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View Full Version : Trying to track down my dad's old '62 Impala 409/409


Brent
07-25-2006, 02:33 AM
Hello all,

I just ran across the site a few days ago and liked what I saw. My dad used to own a '62 Impala SS 409hp/409 and I'm curious whatever happened to it since he sold it back in the 70's.

Here's what I know about the car:

My dad, Darwin Busch, bought the car used in, I think, 1963. When he purchased it he was living in Brooklyn, Iowa. He moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa shortly after. The car was white with a gold interior (dad says it's the only one he ever saw with that body/interior color combo) and had bucket seats. He used to race it at Cordova, IL mostly but also ran occasionally at Cedar Falls, IA, Union Grove, Byron and maybe one or two other close-by tracks from '1963 until approx 1968.

When he raced it it had a Potvin cam and Jes Tyree (sp?) headers. He towed it back and forth to the track with an aqua '63 Impala SS 340hp/409. The '63 was purchased new by my aunt, Caroline Busch (now Suzie Busch-Kugel) and she later sold it to my dad. I remember him saying something about swapping tranny's between the cars because the '63 T-10 had wider ratios than the '62's T-10 and worked better at the track. I don't know which tranny was in the car when it was sold. It also had a small hoodscoop but I can't remember much about it, just that it was a small 60's style front-facing 'scoop. Unfortunately that's about all I know about the particulars of the car.

Sometime in the later 70's he sold it to a guy named Brian Notch, also from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Brian kept it for a couple years and then sold it to somebody else, but I don't know who. I saw the car once or twice around Cedar Rapids shortly after Brian sold it and then it seemingly vanished.

I haven't seen the car in over 25 years and I'm just curious if it's still out there somewhere. If anybody has any info on the car I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks,
Brent

Impalaguru
07-25-2006, 06:56 PM
HI Brent,
Thats a neat story about a COOL car! I know a few people that are into classic chevys, that live in cedar rapids. I might be able to put you in touch with them. What you might try is searching for any old registration reciepts with the VIN. There are services that can search the VINs for you. I'm not sure if the Iowa DOT would do it but if you tell them its a really old car they might. If you have a picture of the old license plates there may be a small chance that Linn county could search that plate for the vin, if you can't find it. The Iowa plates used then are waaay different than the ones used today. Maybe start at the Linn county court house. Best of luck with your search!!!
Ross

Impalaguru
07-25-2006, 06:57 PM
I thought I might add, if this car does turn up in Iowa or maybe back in western Ill, I could possibly go check it out for you. That offer goes for anyone else looking at a car in the same area.
Ross