Everyone remembers the Beach Boys song lyrics, right? “She’s real fine, my 409!” This song always comes to mind when I run across a Chevy with the big-block 409 V-8 that was available between 1961 and 1965. The seller’s 1964 Impala SS has such a motor and literally was a grandma’s car (go Granny!). It has been out of commission for 25+ years but does start and run. It resides on a farm in Pueblo, Colorado and is hesitantly for sale here on eBay where 25 bids have reached $11,701. The seller’s reserve has not been met.
1961 brought the third generation of the Chevrolet Impala, the introduction of the Super Sport (SS) model, and roll out of the fabled 409 motor. The 409 was an extension of the 348, and there are few visual differences between the two, such as the location of the dipstick (the 348 has it on the left, the 409 on the right). Internally, both the bore and stroke were increased, resulting in 360 hp (and later 380) with a single 4-barrel carburetor. By changing to a dual-carb set-up, the engine was capable of one horsepower per cub inch and that is the one that inspired the Beach Boys song. The 409 would eventually be replaced by the 427.
The third-gen of the Impala ran through 1964, the year of the seller’s Impala SS 409. This car comes with a story, which always makes it more interesting. This single-family auto was first driven by the seller’s grandmother, who apparently liked speed but not shifting gears, so it came with the 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. She quit driving it, so it sat in an open garage on their farm even after being passed along to the seller’s father. Sometime in the mid-90s, the car relocated under its own power to the farm’s open field. He eventually talked his father out of the car and had every intention of restoring it. However, a recent opportunity to move to Alaska has put the brakes on that dream.
In preparation for letting the car go, the seller gave it a complete tune-up with the objective of getting it to run. Apparently, the last time it did so was in the mid-1990s. After a complete tune-up and some fluid changes, the car did fire up, but he didn’t work on it any further. It will be up to the buyer to take it from there, with a rebuilding of the engine and transmission likely along with a cosmetic restoration. This 409 has the single four-barrel carb set-up. A new owner is going to have to completely redo the interior, especially since the seller has already gone to the trouble of taking out the seats, carpeting, and at least one door panel. The dash cover is shot, and the headliner is falling down.
The body seems to have held up reasonably well, especially since it was exposed or partially-exposed to the elements for several decades. There is a rust-thru spot on one of the quarter panels and a busted blinker light. The color combination of the car is a bit odd, leading me to wonder if the exterior could have had a color change at one point. I’m inclined to think this is a seriously faded Ember Red with a blue/white interior. While looking for rust, the seller removed the carpeting and says the floor is a teal color. So that adds to the color mystery.
Chevrolet sales continued on a positive trend in the ‘60s. Overall production topped 1.5 million full-size cars and more than half (nearly 900,000) were Impalas. The Impala Super Sport had become its own line by then and 35% of the 536,000 Impala two-door hardtops that were sold were SS’s –about 155,000 units. Collectors seem to prefer the more streamlined look of the ‘63s over the boxier ‘64s, but the latter can still bring mid-five-figures, especially if it’s an SS with a 409. The seller’s car is going to need a lot of work to bring it back to its former glory, but if the reserve isn’t too high, it could be worth it. Source: 348-409
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