new toy

[409z28]

Really nice car :cheers

[409z28]

Forgot to say I just finished the tune up on this All Original baby,and this F--- is Strong>> believe me. I can get it for a song. If I do ...dont let the air out my tires. :cheers Mike

[real61ss]

409z28,
Get it!!!!!! I lik'm too, is it a 4 speed?

[Ronnie Russell]

Mike, If you dont have a song, let me know, Ill sing real loud.

[409z28]

Real.....Naturally!!!real cars are 4-speeds... P/G's are for going to the grocery,LOL

[409z28]

Ronnie ,thats a 406,,3x2. 4 sp.. Mike

[droptop62]

Too bad the only talk going on is about a Ford.
This is supposed to be a chevrolet sight. Traitor!!
just kidding ;)

[Fran Preve]

405 hp, and how much?.

[Impalaguru]

Nice score, Mike! :brow
Ross

[jim_ss409]

Yes, Nice car! :beerbang

[nufsed]

Already been said but.....I like it too!! That's a cool lookin' car.

[Wild Bill Burge]

Really nice car :cheers

I remember a warm summer night back in 1965 cruising around with my best friend in his refridgerator white 1963 Ford 406 tri-power. A 1965 blue Corvette wanted to race pink slips...naw, we lived in Ohio and didn't have pinks! Anyway, we lined up and heavy Ford with it's sloppy 4-speed linkage tried it's best to get outa the hole and run down that Corvette but around the third gear change and not watching the tach, (there's a lot going on at a hundred) the 406's drive train started to come apart. It all started inside the bellhousing. The clutch didn't like the last 7,000 shift and literially came apart! The bellousing, clutch, throw-out bearing and input shaft exploded in chunks, some coming threw the hood and floorboard into the plastic heater duct and onto my lap! I wrote about this guy in my book. There was so much damage the Ford garage had to repair the car. The beautiful XL conv. 406 was sold for $700; what was owed at the bank, and my friend was excorted by his dad to the Navy recruiting station! Did I mention the Corvette won and my 409 could beat this car any day of the week!!

Wild Bill Burge
The Living Legend

[Ronnie Russell]

Bill, No argument here that a decent running 409 would stomp a 406 Ford, however, I think Mike is getting a lot of "thatta boy" compliments is that a lot of us appreciate alot of the late 50s to mid 60s cars. That old Ford is quite a survivor. I have never owned a Ford, but still would like to have it just because of its history. It is ironic that an old Ford gets some nice"comments" on our 348-409 Forum. Can you imagine what the "Ford" guys would be saying? I hope you got my e-mail "raving" about your book. I know you appreciate those old cars too.

[Tom Kochtanek]

Not a big F&^d man myself, but I do appreciate that era, and in particular, that car. Even better was Wild Bill's personal "extra excerpt" from the likes of his book (I need to by that book so my wife can give it to me as a present :)).

Very nice looking var, even better looking carbs (who can not appreciate those mutiple carbs?), nice wheels, great package.

Now, if in Wild Bill's story, he actually got beat by a 406, I would be disheartened :). Looking at what we all hope to be your next new toy, I am gladdened that it might be in the hands of a fellow Chevy man :) :) :).

Enjoy!

TomK

P.S. Did I mention I can sing harmony, hum a few bars, even take the lead???

[409z28]

Well , Bob has said nothing! may be I have been disowned :rofl But thanks to all for a nice acceptance on the car. It runs very well and is very sound. Not a rattle in it. . Thanks again. Mike
P/S, My 409 hasn't spoken to me since I brought it home :(

[MK IISS]

Although the 409s were more successful on the dragstrips, the 406s were faster (top speed) on the NASCAR super speedways (tracks longer than 1-mile) even with the square back window.

[bobs409]

Of course not! :D I like the old Galaxies but I do have my image here to uphold. lol (just kidding) My favorite is 63 & 64 but those 61's and 62's are nice too.

I don't discriminate with old cars. I like 'em all with the exception of foreign cars.

[1958 impala]

:cheers :cheers Mike,
That car is a beauty variety is the spice of some cornball saying nice cruiser if I owned it id be proud to show it off.

[bjburnout]

Great looking car Mike :deal

Love those 62's.... :love

Did this car come from Ontario at some time in it's life.
There was a similar 62 406 4 speed with those wheels for sale around here about 5 years ago..........it may not have been a Galaxie tho....... :scratch

A 62 Galaxie ragtop 390 4speed at the auction this past weekend with a CA$20000. reserve.......that's about US$16000. :brow

Enjoy it buddy.........I love 'em all.........

bj :cheers :cheers

[409z28]

BJ, this car came from Tenn. and the wheels were put on last year. :cheers

[wrench]

I remember an article (probably in a Peterson Publication) where Ford made several big block engines of super hard iron, going through many sets of taps, dies and machining tools. They were used as test bed engines in 60's type bodies and were run till they blew to smithereens. All as a materials reliability test?? (my memory fades as to some of these facts but I do remember the article). I also remember a roofline change to accomodate more speed - it resembled a (irk) bubbletop as I recall.

Anybody remember it?

Tom C

[MK IISS]

In 1962 Ford actually produced a bolt on top for '62 Galaxie convertibles called the Starlift Top. This top, resembling the roofline of the 1960-61 Ford Starliners, would have essentially turned a convertible into a 2-dr. hardtop. This would have made the '62 NASCAR Ford race cars more aerodynamic to better compete with the Pontiacs. Ford even had some consumer info printed to help convince NASCAR the top was a stock item. NASCAR wasn't convinced the Starlift top was intended to be a stock consumer option because it was so heavy it would take two men and a boy to install or remove plus the side windows didn't roll up into the top correctly. The Ford race teams competed in one race with the top but thereafter NASCAR outlawed it.

Word also leaked out in the summer of 1962 that Ford was testing a '62 convertible with a Starlift top and a 482 cubic inch version of the 406 engine for 1963 competition. The escalation of engine sizes prompted NASCAR to meet with other racing groups, in the summer of '62, resulting in the 7 liter (428) engine limit for the 1963 racing season.

[Tom Kochtanek]

Now I'm even more than glad that this thread started with a non-Chevy. With Wrench and Richard aboard, we got right back to the heart of racingand the early 60s, with some details I've never heard before. A trip back to memory lane, however faded, is always better than what's on network TV at prime time :).

Thanks for the details and the memories. Think I'll work on my projects today. Gotta stay one more step ahead now that I see a muscular F@#d out there!

Best,
TomK

[MK IISS]

Tom: The 7 liter rule, which wasn't in force until the start of the '63 race season, and wasn't even thought up until the summer of '62, gives credence to the theory that the MK II (Mystery Engine) was initally under development as a 409 cubic inch engine. Chevrolet had no way of knowing about the pending 7 liter limit until the summer of 1962. This is when Chevrolet would have developed a longer stroke crank that fit both the 409 and the MK II block.

Fran Preve has argued the point that the MK II was initially designed as a 427. How could it ? ..... unless Chevrolet engineers had a crystal ball or didn't start development of the MK II until late 1962.

So, in my opinion, we have Ford to thank for the 7 liter rule and Chevrolet developing three different engines at 427 cubic inches...the Z11, MK II, and the MK IV 427s. All because of Ford's plans to use a whopper of an engine in 1963.

[dq409]

Well , Bob has said nothing! may be I have been disowned :rofl But thanks to all for a nice acceptance on the car. It runs very well and is very sound. Not a rattle in it. . Thanks again. Mike
P/S, My 409 hasn't spoken to me since I brought it home :(

Well Mike ,,,i think in time the `09 will be happy to have some classy company around the barn !!

All these great old classic cars are worth stepping over the bowtie to save and own !!! :cheers

After all,,,,, we may have our favorite line of cars but we all love most old cool cars if not them all !!


Long live our hobby and the cars !!!!,,,dq

[tmracing62]

Mike - That is very cool. If you can get it you're the man that knows how to treat it. I think your 409 would welcome a brother Ford to keep it company too.

Old guy story time - I owned a '62 Impala with a 64 409 425 horse engine my last year of high school (1965). I told the story long ago about the origins of the car so won't bore you with it here. My parents hated the car, but I worked for many summers and it was my money. I would race anywhere, anytime on the street and I shake my head in wonder that I survived. Anyway, there were two rival cars in the area, a Dodge Hemi and a 406. The guy's name was Woodard. I didn't have much problem with the Dodge, but that 406 really hauled. One night I was on a date and as I left the drive-in (The Scotchman for those that are familiar with the area) and Woodard pulled out behind me. Everybody knew what was coming so they followed us - this long string of cars down Wadsworth. I pulled onto 6th Avenue and Woodard squared off. Now you have to understand - scare date, no sugar - don't race, face shame. Sugar - shame. Sugar - shame. What's a boy to do?

Soooo ... from a slight roll in first we lit up. The girl, Barb, was going "AAAAAAAA", but life is long, I was young, there would be other girls. He was a fender ahead as I hit fourth and the red oil light came on - looked at the gauge and the needle was at zero (broke oil pump). Coasted a long way, pulled into a restaurant, called my dad and he pulled me home with the tow bar. Then let me take his Grand Prix - his only car. A good memory of him. Got home late so it didn't scare her THAT bad.

I never had the chance to race him after that, but I can't look a 406 without remembering. I can even still hear it.

[Tom Kochtanek]

TMRacing:

Great story! I think I married that girl :) (my wife is also a "Barb").

Pretty soon I might have a 1962 Impala with a 1964 409 in it :).

Cheers!
TomK

[tmracing62]

Tom -

My 40th Reunion is this summer and if your wife is the Barb I used to date and she's going to be there, please warn me so I can wear body armor. If she hasn't told you the whole story I would understand completely. In fact, maybe you should press her to confess. :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl