A big thanks to Aaron

[real61ss]

Guys,
Really good things come from this forum. I've been trying for a couple of weeks now to find the time to write this. The message below was posted on 2-5-04, it was directed at 348NUT (Aaron), it came from Impalaguru (Ross).


NUT,
"Didn't you say that you found a 61 409, also? Good luck with the 350hp 348!!!"
Ross
__________________

I don't think very many if any others noticed that post but I sure did!!!! In 1961, I was a Jr. in high school, Chevrolet started 2 legends, the Super Sport and the 409 motor. I bought my first car that year, a 61 Impala 283 powerglide. I was working at a filling station on weekends and after school, of course, living at home so everything I made went towards the car. Dad loaned me the down payment and I made enough money to make a $60 a month car payment. I wanted a 348 but Dad had to sign the loan papers, Dad and I voted on the 348/4 speed verses the 283/automatic----I lost!!!
But, right after that, I was at a local drag strip on a Sunday afternoon and I saw my first 61 SS409. I've never forgotten it and never stopped looking for one. In 1996. I found the Super Sport and this spring I found the 61 409 motor when I read Ross's post. I never stopped bugging Aaron about it, he probably figured the only way to get me to leave him alone was to just sell it to me!!! :takethat :D
I want to thank Aaron for letting me have that motor, I'm sure that he could have made a lot more off it on Ebay but he chose to let me have it. Now, don't think for a minute that he gave it to me,(in fact, I won't be at KC, I'm sponsoring Nuts trip!!!!)
With the help of Phil Reed and another friend of mine, we came to what we both felt was a fair price and now it's setting in my garage waiting it's turn at the local machine shop.
Don't know yet what I'll do with it, it would fit nicely in my black 61 Impala or I might just get another 61 and start another frame off project. Just what I need, another 61 !!!! :rofl
Either way, Thanks to Ross for bringing it up and THANK YOU AARON for letting me have it. I hope a lasting friendship has been formed. We'll see where it winds up, just might be another "real61SS in a year or so but this time it'll be Real61SS409!!!
I hope you guys have a ball in KC, I'll be thinking of y 'all :hug

[Tom Kochtanek]

Tommy and Aaron:

I was really tickled to see your post. What a great "win-win" situation! Only the best to those who help out others, and that's what appears to have happened here.

See what Bob has done by putting us in contact with one another? The engine found it's way to a guy who really appreciates it, and I hope Aaron moves a step closer to heaven for putting Tommy together with his beloved 1961 409 engine. Truly the right thing to do :)

Kudos to both of you!

Cheers,
TomK

[CDNpontiac409guy]

I agree, it is good to see this engine go to someone who will use it where it belongs :cheers "Nut" had asked me for my opinion on the pending deal, and from what I have been told, it looks like it was a fair deal. No, it wasn't a "gift" ;) ... but if I had the money, I would have paid that price in a "Calgary minute" ( that's a Canadian prairie "New York minute" :p )

[bobs409]

I too had a similar experience from this board. :) A little while ago, I put a '65 409 dipstick on ebay and announced it in our ebay forum.

Because of that dipstick, I got to meet one of our members 65impala409 who ended up being the only bidder. Since we live about 6 miles apart, we met up to complete the deal rahter than use the mail services. :D Because of this, I not only got to meet a great member but I learned of the '66 Impala he had for sale.

If it weren't for this board and that dipstick, I wouldn't have my beloved '66 right now! I'd never even know of it even though I probably drove by it's general location for years! Funny how things work isn't it?

There's certainly power in numbers and we have that here. :cheers


Tommy, if I had to find the right home for a '61 409 engine, it would have to be with you. I've seen what you do with cars and the results are awesome. I'd wouldn't be surprised if you didn't find an original '61 409 Chevy body to put it in too! :p


Keep these great stories coming and like I said in an earlier post, if you have a chance to meet another member, don't put it off like I did. If you think talking old Chevy's is fun here, you have to try it in real life. :D

[348NUT]

"Tommy, if I had to find the right home for a '61 409 engine, it would have to be with you. I've seen what you do with cars and the results are awesome."

My sentiments exactly! :) I feel the deal was fair and couldn't think of a better home for that engine! Sorry I missed this post earlier, just so busy with the convention preperation! Let me just say it was a great weekend! I'll be posting more info in the other threads. NUT

[real61ss]

Just an update,
The 61 409 motor went to the machine shop on Friday, Sept. 24th. It's being rebuilt by Wally's Precision Machine, a speed shop here in my home town of Chester, Va. After Wally disassemblies it, I intend to photo and document every piece of this motor as it's truly a piece of Chevrolet history. I'll update later as to what car I'll put the motor in, not sure right now. :dunno :)

[348NUT]

Another real SS would be my vote if it's possible. :)
Oh and now that you traded the Vette for my engine you should really take it off your list of cars! ;) NUT

[Va348]

Tommy


Wally is a good man, I talk with him often. I would like to see him tune it on dyno,

He is SUPER on carbs. He busy somethimes, this is a good time of the yr. to get that kind of work done.


Dale

[real61ss]

Va 348,
Yep, Wally is super, he's been a friend for years and used to build the motors for my round track cars. He just finished a 409 motor for a friend of mine. Used a 454 crank in a stock bore block, stock 2x4 intake and carbs. Dyno'd 496 hp with 512 lbs torque. I think the motor is going in a 49 Ford hot rod. I'm not a motor person so I don't know if that's good or bad.

Nut,
Wish you'd come get this Corvette, it's been a source of aggrevation for the past 6 or 7 years!!! Great little car to have fun with but then it won't start when it's hot. :cuss I threaten to take the fuel unit off but never do.

Tommy

[348NUT]

I've seen an 09 in a early Vette! :brow

Would start easy enough, but might be hard to stop! :eek: :help

[real61ss]

I believe somebody might have had too much time on their hands!!!! :rolleyes:

[real61ss]

Hey guys, I resurrected this thread just in case some of you may have forgotten what a big favor "348Nut" did me a year or so ago. It's been over a year since I took the 61 409 motor to Wally's here in Chester, Va to be rebuilt. Today, I got a call from Wally letting me know that he put the motor on the dyno this afternoon and would probably run it tomorrow or the next day.
Wally finished the motor about Christmas last year but I didn't have a 919 distributor for it and I didn't want to remove one from my other cars, by the time I found a correct distributor, spring time was here and the race car motors got ahead of me on the dyno and I wasn't in any hurry so I told him to just wait until racing season was over before running my motor.
So, my fingers are crossed for the next day or so, I told him to just run the cam in and adjust the valves etc., if he makes some hard pulls with it, I don't think I want to be there!!!! It would be my luck that it would fly apart on the dyno!!!!

I'll keep you posted

[Impalaguru]

Thats great news, Tommy! Glad to hear that things are progressing nicely. I know the blue SS with be simply stunning when its all done!! :clap
Ross

[Tom Kochtanek]

Tommy, good luck with the breakin and in the dyno room. I hope everything turns out to be perfect, and you get to hear that engine run the RPM ladder :).

We require pics of the dyno setup, no ifs, ands, or buts there :).

We are all looking forward to seeing your progress on both the vehicle and the drivetrain. I assume this will be a four speed car? Do you have the correct trans yet?

BTW, I took delivery of the '61 Bonneville yesteday. Spent the lunch hour going over it with a bright light and a sharp object (checking for corrosion). I felt bad about neglecting my '62, so I spent some hours with it last night after work. Gotta keep the iron maidens happy by tickling their parts :).

Best of Luck!

TomK

[348NUT]

I've been wondering how it's been progressing. If I still had it it would still be on the engine stand in my garage. I'm glad it will be running soon!:brow NUT

[bjburnout]

Hey Tommy

That's great.....you are the man to get that project completed.........:clap

Can't wait to see it............and of course you will have that and few of your others at the next convention.............:bow

Good luck on the dyno.......keep your ears plugged.........:eek:

bj:cheers :cheers

[real61ss]

It's been awhile since I gave an update on the 61SS 409 project. The rolling chassis is just about complete. Hopefully around the first of March, it'll be done and I'll be getting started on the body. I sent some pictures to a couple of my buddies tonight (really, they are my advisors) so I thought I'd post a few.

[raymar58454]

Tommy, great story and great work.:clap Is that an aluminum intake?? If so what is the casting numbers?
Ray
PS WAy to do the right thing NUT

[jim_ss409]

:bow That really looks good.:beerbang It's almost a shame to cover it up with a body.

[Ronnie Russell]

S W E E E E E E T !!!!!!:beerbang

[Tom Kochtanek]

Tommy, that engine/frame setup looks just great!

Keep up the good work, that's going to be another beauty :).

Cheers,
TomK

[348NUT]

You're doing excellent work Tommy!:clap Now you just take care of yourself til that car is done, then you can take up bungi jumping again! You did get it put in you're will to me like we agreed on, right?:rofl NUT

Hey guys, thought you mightt want to see what it looked like when I got it. Talk about a diamond in the rough!:eek: :deal

[tripowerguy]

Arron how do you do it. I've been wanting a set of 817 heads and you keep coming up whole engines. It must be the cold were your at. Nothing gets thrown away at it is in a deep freeze.:D Roy

[348NUT]

Hard to believe that 409 survived intact! and there were no cracks in the block! I kinda miss it, but no biggie..I'll just find another one, right Roy.:p NUT

[oldskydog]

Tommy,
That is gorgeous work! I wish I had the correct intake and heads. I would love to build my engine to that standard. I do have a question for you concerning power steering and idler. Since the SS option required PS, am I correct in assuming that no idler was used? If so then would the idler have been used on all other non-SS 409 and HP 348's without PS? IN fact it seems odd that PS would even be offered since they usually did not offer PS with high rpm performance engines as in the Corvettes.

[real61ss]

Thanks for the kind words, let me see if I can answer the questions;

Gearhead409..... I think the fuel line is correct, it's patterned after a 380 horse. Verne Frantz sent me pictures of an original '62 380 hp to go by. I think the union is what you are questioning and I guess that's to allow easier assembly. I believe the early motors used the front inlet carbs and later, they used the rear inlet which carried over to the '62's

raymar58454.....yes it's an aluminum intake, casting # 779, it's the original intake

oldskydog......you are correct, PS was a requirement on a 61SS so no idler. The cars that did not have the PS would have used the same idler as the 350 horse 348. That same idler was also used on the 62 09's.

348NUT.......will? will? try as I may, the only thing along those lines that I remember was you saying something about me getting your 350 horse 348, maybe not
:rofl

speaking of that, the 350 horse is really the motor that I need cause that's what the body that I have originally came with. Of course, if I had the 349/350 motor then I'd have to find another '61 to put the 09 in. It's an endless circle!!!
:bang

[Tom Kochtanek]

Tommy, you mention that:

"speaking of that, the 350 horse is really the motor that I need cause that's what the body that I have originally came with."

Did you know this from a previous owner, or is that something that can be determined by examining the vehicle itself?

Reason I ask is that one of my "next up" vehicles is that 1961 BA Sport Coupe project, originally a 348 with a three-on-the-tree. I never saw the engine, was told it had a four barrell (all the passenger cars did except for the 3x2, correct?), so I assumed it was of the 250 HP variety. Any way to determine afterwards?

Plans are to put either a 348 with bigger heads (1147) and a J60 dated 3x2 setup or that oddball "E 24 61" 409 block in her. Not sure at this point.

Another Q : Where all the HiPerf 348s (more than 280 HP) using those 1147 heads for that year (1961) or was there another choice?

I know what you mean about matching engines to vehicles, and justifying the need for another body due to the possession of a particular "W" engine :). Right now I have enough engines for a variety of years (1960 through 1964), but it takes me years just to get a body ready, and I seem to have a lifetime of those ahead of me!

Cheers!
TomK

[real61ss]

Gearhead.....As for the fuel line, I don't know.:dunno

TomK,
It's very difficult to tell what motor originally came in a car when you only have the body. In the case of this car that I'm presently working on, it was rather easy. The body is one of the original SS's, the only motor available in the SS with 3x2's was the 350 hp. my body has the holes in the firewall for the coil bracket. The 4 barrel motors had the coil on the intake manifold. Actually, one of the previous owners of my car told me that the coil bracket was still on the body when he owned it. Somebody removed it before I got the car.

As for you question regarding the heads, I can't answer that, perhaps someone else can. My 348/305 has the 1147 heads, my 409/360 has 586 heads. I believe the only difference in the 1147 and 586 heads is the valve spring seats and the size of the push rod holes. I thought it interesting that my 586 heads also have 1147 cast in them in small letters under the intake runner.

If your body was a 280 or 350 horsepower, it should 2 holes in the firewall beside the windshield wiper motor. See the attached photo

[MK IISS]

I believe some of the late '61 hi-perf 348s also used the 586 head but only the 409 application had the extra machining for the larger diameter valve springs and pushrods.

[real61ss]

Gearhead409,

Check with this guy, he's reproducing the 3x2 coil bracket. It looks pretty good in the picture. This is his Ebay name: 3574gary

[real61ss]

"Tommy, the small 1147 under your 586 heads is a foundry pattern number. that part of the head didn't change from the 1147s. same thing on the 583 heads, they have a small 690 under the runners."


Thanks, that's the great thing about this site, I learn something everyday.

[bubbletop61]

Gearhead and Tommy, and all;

I always enjoy this site although I haven't been on in a long while. We found an FH code 348/350 last summer. It came with a set of 5586 heads on it, which are identical to our 1147s except the difference Tommy has already noted. The
5586's also have the 1147 cast as Tommy said. I discussed this with Verne and he was pretty sure the 5586s are the correct heads for the late 60 coded block.

I too am looking for an NOS coil bracket, and have been seeking out pictures of one ( without any success) for as long as we know it takes to find this elusive
part, which is Chevy only, 1961 only, 348/350 SHP only. Next to a real SS( NB; some guys have two of these), it is probably the most elusive item of all. Gearhead, I was very happy to hear that you have pics of the coil bracket, and I would really appreciate if you could send me a PM with the pics when you find a minute. It was also very interesting to learn that you are looking at doing a 'faithful' reproduction of this item. :bow
Thanks for now,
Gar

[bubbletop61]

Gearhead,
Thanks for helping out with the pics. I will send you the PM this aft. I don't have a digital camera yet either. I avoid the razzing by borrowing one of the kids cameras and then sometimes they even have to help me get the pics posted. I think the public razzing might be easier to take.... the kids told me "this house in the technological dark ages" a couple years ago:rolleyes: :dunno

[bubbletop61]

It was really good to see this posted. You know your'e in the right place when you see a posting like this. I was as happy for Gearhead as I was disappointed myself, when this auction ended. Only a week before this item was listed on e-bay , Gearhead had sent me pics of the coil bracket at my request. Neither one of us bid until the last ten seconds...we hit it at 6 seconds, and he hit it at 1 second.
It is great to see how people help one another out here on 348-409. :hug
BBTP61:beerbang

[real61ss]

"Neither one of us bid until the last ten seconds...we hit it at 6 seconds, and he hit it at 1 second."


bunch of snipers:D :D :D :D :D

[real61ss]

I'm just kid'n. I'm glad it worked out for both of you. Now, we gotta see if we can find "Mr. Garfield" one!

[real61ss]

Guys,
It's been a while since I posted any pictures of the "project". It's beginning to come together, for those who don't remember or maybe some newby's....it's a documented SS body with a '61 409 motor that fellow member 348NUT was kind enough to sell me.

What's happened to NUT, where are you Aron?

[Ronnie Russell]

Wow , Tommy,,,, Looking gooooood. You have been busy. :clap

[quik9r]

Can you explain to me doucumented SS body? Is that cowl tag or paper from the selling dealership. The 61 SS option has always been a mystery and I would like to know more. Thanks in advance

kevin

[oldskydog]

I love that color Tommy. Great work. Keep posting the pics.:clap
:bow

[348NUT]

Hey Tommy, you sure are paying attention to detail! I'm looking forward to seeing that car in a magazine someday! I know I haven't been around the forum. Life has just gotten so busy with six kids:eek: I have been collecting some old parts cars and restorables in the last year though including 4-55s, 1-56, 1-57, 1-59 Impala, 4 early Broncos, an old Willys Pickup, an old Studebaker pickup, a 55 Big Window shortbox out of TX, and my latest is an old Tucker Sno-Cat groomer to play around with when the snow's too deep for my Bronco. I did buy another 348 engine and I drove the 55 quite a lot this summer too so don't feel completely left out:rolleyes: So anyway I'm glad to see you're still working on the 61 and I'm always just a private message or an email away!:D

[real61ss]

Aaron,
Thanks for replying, it's good to know you're ok, we've missed you.

Kevin asks

"Can you explain to me doucumented SS body? Is that cowl tag or paper from the selling dealership. The 61 SS option has always been a mystery and I would like to know more. Thanks in advance"

Kevin,
Let me see if I can address your question. What I call a documented car is one that can be proven to be what you say it is. As most guys know, it’s a pretty well excepted fact that Chevrolet only built 453 Super Sports in the spring of 1961. I am fortunate to have two of these cars, one is white, the other blue. The white car was sold at the dealership here in my hometown to a gentleman that kept the car for 36 years then sold it to me. He had the foresight to put away every piece of paperwork that he received the day he purchased the car and he gave that information to me when I bought the car. Original paperwork is, in my opinion the best documentation that you can have. I don’t have this type of documentation for the blue car that I am currently restoring however, owning the white car and having completely disassembled and restored it has provided me with experience and knowledge that I could have never gained elsewhere. There is no better place to gain knowledge about how the factory did things than spending time with an unmolested original car.
There is also another form of documentation that is available to those who are interested in knowing more about the originality of their 58 to 64 Chevrolets. That being the Jersey Late Great's and Verne Frantz. Mr. Frantz is what I refer to as a Chevrolet historian who has gathered the information and has the ability to document these cars based on information from the car and the data on the cowl tag. I first met Verne when he came to look at my white car prior to my restoring it. Over the years he and I have become good freinds, I treasure his knowledge and often seek his advise while restoring my cars.
Both of my cars are identifiable by the information on the cowl tag. Today, there are way more than 453 ’61 Super Sports out there, almost all of them are made up cars and can be easily spotted. I won’t get into just what is on the cowl tags of my cars because there are places that will make you a cowl tag with whatever you want on it and I would not want this info made available to be copied. Most of the required options on the ’61 SS are now common knowledge, however there are still a few things about these cars that only a very few people know and it’s my belief that it should stay this way.
A few years ago when I was talking with Aaron about purchasing the ’61 409 motor from him, I was having some discussions with Verne about the motor and he asked the question; “what are you planning to do with the motor” and my answer was “don’t know”. He informed me that he knew the whereabouts of a ’61 SS body that had no running gear. He had previously inspected and provided documentation to it’s owner and the owner of the car had told him that he was interested in selling the car. Verne suggested that I consider purchasing this body as a vehicle for the 409 motor which I did. The body that Verne suggested was purchased and the 409 motor is now in it.
Sorry this was so long but I hope this answers your question.

A couple more photo's

[gearhead409]

I have been drooling over these pictures for the last 20mins. VERY NICE TOMMY!!!

[jim_ss409]

Tommy, the car looks great! I don't think that car or that engine could be in better hands.
Aaron, it's good to hear from you.:cheers
Oh and Tommy, if you ever get tired of that stock look you can always add some 24" rims like the car in the picture.:rofl

[Rusty Everitt]

........Barf

[real61ss]

"Oh and Tommy, if you ever get tired of that stock look you can always add some 24" rims like the car in the picture."


Thanks for the kind words..........as for the 24" wheels, I am considering those...right after I see a set on the Phantom 409!!!!!

[quik9r]

Tommy,
Thanks for the reply and well spoken I might add. I have a few questions, do both your cowl tags contain the same info indicating SS option? Of the 453 SS built cars how many do you feel were 409, 348/350HP and the 348/305 HP? There were other 409 cars built in 61 (145-149?) that did not have the SS badging or where they part of the 453? I was always under the impression that no other motor combination could be had other than the ones mentioned above is this true. I remember meeting a guy when I was young at Carlise 1991 and he said to me then that there was different Cowl Tag info on 61 SS cars.( I think that guy might have been George Allen?) I am not asking you to reveal any info regarding your tags, but since you have two other information regarding this option I find interesting :p Thank you in advance.

Kevin

[real61ss]

Kevin,
I sent you a PM concerning your questions about the '61 SS's. I did this because I'm others are tired of hearing it.

[quik9r]

Thanks, people should never get tired of good info:) It helps to keep the information true and stops it from being twisted down the road:rolleyes:

[Tom Kochtanek]

Tommy, that level of detail is astounding! I especially like the shot that depicts the 1961 409 :). I hope someday I am able to view both of your vehicles (and perhaps the others as well) firsthand.

It is my dream someday to be in a position to acquire one of these fine vehicles. I've been working extra hard in creating equity positions these past few years, hopefully that dream will come true.

Say, did those have power steering from the factory?

Cheers!
TomK

[real61ss]

Tom,
Thanks for the compliment. Power steering wasn't required on 409's but it was a required option on '61 Super Sports. If you ever get in the Pegion Forge area, go by Floyd Garretts Museum, my white car is on display there thru next summer.

Kevin,
I forgot to answer one of your questions....the cowl tags on my cars are not alike. The cars came from different plants and like other option codes, each plant had their own method of coding them. I know that at least 3 plants indentified the SS's on the cowl tags, maybe others did also. Most books say they were not indentifiable by the cowl tagts....this is not true

[Bob Core]

That's Midnight Blue (code 915), correct? I wonder, and someone here may know, if that was the color of the famous Dan Gurney SS 409. It'll be gorgeous when finished, that's for sure.

[NASCAR FAN]

The Feb '62 issue of Hot Rod magazine has an article about Dan Gurney's '61 409. There are several photos but they are not in color. The article states the car is a "bright deep blue". From the photos it appears to be Jewel Blue. Other non-colored photos taken in the UK that I've seen, the car appears darker ?? There are at least two Feb. '62 issues of HOT Rod available on ebay.

Rick

[real61ss]

My car is Midnight Blue, I don't know what color the Gurney car was, I thought it was also Midnight Blue.

[NASCAR FAN]

I just received an email from a friend who knows a lot more about this stuff than I will ever know. He said the Dan Gurney car is/was too dark to be Jewel Blue. Based on the photos I've seen of the car on the race track at Silverstone I would have to agree. So how come the photos in Hot Rod show it be a lighter color. The answer is like me----simple. The article was written after the car was raced in the UK because they list all the race results. So how could Hot Rod have photos of the car in the US when the car was no longer here? They took pictures of a different car for the article. Boy do I feel stupid.

[Ronnie Russell]

Doesn't chevytaylor own the Gurney car now? Don't know if the paint has been changed but he should be able to add to the subject.

[rstreet]

Doesn't chevytaylor own the Gurney car now? Don't know if the paint has been changed but he should be able to add to the subject.

Ronnie: I think a relative of his owns it but he should be able to easily "put this issue to bed":rofl
robert

[oldskydog]

As long as we're on the midnight blue subject, does anyone know anything about this nice Bel Air? I ran across these pics on the internet a couple of years ago and saved them as a nice example.:cool:

[61belairbubbletop]

WOW !

I had a midnight blue bel-air bubbletop back in 71. Does that look familiar !
Mine was a 6 banger, w/3-speed stick.

First thing I did was install a 4-speed. Then, a few months later, a 4:56 posi.
The six started smoking real bad (driving 20 miles to work). Killed that 6 real
quick.

A friend of mine had just bought a Black 62 Impala 409 4-speed car that was
raced localy and never driven on the street. When he bought the car, it had
a 365 HP 327 engine installed. He didn't want the 327, so he sold it to me.
I put it in my bel-air. I had lots of fun with that !

Years later, I heard my old bel-air went to "Corvette Central" in Niles.

[348NUT]

I posted those pictures a couple of years ago. I took them at a 4th of July celebration in Cloquet, MN. I didn't get to talk to the owner but I did get to hear it rumble by with the exhaust cut outs open. It had a W and sounded sweet!:cool: NUT

[real61ss]

Hey guys,
After almost 3 years the '61 SS 409 restoration is complete. Again I want to thank Aaron (348nut) for selling me the 409 motor. Also want to thank my freind Verne Frantz for locating the body and for all of his advise during the restoration.

I attached a couple of shots (please excuse the mess in the shop, maybe now I'll have time to clean the joint up).

For any who might plan to attend, the car will be displayed in the invitational area of the G.M. Nationals next weekend in Carlisle. Stop by and say hello.

[bobs409]

And another one lives again! Great job Tommy. :cheers :clap

You sure have the touch for details. That engine & compartment looks awesome.

Sorry I won't be able to attend the show this year but maybe I'll see it in person one day....


So.... What's next? :D


Bob

[Ronnie Russell]

Awesome job Tommy, a truly beautiful car. Congratulations on job well done.

[Dick MacKenzie]

It's fantastic Tommy!!
:clap:clap

[61belairbubbletop]

Beautiful car ! :clap

[tripower]

Tommy, all I can say is :clap:clap:clap a standing ovation....

[RCE1962]

Tommy

Looks like a beautifull restoration!!

Some of us won't be able to come see you and the car at Carlisle...but...as a consolation, I'm sure we all would like to see more pictures of the car when you get a chance. :clap

Ron

[Rusty Everitt]

Tommy,
Damn, that is one nice looking ride, I can only wish mine looked like that, very, very nice !

[oldskydog]

Absolutely perfect Tommy. You have the touch.:clap:clap:bow

[Tom Kochtanek]

What a great garage sight that must be, with a pair of real 1961 SSs :) :) :).

Tommy, we appreciate your attention to detail, your commitment to excellence, and your ability to complete a project "to the tee".

Someday, someday, I hope to be able to be able to do something like this!

Cheers!!!

TomK

[rstreet]

Tom: I had not planned to drive up to the GM show but now I will on Sat. just to see it finished.:bow:cheers Will you be taking it to the Petersburg Southern Knights show this year since the white one is temporarily out of the area. I would like to get down there again this year for their show.
robert

[real61ss]

Thanks guys for all the compliments. I'm pleased for the most part with the car, I do have some things that I'm not happy with and plan to make some corrects after the G.M. Nationals but time has run out for now. These things are kinda like it was back when I raced......we used to say, you never finish building a race car, you just stop working on it long enough to race it now and then.

Robert....I look forward to seeing you in Carlisle. I will take something to Petersburg but right now I'm not sure what. At this time, the next show for this car is the AACA Fall National in Cleveland, Tenn. in Sept.

[jim_ss409]

:bowWOW! The car looks beautiful and I know Tommy and Verne are the guys that would know all the details required for a factory correct restoration.
Way to go!:beerbang

[348NUT]

I'm so pleased to see that engine look so good! I love the whole car! When I see what you've accomplished, I don't regret selling the 409 at all. Have fun showing it! :clap NUT

[rwagon57]

Tommy,

Absolutely Spectacular:bow:bow:bow

[models916]

Revell finished theirs in 2001.

[Bob Core]

Big sigh!

It's a beauty :clap My favorite '61, now.

BTW, what does it feel like to actually be finished with something that major?