conceptcarz.com

1967 Pontiac Beaumont

The Beaumont featured a Chevrolet drive-train and General Motors bodies. They were version of the Chevrolet Chevelle with instrument panels similar to Pontiac GTO's and sold to the Canadian market. Though they were sold through Pontiac dealerships, there is little reference of mention of the nameplate Pontiac in the manual or instruction booklet.

In 1968, only 708 Beaumont SD hardtops were created making it relatively rare and highly collectible. Outfitted with a 396 cubic inch V8 engine, the vehicle produced between 325 and 350 horsepower.

by Dan Vaughan


Convertible

To avoid tariffs imposed by the Canadian government, GM produced some cars with Canadian content that were distinctively Canadian. The big Pontiacs from there looked like Pontiacs but were built on Chevy chassis and had Chevy engines; names were distinctly Canadian, such as Laurentian, Parisienne, and Strato-Chief. Mid-sized cars looked like Chevelles but had Pontiac hallmarks like the split grille; they were called Beaumonts. By 1970, the trade laws were relaxed; the unique Beaumont became superfluous and was discontinued.

Sold by Pontiac dealers starting in 1964, Beaumonts carried their own styling, which was influenced by Pontiac's trademark split grille. The SD (Sport Deluxe, NOT Super Duty) was the high-line version of the Beaumont, which originally started as the high-line Acadian. Sport Deluxes initially included the same engines as the American Chevelle, but starting in 1967, they were analogous to the Chevelle SS396; however, the SD396 didn't offer the 396/375 like its American counterpart.

This car spent its life in Ottawa, Ontario until moving to the Buffalo, NY area a few years ago, where it underwent a six-year restoration. Only 66 SD396 Beaumont convertibles were built in 1967, and none of them were sold new in the United States. Is it a Pontiac? Is it a Chevelle? Ask a Poncho or Chevy fan and you may get a different answer!