Car: 1969 Beaumont Deluxe
Some things you never get over. I purchased my first car in 1982, when I was 16 years old. It was a 1968 Malibu that needed lots of work but it had a 327 engine, buckets seats and huge tires (remember I was only 16 at the time). I had been a serious GM enthusiast for a couple of years prior to this purchase and my high school friends owned Chevys. One guy had a beautiful 1969 Chevelle with a strong 350 and gorgeous jet-black paint. I got my license before he did and during the interim (until he passed his road test) I got to drive it around and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. This is probably why my first car was a Chevy.
Unfortunately, my memories of that first car were not always pleasant. I think I spent every available dollar and numerous hours on that car and it continued to need work. Just when I thought the car was roadworthy, something else would break or refuse to work. After two years with it, I finally sold the car and bought a 1973 Chevelle SS with no drivetrain. It was a great car after I spent thousands but after a few years I could no longer afford driving around with 4:56 gears, so I got rid of it and moved to smaller vehicles.
I stopped looking at 1960s cars and concentrated on post-secondary studies for about the following ten years. I told myself that I had outgrown these musclecars and since that time I have owned over 15 vehicles, none of which were V8’s until 1995. I must admit that during those “smaller and economical” car years, I would occasionally notice a nice GM product.
A nice front three quarter shot of Bill & Nancy's Beaumont Deluxe coupe The specifications of the car, are as follows:
Options / Description
A52 Front Bench Seat
C14 Electric Two Speed Windshield Wiper
J50 Power Brakes
M38 Turbo 350 Three Speed Automatic Transmission
N40 Power Steering
U35 Electric Clock
U63 AM Push button Radio
It was not until 1995, when I was driving with my girlfriend Nancy (now spouse) in my Toyota Celica GT and she noticed a beautiful Chevelle. She commented on how powerful it looked and the throaty exhaust tone. Of course, I was surprised to hear her say this (she’s from a conservative family) but I recognized an opportunity and took full advantage of the moment. I told her about the Chevelles that I had owned in the past and she suggested that it might be a good idea for me to look into getting one. Imagine that! With a rejuvenated sense of car crafting and a credit-line that I did not have years ago, I pursued another Chevelle.
So, I started the search and bought several cars but quickly sold them because I was not satisfied with their condition. We went through a 1969 Chevelle, 1969 Dart, and a 1967 Camaro convertible. Finally in the summer of 1997, I noticed an advertisement in the local Victoria, BC newspaper. The ad simply stated that the car was a one-owner 1969 Beaumont. After a quick phone call, I rushed over to see it and it was exactly what I was looking for in that it was completely original, stock (no more monster tires for me) and best of all, the owner had all the car’s documentation, receipts and a good maintenance record. We settled on a price and I took it home immediately. The owner had purchased the car locally and lived in the same house with the same car for the last 29 years!
Now, I have an older vehicle that is in great original condition and is both reliable and roadworthy. It has not needed much work except for the usual maintenance. I now know that I never really outgrew my affinity for the classic lines of cars that are now three decades old. Some things never change. I think Nancy regrets ever making that fateful suggestion because we now have two 1960s cars in our driveway and I am looking for a third.
