VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Are Beaumonts recognized by the club

I just signed up on the forum and have a question. I own a 68 Beaumont SD and was wondering if the Chevrolet club recognizes them. These cars are recognized by Chevelle clubs as well as Pontiac clubs. I am a member of several Chevelle clubs including ACES, the national club. I just spent the day cruising with several local VCCA members and they asked me to join the club. I realize you don't have to own a Chevy to join. My car is modified so I couldn't win any awards but I don't attend shows for the awards. I also own a 68 El Camino that needs to be restored. It is all original except for a cheap paint job. I don't think the engine has ever been out of the car. It's a 307, 3 speed manual transmission with factory overdrive.
James

Welcome!

I'd be curious to know if many people understand what a Beaumont is...you might want to post some photos and background.

My father actually did the build and parts "conversions" from the base Chevelle assembly so they could add the Beaumont parts and scheduled the builds and parts delivery to the Oshawa assembly line. He put together the Beaumont parts manuals as well (hope there are no errors!!)

Being 99% Chevelle I'm sure there will be interest and you'll find some fine examples of cars that others have. Both the Chevy and Pontiac guys find these cars interesting due to the "quirks" added by the other brand...

Thanks for the response. I should have thought about the gyts not knowing what Beaumonts are.
The 1964-69 Beaumonts used the same body as the Chevelle with a few changes. The most notable being the split grill similar to the Pontiac and the Pontiac instrument cluster and dash. Other differences are the tail lights, marker lights, trim pieces and emblems. On the 68s, the headlight bezels, front turn signal lenses and center caps for the wheels are all Beaumont only pieces. I'm not sure about these items on other years. All body panels are the same except for the marker light holes.
For the most part they were all built on the Oshawa assembly line along with the Chevelles. The exception to this is the few that were built in Chile in 1970-71 using the 1968 bodies. I believe all of the ones built in Chile were 4 and 6 cylinder cars. Beaumonts could not be sold in the US but a few did go to other cars. The production numbers on the 68 SD (Sport Deluxe) like mine show that 702 were built with 680 being sold in Canada and 22 going to other countries. SDs are basically the same as the Chevelle SS but in 1966 and half way through the 1967 production year the 396 was an option. some time in December, I think, 1967 the 396 became part of the SD package. There were less than 2000 total big block cars built.
That should be enough to let people know a little about the Beaumonts. Below is a couple pictures of my car. Here is a link to some other Beaumonts. http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/jfkheat/Beaumonts/
James

I don't know that the VCCA has ever considered the Beaumonts. Most of us in the US that I know that know what they are consider them to be Canadian Pontiacs. Yes, I understand that many "Canadian Pontiacs" were essentially Chevrolets and only differed from US produced Chevrolets by badges and a few trim and dash items.

It is somewhat like the Chevrolet and GMC trucks in the later years. Yes I know that up to the 60s the GMC trucks used non-Chevy engines etc. In the 350 era they were essentially the same as Chevys except for the grills, trim and badges.

While it is not a Chevrolet or recognized by the VCCA it would sure draw a lot of attention at a Chevrolet Meet or car show.

It is a common misconception that the Beaumonts and Acadians are Pontiacs. Although they were sold through Pontiac dealers they are actually their own make of car. I have original owners manuals, sales brochures and warranty book and Pontiac or Chevrolet is not mentioned anywhere in any of them. The back of the owners manual says AT YOUR ACADIAN DEALER. The Pontiac thing has been argued on about every forum that has a Beaumont section.
James

If the vehicle was sold, as a new unit, by Pontiac .... then it is a model of the Pontiac family.

Has anyone seen an Acadian dealership?

Bob

Seems to me these cars should be recognised as to the platform of which they are modified from. Example, a Callaway Corvette is still a Corvette ... no matter how much modified ... AC Cobra is still a AC ..... all cars have roots.

I can understand why you would think that but it is not the case. There were no Acadian dealerships because there weren't enough Acadians and Beaumonts built to justify having dealerships for them. I'm not sure about the Acadian production numbers but the high number of Beaumonts produced in any one year was a little over 14,000 in 1968. The total production for the 8 years they were built is about 72,000. It was a lot easier to sell them through Pontiac dealers.
Also, Chevrolet VINs started with a 1, Pontiac VINs start with a 2 but the Beaumont VINs start with a 7. If they were Pontiacs the VINs would have started with a 2.
James

One would think that would be classified as a platform car. If it originated from the minds of GM and OR was built side by side of GM then by all means why not? If it's anything else such as a diferent company copying pontiac then wouldnt that be considered infringment? And thats suable aswell.

I dont know much about pontiacs i'll admit but i cant help but think of this in the same lines of what Ford did. U.S. and canadian fords. Sound fimiliar?

Why not submit a motion to the VCCA BOD to accept Beaumonts and Acadians in VCCA Judging. I suggest you put together the justification to consider Beaumonts as Canadian Chevrolets (the problem as I see it is you will need to overcome is that Chevelles were sold in Canada) and include it as a supporting document. Did Pontiac dealers in Canada also sell Tempest and GTO models?

Thanks for the suggestion Chipper. The only problem is that they are not Canadain Chevrolets. The only thing I can think of that would be in my favor is that Beaumonts are accepted by all the Chevelle clubs and Acadians by the Nova clubs.
The Canadian Pontiac dealers did sell the LeMans, Tempest and GTO.
James

Since the Lemans, Tempest and GTOs are also A Bodies, it appears that the Beaumonts are between Chevrolets and Pontiacs. Using the rationale that Chevelle and Nova Clubs accept the Beaumont and Acadian might help. Being sold by Pontiac Dealers does not help but you might argue that was to level the sales volumn and not because they are actually Pontiacs.

Contact GM Canada Vintage Services in Oshawa. All of the documentation such as parts manuals, owners manuals, etc that I have looked at show that Beaumont is it's own brand. There is no reference to Pontiac anywhere, just "GM Beaumont".

If this is indeed truly the case, Vintage Services should be able to give you something in writing.

It appears to me that Beaumont is indeed a separate brand and being 90+% Chevrolet should qualify to be recognized by the VCCA. The VCCA recognizes Scripps Booth and other related vehicles which are also not 100% Chevrolet. So why not Beaumont?

I believe if the presentation is made well that it will be approved.

So why not the Beaumont?.. probably because it was not sold by Chevrolet dealers.
I my self would be for it.

There was a scripps booth (1920 sumthing) in the paper last summer. 2500.00 could have took it. Unfortunatly i didnt have it.

James... Welcome to the site and hopefully the club. My Grandparents last car was a '63 Acadian (same as a Chevy II) and it too didn't say Pontiac on it anywhere. Dad sold it when we were starting to drive in the late eighties because it didn't have seatbelts. I loved it, as none of my friends drove anything that cool! It was white, so we called it the Kleenex Box!

Here's my 2cents on your question... Why worry about whether or not the club "recognizes" Beaumonts if you don't plan on showing the car anyways? Sign up for the club, and list your Elky as the Chevrolet you own. The great thing about touring with the VCCA is the people and the friendships. Our region has a couple that tours in their Valiant convertible, and joined our club because of the people and events. They are never frowned upon for their choice of ride.

I appreciate all the responses. I have no idea how to go about getting a presentation together to submit to the club. I do have another question. When the club has shows are non original cars allowed to set up even though they aren't judged?
Brewster,
I agree with about the club being about the people and friendships as much or more than the cars. BUT, I don't care to travel to a show if I can't have my car there. I have taken my car to Chevelle shows from Georgia to New York and to the national Chevelle show in Tennessee. I go to see the friends I've made over the years and could care less if I win an award. My car is not a show car. It's a nice driver. However, I do enjoy showing people the car and telling what I know of the history of the Beaumonts. Most people in the US have never seen a Beaumont, especially this far south. I'll mention this thread to the Beaumont guys and see what they think about getting a presentation together.
James

SD396,

I can't speak for all regions, but here in the Northwest, we urge all cars at the meet, not just those registered to be judged but also cars that aren't going to be judged and even modified cars to be on the judging field on judging day. And all cars are also on display throughout our annual NW summer Meets.

So the simple answer, if you were coming to the Northwest Meet, would be, "yes!" I think that's how all meets operate; but can't say so with authority.

Bill.