When is a Chevelle not a Chevelle and a LeMans not a LeMans? When it's a Beaumont, GM's north-of-the-border hybrid muscle car built from both Chevrolet and Pontiac components.
 In the years before the signing of the Automotive Products Trade Agreement--also known as the Auto Pact or APTA--in 1965 which eased the shipping of newly manufactured cars across the US-Canadian border, GM offered a number of unique cars under the Acadian and Beaumont banners for Pontiac and some Buick dealers who lacked competitive compact cars. This practice started in the 1962 model year when the Acadian, a mildly retrimmed version of the Chevy II with vaguely Pontiac styling cues, was introduced and was followed by a Beaumont model of the first generation 1964-1965 Chevelle.
 In 1966, the Beaumont, based on the all-new and upsized GM intermediates, became a make in its own right with a version that combined parts of the domestic Chevrolet Chevelle and the Pontiac Tempest/LeMans/GTO A-body intermediates. The top model, denoted the SD for Super Deluxe, was a hybrid of SS and LeMans/GTO elements. In 1967, with big block muscle cars popular on both sides of the border, the Beaumont could be equipped with Chevy's 350-horsepower, 396-cubic-inch V8 along with a Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission, which brings us to the 1967 Beaumont SD396 owned by Mark Bortolotto of Hamilton, Ontario.
 When you open the door, there's a disconnect with the 396 under the hood; the interior, dashboard, and trim are lifted from the Pontiac A-body intermediates. Nothing wrong with that, as Pontiac was well-known for stylish and distinctive interiors in the sixties. With sporty bucket seats and the center console framing the 4-speed transmission, you know that when you are situated behind the wheel, you're sitting in a very special and rare muscle car. Gripping the skinny steering wheel immediately transports you back in time to when gasoline cost but 30 cents a gallon.
 I first ran into Mark at last summer's Woodward Dream Cruise. At the time, I was with my good friend Joe Babiasz, a 34-year veteran at GM. When we encountered Mark's Beaumont at first we weren't sure what to make of it. The aluminum grille had something of an aftermarket look about it, but as we walked around the car and examined the rear fenders and deck, we knew immediately that it was a Beaumont SD. From all indications the restoration was flawless, and Mark, after we introduced ourselves and I told him that I was an automotive journalist, was eager as any enthusiast to raise the hood and show off his pride and joy.
 Dominating the engine compartment is Chevy's powerful 350-horsepower, 396-cubic-inch V8, not a Tri-power Pontiac 389. Mark was quick to point out that his was one of only 451 Beaumont SD's built with the 396, making it much more rare than either an SS396 Chevelle or a 389 GTO. "After I bought the car," says Mark, "I quickly realized I truly had something very unique, a Canadian-produced musclecar offered only in Canada. It is far more rare than a comparable Chevelle. While it might be considered the sister car to the Chevelle, they are not Canadian Chevelles as many refer to them. The unique Beaumont used a complete Chevrolet frame and drivetrain unlike the American-built LeMans, Tempest, and GTO, but it gets its interior from the US LeMans and GTO." When I looked under the hood, I was struck by the "Econo-Jet" logo gracing the air cleaner, thinking it to be something of a cruel joke on a car that might get 13 MPG on its best day.
 Mark's SD is exceptionally well-documented with the Protect-o-plate, a GM Canada build sheet, the original owner's manual, and the full line 1967 Beaumont sales brochure in his possession. He's determined that the car had seven previous owners before Mark's purchase of the Beaumont SD in August of 2003. It was produced at the Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant that now builds the all-new 2010 Camaro. Because these cars were originally sold in Canada with its harsh winters, very few of the sixties Beaumonts have survived, certainly few in the same condition as Mark's pristine example.
 Mark notes that the car isn't a trailer queen, and he took great pleasure in driving it the 400-mile round trip from his home in Hamilton, Ontario to participate in the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. Mark participates in many Canadian shows, but pointed out two noteworthy accomplishments in 2008. These included a first place in the street machine class at the Toronto Performance World Show in March and an invitation to participate in the Willistead Concours d'Elegance show in Windsor, Ontario, a top Canadian show.
To get a better view of this exceptional piece of GM's muscle car history, visit the Automotive Traveler image gallery and download some of the high-resolution images that will appear as part of a future magazine feature. Check back here on May 1 for complete details. We've got a copy of the 1967 GM Beaumont brochure, too.
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