Serious Offers Considered. Rare... Canada's Chevelle 1966 Pontiac Beaumont

In 1964 and 1965, GM of Canada sold an "Acadian Beaumont" based on the Chevelle A-body platform, and continued to sell the Chevy II-based Acadian. By 1966, the Acadian was clearly Chevy II-based, and the Beaumont was Chevelle-based. Many people considered the cars to be Pontiacs, but GM marketed them as a separate marque. All model years are primarily Chevrolet, with only minor trim differences and (for Chevelle-based cars) Pontiac Tempest/LeMans-based instrument panels. This is because Canada required GM to have a certain percentage of Canadian content in the vehicles sold there. The popular Beaumont became available in three series on the Acadian - Beaumont Standard, Beaumont Custom, and Beaumont Sport Deluxe. A base-trimmed Beaumont Standard convertible was also offered, a model also produced in the base Chevelle line in Canada, but not in the United States.

From 1966, the Acadian name was only used for the Nova-based car and Beaumont became a standalone marque, still sold by Pontiac-Buick dealers. The interiors used the dash panel from the (U.S.) Pontiac Tempest/LeMans/GTO series. Exterior sheetmetal is shared with the Chevelle (the rear taillight housings are Beaumont-exclusive - taillight lenses have wraparound corners with the exception of the 1967 model, where its trapezoidal shape is similar in appearance to the one used on the later 1969 Plymouth Belvedere/Satellite). While full wheel covers came from the Pontiac LeMans, small hubcaps and rally wheels were similarly trimmed but not the same as on the Chevelle.

The cars sported an emblem based on Pontiac's arrowhead motif with two red maple leaves or fleur-de-lis added. They featured the same powerplants as theChevrolet Chevelle, including theOHVinline six-cylinderengine, and a variety of small- and big-blockV8s. TheV8 enginechoices included small-block 283, 307, 327, and later 350 cubic-inch versions, while the Mark IV big-block could be ordered in its 396 cubic inch displacement from 1966-69. 3- and 4-speedmanual transmissionswere available, as were the 2-speed Powerglide and 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic starting in 1967.automatics.

The Sport Deluxe (SD) models were equivalent to theChevrolet ChevelleSuper Sporttrim level, and featured optional bucket seats and center console, as well as SD body striping and trim. The SD396 models are the most desirable Beaumonts today. Only 451 were built in 1967, but most succumbed to the harsh Canadian winter climate, which makes them significantly more rare than equivalent Chevelles and desirable to some collectors. The SD was actually the "Sports Option" package that was available on the Beaumont Custom Sport Coupe and convertible, rather than its own series early in 1967. Starting in December the model 738 Sport Deluxe model was separate, no longer the A51 Sport Option. In addition to the SD series, the Beaumont line included base, custom and deluxe lines. A convertible was available. Other body styles were identical to those offered on the Chevelle for the given year, including a very rare four-door hardtop offered from 1966 to 1969.

Starting in 1970, GM Canada discontinued the Beaumont in favor of both Chevrolet Chevelle and Pontiac LeMans midsized cars, which were identical to U.S. models.

Beaumonts were also made in a factory in Arica,Chile, for the local market (the TECNA assembly plant assembled Beaumonts from CKD kits until 1971 using the 1968 bodystyle introduced during 1969), and the Canadian-made cars were sold inPuerto Ricofor a time. Beaumonts were also locally assembled in South Africa at the GM Port Elizabeth assembly plant using CKD kits using a mirror-flipped 1968 Chevelle instrument cluster and dash (South African market automobiles are right-hand drive) - both Chile and South Africa commenced local assembly with CKD kits andlocal contentcomponents in lieu of import tariffs.