It's hard to believe it's July already! Our feature car for this month belongs to Bob Lewis. Bob bought this 1964 Acadian Beaumont Sport Deluxe as a retirement project. Bob was amazed at how much you can get accomplished when you have 8 hours of the day free! He started with a very rough example and turned it into the drag strip warrior you see here. Bob tells us more:
I acquired the featured car about 5 years before I retired. It was to be my project upon retirement - to get it running and race it within about a 5 month span. It must have endured a rough life as it was a former drag car. The 12 bolt rear in it was from a 66 Chevelle along with Lakewood ladder bars. As you can see there wasn't much to work with. During the 5 year before retirement I acquired all the missing parts and materials that I would need.
It was fun travelling all over southern Ontario to swap meets and hunting down parts thru Kijiji and want ads. A 1964 Chevelle El Camino former project car supplied the front clip and various missing other parts. This Beaumont supplied a lot of the much needed trim parts:
The motor and trans came out of my brothers late model race car that was campaigned over southern Ontario and some Michigan tracks.
I retired on the 2nd week of January in 2014 and started on the car. It is surprising how much you can do in 8hr. shifts! My nephew and brother helped me wtih the bodywork and I did most of the mechanics.
Looking like an old school gasser, I made my deadline for the May 24 weekend at Grandbend dragway 2014.
Eventually over the ensuing winter layovers the Acadian brightwork was added and my nephew painted the car (his 1st. body and paint job - all in a 2 car garage).
I presently drive the car on the street as well as race the car at the track.
Wow. Dedication, effort, perseverance, and many other VERY complimentary words for a job well done! And what a rare car, a 220 horse Beaumont 4 speed to boot.
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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 (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Nice retirement project, one you can use! Allot of work and very nicely done. I like your choice of Detroit in the background, biased since I live near there. Congrats!
Y'know, in most people's books that Beaumont would have made a great project car or strip car. Not many folks seem to run stuff like that nowadays as most are either too pooched or have already been restored. The fun cars such as yours are refreshing to see. It is also very impressive to see a door-slammer with a small block lifting the front wheels! Your brother's speed secrets no doubt.
I was kind of shocked to see only 49 Sport Deluxe coupes were built with the 4-barrel 283 / 4-speed combination. 1964 was a big year for 4-speeds in the industry, and the Sport Deluxe was the coolest, sportiest Beaumont.
It is funny, I was right at those Detroit River locations 2 days ago while visiting Windsor & area for a wedding. Caesars Windsor & that waterfront strip, then out to winery on Lake Erie.
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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
