In 1963, you could have ordered what amounted to a drag car for the street if you saddled up to your Chevy dealer and whispered the words, “Z-11.” A few folks were lucky enough to take one of the handful of these cars ever made home, and the few that remain in existence are practically museum exhibits today. The next best thing was an Impala with the 409 with dual four-barrel carbs, 11.0:1 compression and a 4-speed, just like this project has here on craigslist in Los Angeles for $27K.
The seller claims this is a “factory race ready” car for the street, largely because it is the hotted-up version of the more commonplace 409 that spit out 340 b.h.p. While that is a fine motor that has done duty in many Impalas, the one sitting in the engine bay of the seller’s car really did get an extra dose of performance from Chevy’s engineers, including big valve heads and a nasty mechanical lifter cam. On paper, the Z-11 only produced about 5 b.h.p. more than the worked 409, but given the era in which it was made, who knows if that was ever accurate.
Throw in the fact that this is a factory four-speed car and it gets even more desirable. The seller says this Impala comes with the full complement of documentation verifying this as a numbers-matching example, and the only deviation from stock is a desirable disc-brake upgrade. The body is said to be prepped and ready for paint, but it’s clear more work is needed before calling this Impala “complete.” It runs and drives, but no word on what condition the suspension, tires or rear end is in. The interior is perfectly decent as is, but carpeting is needed.
Although there’s some temptation to simply drive this Impala as-is, we think it at least deserves hubcaps and a decent paint job; it doesn’t need to be a show car, but it is a car that deserves preservation beyond the patches of primer that currently coat the exterior. But let’s be honest: the engine is what makes this Chevy special, and with the included documentation, the seller is likely correct that it will bring a nice return for the next owner with some additional work invested. Thanks to Curbside Classics for a nice breakdown on what sets this 409 apart.
Shes not real fine
How many people will get that reference?
A few of us old goats OH wait that is another hit………Little GTO !
I got it, although I thought it was “she’s real fine…”
I did!
She used to be fine…………….
Tack it up, Tack it up…..!
Go granny go!
giddy up
Didn’t she drive a 413 Dodge?
I am not surprised to see one of these. They made a ton of them
Maybe a lot of 63-64 Impalas,Belairs,Biscaynes not a ton of 348-409s less today.
This is my favorite generation of the big Chevy’s. I think this price is high for its condition, a professionally restored car would bring around $50 to $55k. By the time you got this sorted out you could easily be over that amount. I’d still like to have it though.
for that price there better be 20K in cash in the trunk
I am going to go with my Super Stock Dodge………. ;-)
I think about the only thing you would get from your local Chevy dealer in 1963 when you whispered “Z11″ is a blank stare. The Z11, as I recall, was the ” mystery engine,” a 427 beast designed for NASCAR work, not the 409.
There were two 427s in 1963. If I remember correctly the Z11 was a 409 derivative and the “Mystery Engine” 427 was a Mark II, track only option, that was the grandaddy of the 396/427 Mark IV engine.
Does anyone else remember this?
You are correct. Z11 was derived from the 409.
I agree. The 63 Daytona Mystery Motor 427 was based on the 409 block, but added angle valve “Porcupine” heads, like those that would appear on the 65 396. This was strictly a prototype engine, released to a couple NASCAR teams.
The Z-11 was a complete package designed for drag racing. It featured a 409 block with a stroker cam, a larger oil pan, special raised “W” heads with push rod guides, and a unique two piece aluminum 2×4 intake manifold. Also included with the Z-11 package was a special air cleaner that drew air from an opening in the firewall, above where the heater box normally would be (Z-11’s didn’t get heaters). Z-11’s came with aluminum front fenders, hood, bumpers, bumper brackets, fan shroud, grill brackets, and hood release. The front sway bar and all sound deadening, was left off of Z-11’s, and radios weren’t available. Around 50-60 Z-11’s were built.
The 409/425, though not a bad motor, and fairly potent on the street, was hardly anywhere near a “race ready car from the factory”. The 425 needed the typical race mods (like headers, etc), to really wake it up.
63 saw the highest production of 409’s, with about 17,000 of them being sold, spread across the 3 available versions, 340, 400 & 425.
I assume you mean stroker “crank.”
Thanks for taking the time to enlighten us about the Z-11. Very good info.
thanks….gbvette62…..been in a factory stock one – a 1962 built in the 80’s by a bud with a 4 speed….. then he went and found what he could – Z-11 – stuff…think the 427 rods were used….and then with an automatic – it still surprised guys in the late 90’s and a little after….what that early x frame could do……sadly lost it in a divorce…..
I had a chance to buy Z-11 heads and intake, in the early 80’s. The seller had a bunch of stuff he wanted to sell as a package, including 2 64 409/340 engines. The problem was one of the 340’s was in a “hot rod” 34 Ford pickup, that was actually just a very rough 34 Ford cab, sitting on a 64 Impala X frame. That thing was too ugly to even call a rat rod. The 64 Chevy radiator was hung on the front of it, with only the radiator hoses securing it. The parts were worth the asking price, but I just didn’t want to deal with getting rid of that pickup.
My cousin had a 62 409/380, that was an NHRA record holder, for about 5 weeks in 1964. It was typical 60’s drag car; fender well headers, raised nose, and black and white steel wheels on the back, with Atlas Bucrons.
Years ago, I had a 62 409/409 Bel Air Sport Coupe, that I’d dragged out of a field. I was restoring it when a friend offered me stupid money for it. I had enough other projects, so I let it go. That’s one of the few cars, I still regret selling.
I start to get nervous when sellers say “High dollar rare car when done, documented sales of 85K plus.” like they are giving us the deal of a lifetime, more aptly the screwing of a lifetime. I know of no stranger who is going to sell me a car that is worth $58,000.00 more than I am paying for it unless it is going to cost more than 58 thousand to get it worth 85 thousand. If you believe this I have a bridge, a railroad and a skyscraper that I will sell cheap. There isn’t any such animal unless you are smoking wonder weed and even then it’s a stretch. Why doesn’t he do the things that are needed to bring it up to his fantasy price quote once you are done. Me, I would rather buy a nice $5,000 driver and enjoy the old car hobby rather than having to stress out over spreadsheets of it’s costs vs values. Probably the reason I will never own a vintage car again.
I had a $200 ’63 Belair in the ’80s, happy memories triggered!
Alas, no 409 & 4 speed in a sports coupe. A 283 & Powerglide in a 4 dr sedan.
While I know the answer, it amazes me that a car like this was left to deteriorate and ultimately left to be flipped in such a state of , well, mess. Now someone wants to cash out as the demographic most interested in this car gets close to being unable to reach for its wallet.
of all the muscle cars I owned or drove in the 60’s, the 409 4 speed 4.1 was THE most awesome Production Car off the line
Some people have complained about the price being high. I don’t follow the market on these, but I have seen running dual quad 409 engines sell for $15,000 by themselves. So is $27k really out of line for a fairly solid, pretty complete driving car?
An acquaintance has a 63 Impala in similar condition, except it came with a 283 & 3 on the tree. He took the 283 & had it punched to 301, added a hot cam & a 3 deuce set up, then backed it with a 4 speed. With the 4:10 gear, it’s pretty impressive for such a big car.
I’ve never ridden in a 409 car, but would really like too some day. I don’t want to own one, as I have too many things to try to keep going as it is. But I would still like to go for a ride, or better yet, drive a car like this just one time, too see what all the fuss is about.
Im not a chevy guy but 409 dual quads 4 speed pretty sweet!
Doesnt look that bad
Whats it worth done?
A late friend of mine had a real “425” HP porcupine head monster in what I thought was a Biscayne or BelAire body/frame. That’s what I’d always believed was the Chevy drag car, but, I’m not a Chevy guy. He bought his from a drag racer in ’66 and blew it up while street racing one night by attempting to hit 4th, and instead grabbing 2nd. Shortly afterward he joined the Air Force to avoid the draft…. That car sure was loud. It had real headers, not those cast iron ones shown in this guys’ photos.
Had a 63 impala SS convertible with the 340 hp 409. It was a fun street car. Wish I’d kept it.
Premium gas was $.33 per gallon then.
I bought it used for around 2k in 68.
I don’t remember 5 year old cars going for $2,000 in 1968. Hell, a friend of mine paid $3,300 for a ’69 427 4sp Corvette in 1971 a car that sold for twice of price of a ’63 Impala and 2 years newer. My dad used to regularly buy 1 to 1 1\2 year old cars for about 1\2 of what people paid new for them at the time. The person who sold you the car must have seen you coming. More like $1,000-1,200 car in ’68. No slam on you, knew a lot of people who grossly overpaid for their cars back in the day. A 5 year old car was nothing to brag about back in the day.
My friend had a 409/425 h.p. impala ss bought for him by his grandfather back in 68/ It had the aluminum front end on it, he couldnt afford to drive it much, due to the cost of ethyl gasoline. HE WAS a high school student. It had a double frame on it too. That big, bad 409 would foul up the plugs, just by driving it through a town.
We did outrun a county sheriff on halloween night, luckily we never got caught.This was up in arkansas city, kansas. He swapped the car in on a goat in later yrs. HE BOUGHT one of the 2010 ss camaros. Anyhow that 409 would bury the spedometer when drag racing, he was never beat. It had the 4;10 or 4;11 factory posi-trac. GOSH, What memories that car gave up in high school, in a small l5000 population town.