Member: Ken Barrows

Car: 1965 Beaumont Sports Deluxe

Ken Barrow's '65 Beaumont SD

I purchased my ’65 Beaumont in 1986 from a gentleman who wanted to buy a 1967 Chevelle from his aunt in California, therefore putting the Beaumont up for sale. I had worked in a Pontiac G.M. Dealership in 1965 when these cars were new and had always liked them. The car was in reasonably good condition, with some restoration already completed; new carpets, headliner, and weather-stripping. The body had been worked on but there was some rust cover up on the quarter panels. The original maroon paint was faded considerably as well. The car was originally equipped with a 283 engine and a 3-speed manual column shift transmission, with no console. The engine had been replaced with a 1971 350 ci truck engine and the transmission was changed to a 4 speed Saginaw with a Hurst shifter. This is how the car was equipped when I bought it. The Beaumont had some “gold coloured” after market rims that I immediately replaced with 15” Cragar SS wheels mounted on 235-60 tires. I think this period correct wheels are a perfect fit for the Beaumont!

In 1990 the Beaumont entered the body shop for a complete work over. New quarter panels were installed, all the dents and scrapes were ironed out, a new windshield was installed and it was painted in base clear in the original maroon. The interior was painted (dash, A pillars, top of doors etc) in the original red. The bumpers, door handles and tail light bezels were re -chromed and front and rear bumper guards, acquired at the Lethbridge swap meet, were installed.

After the body work was complete, I began collecting parts for the mechanical changes. I planned to make the Beaumont into an L79 clone car. I located a recently rebuilt 327 350hp Corvette engine with the correct casting # and date code in Edmonton. It had 11-1 compression ratio, 2:02camel bump heads , high lift hydraulic cam, high volume oil pump etc. The fellow I bought it from had had it in a street rod and he wanted to go with a big block engine. This engine did not, however, come with an intake manifold. A friend in the area had the correct aluminum intake for 327, but he was using it on the LTI engine in his 1970 Camaro. Eventually he found the correct intake for his car and he sold me the L79 one. Over the years I was able to locate the correct 5 blade fan with thermostat, a Holley 4 barrel carburetor (although not completely correct), fan shroud, dual snorkel chromed air cleaner, chromed fuel lines and bracket for the GF-90 fuel filter. As well I purchased a Muncie M20 transmission to replace the Saginaw, although I kept the Hurst shifter which works inside a correct 4 speed console I picked up at a swap meet in Red Deer.

The differential at this point is still a 10 bolt 3:36 unit which is not correct since L79 cars had a 12 bolt 3:31 axle. The upholstery in the car is the original and is in very good condition, however there are some signs of wear and the seat springs are weak and possibly some are broken. As a result, I have ordered new seat springs, seat foam, and seat upholstery. I have recently added the two spoke simulated wood steering wheel as well, which was optional on the Sport Deluxe when new. I have also added the 1964 GTO swirled pattern dash insert and the lower dash bezels which the 64 & 65 GTO cars have. Although these GTO items are not correct for this car, in my opinion, it enhances the appearance of the dash. Since this is not a concours or numbers matching unit in anyway, a little deviation from original can’t hurt as I see it. In closing I must mention that my wife Beverly has a 1968 Camaro. However, that is another story for another car club.

Ken’s ’65 Beaumont is equipped with the following

Option added to vehicle:


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