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427 Beaumont?

25K views 36 replies 19 participants last post by  YankeeRodder 
#1 ·
Muscle Car Review has coverage this month of the 'Supercar Reunion' show in Illinois and spoke of a lone '67 427-powered Canadian Beaumont (Cheetah). I wasn't aware of any COPOs in that line. Belongs to George Pappas. Is it really one-of-one?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Nope not one of one ...... Dealer Installed L72 program by a Vancouver GM dealer " Conroy" back in the day ........I recall they had wide stripes on the lower body and Buick Skylark Magnum 500 type chrome wheels pretty sure they had a Cheetah badge too
 
#3 ·
Nope not one of one ...... Dealer Installed program by a Vancouver GM dealer back in the day ........
Thanks Bill. So it was NOT a COPO. The article never actually called it a COPO but it was more an inference since it was gathered with COPOS. Cool historical car nonetheless. The article said they were gathering more info on the car for a future feature.
 
#4 ·
No not a COPO I added some info to my original post I think they made them in 68 too ....the ones I remember did not have 427 markings on them also had sports car mirrors on them and few other odd tarted up items .... I think another dealer in eastern canada did same L72 swap on beaumonts in 67
 
#9 ·
There was one here in Calgary in the late 60's early 70's. Butternut yellow. I remember the guy and car quite well. That Beaumont was pretty quick. It used to lay a lickin on the 2 - 454/450hp Novas that roamed the streets here back then. There was a dealer in a small town north of here (Cliff Bristol Chev olds) that was putting the ls6 454 into Novas.
 
#12 ·
There were cheetahs in 1966 as well...apparently 46 total built in 66-68, all out of Conroy Pontiac dealership in Vancouver (21 remained in Vancouver, 25 were sent to St.Catherines Ontario, to Conroys Head Office -these cars were given to top salesmen for Conroy). Most were ordered as 396 cars (2 were 283) and some kept the 396, some were modded to L78 and some were converted to 427. Green with a black top was apparently the most common. This info is from a few sources on the CanadianPoncho website who have been researching/own Cheetahs.

It would be nice to see some paperwork on the 427 cars!

Also interesting to note that apparently Conroy also made 8 Can Am Firebirds with the Z28 302 engine. In 1968 there were chevy 302 powered firebirds competing in T/A and passed the SCCA under the guise that canadian pontiacs were chevy powered.... too bad firebirds were never built in Canada, but the SCCA bought it! Conversions to 302 may have been made by GM Canadas CKD division (Complete Knock Down) which shipped cars to overseas. Research continues!

Bill, there is rumour of a black 66 cheetah 4sp car that was in winnipeg at one time...? Any leads?

Here are a few pics...
the restored one... 427 emblems from the SS427 Impala...


another 67 cheetah, #'s matching 396, found in a field in SK this past summer!


a vintage photo, note the painted red swaybar, apparently conroy put red carpet in the trunk too... this car is ultra rare even before it became a cheetah, it is an early "736" vin, sports optioned 396 car with a D96 stripe!!


1966 Cheetah...


granada gold 67


Jerry is this one you remember? 427/425hp!
 
#13 ·
If that is not the one it would be its twin. Where is that pic from. The guy that owned it here was named Mark. Darn sure it was Mark. I do remember where he worked at the time. I know it was a 427 car but for the life of me i do not remember 427 badges on the fender.
 
#18 ·
#15 · (Edited)
Considering the demise of GM's Pontiac Division here's some more Pontiac trivia: Doc Dixon ran a 67 CDN Acadian 427HT in B/Modified Championship AHRA and Donahue/Titus ran a CDN Firebird with a 303 SBC Cross Ram in TransAM.

A Farm-Boy over on the next concession from me put a 427 in a Red 2Dr Acadian Sedan and raced it at our local Jack Pine just north of Sudbury Ontario, needless to say it shook up the Mopar Hemi-Lads.

My cousin and I put a Paxton Super Charged 365 Caddy Engine out of a Studabaker Lark into an English Prefect - 2 could flip the car on it's side to work on the chassis - Them were the days ;o)
 
#17 ·
I liked Beaumonts to begin with but this could turn it into infatuation.
 
#19 · (Edited)
It wasn't my intention to
turn it into infatuation.
LOL

In Canada the Beaumont's where bought at Pontiac Dealerships and Malibu's where bought at Chevy Dealerships. Some Dealerships sold both Chev and Pontiac, however the GM , Buick, Olds and Caddy line tended to keep the Dealerships separate. There where Dealerships that advertised Pontiac/Olds.

I don't think I'm wrong stating that CDN PMD optioned a 325Hp Hydraulic FT 327 in their 68 STD Models where this engine was Vette only in the States. You could also Special order an optional Holley Dp Spread Bore through the Dealerships Sales Personal which GM offered to replace the Q-Jet on the 781 intake; not saying the Holley was an improvement but it looked impressive.

Here a PIC of the Setup that came on my Dads 68 4 Dr Sedan Pontiac Strato Chief which had a TH400 and 12 Bolt Posi.


One thing I noted that the CDN PMD 327 engine whether a 210 Hp 2bbl or 295Hp 4bbl all came with the 64cc Turbo-Flow heads thus the term Astro-Flow compared to the Chevy line that used the larger 70 or 75cc Compustion chambers on their lower Hp SBC's. I don't believe the Chev engine had the Turbo-Flow Decal unless the Engine had the Turbo-Flow (Fuelie) design cylinder heads.

A 396 or 427 in a CDN Pontiac would have an Astro-Jet Decal on the air cleaner. Around 71 you started seeing a Turbo-Jet Decal on our Pontiac's and enthusiasts were horrified - lol

We sold a lot of Pontiac TH400's to American Chevy Performance Enthusiasts in the 60's at our swap meets because the US did not have a TH400 interface that would bolt to a Chev Block.

I remember an occasion where my Dad an his American Friend had the Hoods open on their Pontiac's after some sort of altercation. His Friend had a sweet looking Bonneville but was aghast-ed that my Dad's Plain Jane Strat-Chief had just walked all over him. My Dad was indeed a Pontiac Man. We owned a beautiful 4 Dr 327HT 62 Laurentian, which was the 1st year for the 327 and the ride I learn to drive in and 2 68 models, the Strato-Chief and a Pariesenne 2Dr Bench Seat Fastback or referred to as the 2+2 model if it had Buckets and Console but did not necessarily have to be the Fastback to be a 2+2. In 67 & 68, I believe there was also a Hide-Away-Headlight Grill option for the Pariesenne and 2+2 models.

Canadians took great pride in their Pontiac's particularly the 427-TH400-12 Bolt Units mainly because the Americans didn't have them ;o)
 
#21 · (Edited)
Pontiac-Acadian-Vauxhaul-GM
LOL - I forgot about the Vauhaul. I was in 1st year University and in the market for a cheap Ride and looked at the 69 Datsun 210, Lotus Cortina and Vauxhaul. I ended with the Cortina which was $300 cheaper then the Datsun and the Vauxhaul was thrash in my opinion. I mounted 2 2BLL Side Draft Webers and rallied that Cortina for 3 years, usually all 4 wheels off the ground - loved that ride - The only weakness was the McPherson Struts which cost 1/2 the price of the car to replace at the time.

Remember the Russian Skota's that used Tomatoes Soup cans for Brake Fluid Reservoirs and the cars rusted away on the lots because no one bought them - LOL

By 74 the Toyota Crown was about King of the Road and the Volvo 140GL beat out BMW for car of the Year. I owned that Volvo and got to say it had to be the BEST ride I've ever owned. Mechanical Fuel Injection, Manual 4 Spd OD, but that Toyota Crown had a Full 6" Frame, 15" Wheels, OHC Straight 6 with a 4bll and 5 Spd Manual tranny. It was a Brute and Fast.

Looking at the News you will see lots of them old Toyota Crowns and Mercedes 230's still on the road in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
#22 ·
I was born in '72, so those cars were only legends by my time! Although I do remember my dad being upset that my mom called someone to take his Cortina to scrap when i was a little kid... it still ran, he was upset for some reason?? Not sure why... My brothers friend was a salesman for the Skoda and Lada dealer here in Winnipeg, built like a tractor!! I watched him ice-race Lada's when i was a kid too... coudn't keep up with the civic from what i remember....but it would keep running! They also had a SSS datsun 510, some sort of rarer race version?? My brother being the black sheep, ended up with a Datsun 280 zx turbo, in '84 that was built by Newman-Sharpe racing, that thing really opened my eyes to what a turbo could do on a small engine...inline 6, manual wastegate, intercooled, alcohol injected and 165mph!! not too shabby for the mid 80s when there wasnt anything else noteworthy on the road...

ak
 
#23 · (Edited)
AK:

That 280Z Turbo was fast but didn't handle like the light weight Supra when they came out. Too bad the Supra's were built so cheap. My friend and I had a 70 Triumph GT6 Plus 2+2 and challenged this guy with a late 80's Supra whom we all got a little tired of his bragging. After a 20 mile spin over a hilly and sharp cornered road course, he wasn't quite as loud ;o)

I was driving a 72 340 MAG RS Challenger at the time and didn't get my Chevy until 76, a 70Z which I still own and drive. My close friends have Chevelles, a 68 396 SS and a 70 LS5 and another with a 72 421cu SB 10 sec ride, nice cars, and we attract attention, if and whenever we manage to get together.

Here's a funny one, the friend whom I worked on his GT6 with had a Mini at one time. I believe it was New Years Eve 68, we drove it to the top of the Local Ski Hill with a Jug of Purple Jesus [Moonshine (St Pierre D'Michaela & Welsh's Grape Juice)]. After observing Strange Lights in the Sky, the Cop's showed up but did not put the afford into confronting us as we were about inaccessible and not disturbing the piece at that altitude. Danny poured about a 1/2 gallon of Moonshine into the tank of the Mini that night and practicably drank the rest himself.

Merry Xmas and BEST to you in the NEW YEAR - RON

NOTE to Crystal, Sandy, Danny Jr and Jake: Don't think I will ever forget them times ;o)
 
#24 ·
There were cheetahs in 1966 as well...apparently 46 total built in 66-68, all out of Conroy Pontiac dealership in Vancouver (21 remained in Vancouver, 25 were sent to St.Catherines Ontario, to Conroys Head Office -these cars were given to top salesmen for Conroy). Most were ordered as 396 cars (2 were 283) and some kept the 396, some were modded to L78 and some were converted to 427. Green with a black top was apparently the most common. This info is from a few sources on the CanadianPoncho website who have been researching/own Cheetahs.


Whats the significants of cars being sent to St. Catharines? I recall Neal Pontiac there but not Conroy, perhaps I am wrong. I grew up there and never heard of Conroy.

Cheers.

Very Interesting thread by the way - I saw an article on some Camaros re-done by a dealer out west back in the day (Black Widows?)but never heard of these Beaumonts.
 
#25 ·
my bro's 280 had a lot of suspensions mods too, adjustable suspension, magnesium wheels etc.... but it is a heavy car, that motor in an older 260 body would have been a screamer, maybe not much faster than 165mph, but it would have gotten there a bit faster...

Andre, apparently Conroy was a parts supplier to the manufacturers, they sold brake drums etc... so it wasnt necessarily car salesmen that got them in ON, that was the companys head office for its core business (auto parts wholesaler? so i imagine it was those salesmen and execs). I dont have the full story, but that's how i understand it as more info come available.. i would guess that the family money bought or started the dealership out west and also got involved in racing in the area, which was the inspiration for the cheetah...

andre, do you still own a beaumont? what year/model?
 
#29 ·
Another we Canadians got that the US didn't was the Toyota Crown in 71. I drove one for the summer and well into the winter. The one I had was a 2Dr HT Coupe with a SOHC 6/ 4 Spd, Front Disc Brakes, with Special Order 15 Rims and Trailer Hitch. The Rougher the Weather got the Better that Car would perform. It had a Frame stronger then our 1/2 Tons.



It was no slouch for acceleration and could out corner and out handle about anything when the conditions got rough, plus it was a descent looking Ride. Providing anyone got close to looking at it, most people couldn't tell it from Javelin or one of our Muscle Cars from a distance.
 
#31 ·
Was not the thread was about Canadian Beaumont Poncho. Just thought I would throw in that Toyota as another ride the US did not get; however, I buddy over on the next concession did run a 427 2 Dr Red Sedan Acadian that Bullied the local Hemi Guys. Larry Dixon ran a similar car in a modified class way back when.
 
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