What looks like a Chevelle, features Pontiac styling, was sold by Pontiac dealerships, but wasn’t a Pontiac? Our Pick of the Day, of course! And this hybrid of sorts could have only come from Canada, the land of Tim Hortons and Chiliwack! Currently listed for sale on ClassicCars.com, this 1968 Beaumont SD 396 hardtop can be bought from a dealership in Clarkston, Michigan.
The story has been told many times, but it bears repeating: Canada is its own country with its own autonomy, though it’s a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. While the 1960s were rocking and rolling in America, Canada was still a bit of a developing nation. The difference with total population and median income at the time was much larger than it is now, which was reflected by its automobile industry and the cars that were available.
Additionally, Canada had somewhat strict tariffs to protect its automobile industry. Several American manufacturers had assembly plants in the Great White North, so they were able to bypass any tariffs. But the market was limited due to the country’s population size, and since the population’s buying power skewed towards the cheaper side of the market, manufacturers combined brands into single dealerships. Hence, Pontiacs could often be found sold alongside Buicks and GMCs. To give Pontiac more appeal to the Canadian population, Canadian Pontiacs were based on Chevrolets for entry-level appeal and economies of scale.
This would become even more apparent with the introduction of the Chevy II in 1962, which was called the Acadian—not a model, but its own brand that looked like a Chevy II but featured Pontiac design elements like the split grille. The top trim level was called “Beaumont.” When the Chevelle was introduced for 1964, Canada called its version the “Acadian Beaumont.” The top trim level was called “Sport Deluxe,” which was akin to the Malibu Super Sport.
Beaumont was spun off from Acadian for 1966, itself becoming its own marque. Midyear 1967, the Sport Deluxe package required the 396, thereby becoming analogous to the Chevelle SS 396. So, when the A-body was redesigned for 1968, the performance Beaumont became the Sport Deluxe 396 (aka “SD 396”). Standard was a 325-horsepower Econo-Jet 396 V8, with a 350-horse version available (the 375-horse L78 396 was never available on Canadian-built cars). Again, hallmarks from Pontiac styling were used, like the split grille (with a Canadian variation of the Pontiac arrowhead), while the dashboard would have been more familiar to Pontiac folks in the U.S.
Thanks to the Auto Pact that was instituted in 1970, the raison d’être for the Beaumont no longer existed, so 1969 was the final year for the Beaumont and the SD 396 package. A history like that makes this 1968 Beaumont SD 396 hardtop quite a novelty—even in Canada. Painted in Tripoli Turquoise, this SD 396 features the standard 396 backed by the optional TH400 automatic. Other features include Parchment vinyl interior with optional front bucket seats and console, white racing stripes, 3.31 gears, plus updates like an HEI distributor, headers, Vintage Air, updated stereo, and more. Staggered-width Ridler wheels complete the picture.
Vintage Vehicle Services (which has invoices of Canadian-sold GM vehicles going back 80 years) has determined that 702 Beaumont SD 396 hardtops were built in 1968. In some ways, the Beaumont was ahead of its time because a decade later, it would not be unusual to find Chevy engines in Pontiacs stateside, but remember: Don’t call this $65,900 car a Pontiac if you wish to reside in the good graces of Canadians—we really need it at this moment!
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
