Rauta Finish American Car magazine. The caption tells about my car:"Rarely seen Canadian Chevrolet Chevelle. It's a 1966 Acadian Beaumont". (however, the model year and country of manufacture are correct). It will be fixed when I get my car in the presentable condition.
-- Edited by Finn1966 on Sunday 6th of November 2022 11:12:35 PM
(Went to Canadian Tire today to grab a Canadiana inspired air freshener. They must have at minimum 50 different items. One with the red white and blue. Surprisingly, not one of them was a Canadian themeWTH?! Ill continue to keep my eye out for one.)
It´s not used every day. There were sudden snow shower at the time picture were taken. Picture is actually taken in spring. Weather was fine when I left. The bear has gone to hibernate in her cave.