I finally finished under the hood. There was not much left to do but it all takes time. Cleaned up the original rad top plate reinstalled it. I added a NOS clutch with a correct dated fan which the car did not have originally but it is more to help with in town cooling. I got the wiper arms all cleaned up, removed and resprayed the springs. I had nice original blade holders and put new Trico refills in to keep the appearance correct. I haven't installed the hood or cowl rubbers yet because I was trying to find original style retainer clips. I ended up bead blasting and repainting original retainers with a concoction of British Racing Green and Oribit Orange from a couple previous resto projects. They are really close to the original colour but I mistakenly put in flex additive instead of flattening agent so the are glossy instead of flat.
I would like to say I am finishing the interior of the car but I still don't have my seats back. The dash is all back together now with everything working and in place except the radio. I put the Beaumont steering wheel back on the car. It doesn't have any cracks or bad nicks in it but I would like to have a better horn shroud. The horn works as it should. I reinstalled the dome light switches but the key buzzer got too anoying so they are back out again.
I thought I would post some bigger pics. I still have to get a stripe kit, the interior completed and the car safetied. I may get the seatbelts in and take it for a safety. After so long building the car it would be nice to drive it on the road. The appraiser came this morning and got all the data he needed. Hopefully I get the appraisal back soon. No insurance without one of those any more. Anyways..........here's some pics of the "old school" 69
VERY VERY NICE! GREAT COLOR! SITS NICE I was in tire business for 35 years.. Did you ever drive it with radial tires? I had a 69 Z28 Camaro with Michelin tires.. It ran SO smooth.. I decided to take it to Bias ply, to make it more original.. It rode like a wagon. it had more squeeks and rattles.. I put radials back on, and never rode on bias again... Did I say I loved the color? Its brighter than Stan's Carl2
Your car is so nice, that rear view is amazing. With the mags you have chosen and the stance I'd swear the photo was taken in 1969.
PS: My 19 year old son just came in and looked over my shoulder at the photos. He says "that car is Ball'n". That is just about the highest compliment a 19 year old can make if you're not up on the latest slang.
Thanks so much for the kind words guys. I've said it before; it sure makes it seem worth while when fellow car guys apprecitate all the effort.
I have not driven this car on radials but I have driven on radials before. I didn't have a set of radials on a car until 1984 so I had been driving for 6 years on bias tires. I am currently running bias tires on my other old car and have no problems with them. Yes bias tires wander a bit on the beautiful Ontario roads, they're bumpy, they ride rougher, etc. But to me this is all part of the hobby and takes me back to a different time and maybe will do the same for some other people. My car also smells like gas and oil, has a moisture drip from the left header from catching it on the trailer, smokes a bit, doesn't want to run real well until it's warm, and so on. Aren't old cars the best!
The Beaumont looks fantastic! I have to agree with Brad. I prefer the look of bias ply tires on an old car. I really like the ones you are running Brad. Are they repro? I'm ok with how the Wide Ovals perform on my Laurentian. This is the 3rd old car I've had with bias ply and although they aren't as smooth as radials, some folks would have you believe that you have to two-hand the wheel to keep from losing control with them. That is not the case at all. Now maybe if I were going on the power tour or something of that sort I'd run radials.
I installed the cowl and hood seals and they look good with the original retainer clips painted with the paint the "chemist" mixed up yesterday. Now I just have to figure out how to get the cowl rubber to squish down so my hood stows in the correct spot again.
NOTE: If you are planning on putting new hood and cowl rubbers on make sure that you save the old ones until you have the pattern for the holes. I punched the holes in mine with a small hollow punch.
The Beaumont looks fantastic! I have to agree with Brad. I prefer the look of bias ply tires on an old car. I really like the ones you are running Brad. Are they repro? I'm ok with how the Wide Ovals perform on my Laurentian. This is the 3rd old car I've had with bias ply and although they aren't as smooth as radials, some folks would have you believe that you have to two-hand the wheel to keep from losing control with them. That is not the case at all. Now maybe if I were going on the power tour or something of that sort I'd run radials.
Thanks Todd. The tires are original from the 70's. Great condition, still soft and lay rubber too. This tire is not available repro so when they are used up that will be the end of them. I agree too that on a long haul radials would be the way to go.
Thanks so much for the kind words guys. I've said it before; it sure makes it seem worth while when fellow car guys apprecitate all the effort.
I have not driven this car on radials but I have driven on radials before. I didn't have a set of radials on a car until 1984 so I had been driving for 6 years on bias tires. I am currently running bias tires on my other old car and have no problems with them. Yes bias tires wander a bit on the beautiful Ontario roads, they're bumpy, they ride rougher, etc. But to me this is all part of the hobby and takes me back to a different time and maybe will do the same for some other people. My car also smells like gas and oil, has a moisture drip from the left header from catching it on the trailer, smokes a bit, doesn't want to run real well until it's warm, and so on. Aren't old cars the best!
-- Edited by SD 396 at 14:34, 2008-09-07
I couldn't agree with more. I do love the smell of an old car in the morning
I had the Laurentian idling outside my garage the other day. A neighbor was in the park walking his dog and came over to shoot the breeze. All of a sudden he stopped talking, took a big deep breath and said "Ahhh.....the 70's..." See the joy that catalytic converters are taking away from us!
I had the car out for it's first drive tonight and everything worked good. Kind of scared me a bit. It's been a while since I have driven a big block stick with 3:55 gears. I rebuilt the Holley last night and what a difference! For a low compression 454 this thing sits you down, right now. I didn't go with a wild cam. I used the spec for a 72 Chevelle LS5. The car has the typical wheel hop but it stills pulls strong if you keep your foot out of it. I did notice the temp gauge running up there running down the highway so when I was at my buddy's place he said it is the cr*p fuel we are getting. He has a 62 Chev with a 409 and has the same problem. New rad, water pump, etc and it runs about 210-215 on the highway then drops to about 190 when you get slowed down in town. Doesn't sound like it should be that way but it makes sense. Maybe some lead additive to help the old girl cool at 2500. Can you still buy it? Next on the list is the interior. Hopefully everything is stiched up by the end of the week and I can get the car in to have it finished. I got in touch with Rick P. and my stripes should be on the way next week as well. It would be nice to have the car all finished before Pumpkinfest on Oct 4 and 5. Then it will be getting close to putting it away.
That sounds like the problem we all are having. I never suspected fuel. Likely the ethanol blend? Water injection would likely cool things down a bit..
I had the car out for it's first drive tonight and everything worked good. Kind of scared me a bit. It's been a while since I have driven a big block stick with 3:55 gears. I rebuilt the Holley last night and what a difference! For a low compression 454 this thing sits you down, right now. I didn't go with a wild cam. I used the spec for a 72 Chevelle LS5. The car has the typical wheel hop but it stills pulls strong if you keep your foot out of it. I did notice the temp gauge running up there running down the highway so when I was at my buddy's place he said it is the cr*p fuel we are getting. He has a 62 Chev with a 409 and has the same problem. New rad, water pump, etc and it runs about 210-215 on the highway then drops to about 190 when you get slowed down in town. Doesn't sound like it should be that way but it makes sense. Maybe some lead additive to help the old girl cool at 2500. Can you still buy it? Next on the list is the interior. Hopefully everything is stiched up by the end of the week and I can get the car in to have it finished. I got in touch with Rick P. and my stripes should be on the way next week as well. It would be nice to have the car all finished before Pumpkinfest on Oct 4 and 5. Then it will be getting close to putting it away.
Hey Brad
Glad to see everything is coming along on the SD-it is looking great!!I had some problems with both my cars with both heat and run on ,ping etc..Tried the timing blah blah blah-anyways my race car buddy told me to buy some race gas from the dirt track guys.I did and it made such an amazing difference in everything,included the temperature,idling,run on etc..My cars are like new cars!! Took the Buick rag out a few nights ago for a spin-came to a remote light.I punched the car when the light turned green and it went totally sideways,and then caught serious rubber in second gear with a solid chirp in 3rd.I was absolutely stunned!! He suggested about 1 to 2 gallons with a premium fill-all I can say is that I am a true believer in high octane fuel.What a difference.Give it a whirl.
Glad to see everything is coming along on the SD-it is looking great!!I had some problems with both my cars with both heat and run on ,ping etc..Tried the timing blah blah blah-anyways my race car buddy told me to buy some race gas from the dirt track guys.I did and it made such an amazing difference in everything,included the temperature,idling,run on etc..My cars are like new cars!! Took the Buick rag out a few nights ago for a spin-came to a remote light.I punched the car when the light turned green and it went totally sideways,and then caught serious rubber in second gear with a solid chirp in 3rd.I was absolutely stunned!! He suggested about 1 to 2 gallons with a premium fill-all I can say is that I am a true believer in high octane fuel.What a difference.Give it a whirl.
John
Thanks John I will give the fuel a try. The engine is only 8:1 so I am not having ping or run on problems. I am not really concerned running that warm I just thought it was kind of odd why it would cool down so much driving at 25 mph.[
I got the car home last Thursday night from getting the interior done and installed. Terry from Tuner Auto Trim in Keswick did an absolutely fantastic job. You can't buy covers for these cars so you have to have everything made. NOS material was available for the fabric inserts and the stripes were embossed in the vinyl by SMS. I did not have the front bench seat for my car but Terry managed to get measurements from a Beaumont Deluxe owner that he saw on the road. The owner of the car said it was OK to get the necessary measurements from his car. The pictures really don't do justice. This first picture is of the sound deadener that I installed before the floor mat went in.
After getting the car back from the interior shop it was time for the stripes. No issues putting the stripes on but I did have to re-do the stripe across the header panel once. Fortunately there was enough with the kit to do it again. I got a few pictures before I went to Pumkinfest but all the pictures on my camera from that day were ruined so I got some more today with my other camera. Now with the car, for the most part finished it will soon be time to put it away for the season. The car was built in 1968 so it will celebrate it's 40th Birthday this month so I will have to take it out for the "celebration".
looks stunning! I love those ET mags. My dad had those on his 67 charger. Are you from the Keswick area? My in-laws live in willow beach.
I am not from the Keswick area but I wanted Terry to do my interior. I like the ET mags and the early AR torq thrusts. I have several different sets of vintage wheels. I wanted something different on my Beaumont that you don't see every day; kind of like the car so I went with the ET's. Thanks very much for the compliment.
Thanks Todd That would be a real honor to have my car featured but I don't have a great story to go with mine other than what I have posted on here already. There are a lot of really nice cars owned by the members on here.