Anybody seen the Sept 2019 Hot Rod article on the 1960 348 4 spd. Impala found in Idaho junkyard?

[427John]

Is this car as rare as they imply in the article?P case posi third member in the trunk along with 348 exhaust manifolds,could anyone tell if they were 2.5"?

 

[1958 delivery]

LINK?

 

[427John]

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1909-exploring-chevys-first-big-block-idaho-junkyard/

 

[1958 delivery]

 

[1958 delivery]

Is this car as rare as they imply in the article?P case posi third member in the trunk along with 348 exhaust manifolds,could anyone tell if they were 2.5"?

Is it the 4 speed that is considered rare? My friend has an original 1960 el camino with 348 tri power, 4 speed but he gave the engine away when the gas crisis hit, said it sucked up too much gas. Yes, he's kicking himself in the rear today.

 

[Don Jacks]

The engine that's in the car pictured is a 250 horse by looking at that intake.The manifolds in the trunk appear to be 2 1/2 but I'm not too sure.

 

[oldskydog]

Probably was a SHP engine 320 or 335 hp since I believe few 250 or 280 hp engines were ordered with 4 spd and posi. When I was in HS in my small town in South Texas there were at least 4 or 5 59 and 60 Impalas with SHP engine 4 spd and posi and two 315 hp 58's .
Two errors noted is that yes, 2 barrel carb was installed on a 4 barrel intake with adapter in 60 series trucks and also that there were no aluminum 3x2 intakes. That aluminum bell wasn't original.

 

[427John]

Yeah I picked up on the aluminum 3x2 also maybe he was getting confused with the 389 SD ,Don the 2 dr htp didn't have an engine the engine shot was of the station wagon that was in the same yard.Sounds like the kind of car well worth restoring regardless.

 

[427John]

Even though it would be impossible to document,a 4 spd car with posi and a set of correct date code 2.5" manifolds in the trunk would be enough evidence for me if the car had been sitting undisturbed for years.While it wouldn't be a great investment,if I wanted a car like that it would be close enough for me.

 

[boxerdog]

That junkyard archaeology can be fun to follow, and that Steve M sure has a lot of background on many different brands of stuff. We can probably forgive him on the intake, they should have made it out of aluminum anyway.

 

[DonSSDD]

I’d say a 4 speed was fairly rare in 59, and likely a 348 was fairly rare in 59 too. The column looks like an original 4 speed column.

 

[427John]

I’d say a 4 speed was fairly rare in 59, and likely a 348 was fairly rare in 59 too. The column looks like an original 4 speed column.

Is that a 59,I thought it was a 60,if that is a 59 and if I knew where the wrecking yard was I'd be all over it like stink on shit,tomorrow.

 

[Don Jacks]

You're right John.The black car which is the focus of the article is a 60.The wagon with the 348 in it is the 59.4 speeds are fairly rare in either year,but likely even more so in the 59's.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

The late Wayne Eupers (Mr. Four Speed around these parts) had ordered what I recall was a new 1959 El Camino from the factory and of course he specified the 4 speed option. Engine was a 283. Being in small town Missouri that option held up the delivery of the car, so he took delivery of the three speed version so he didn't miss the racing season. He ordered the four speed separately and put that in after taking delivery of the car. So that would validate the rarity of the four speed early on.

That same vehicle later had a crate 425 horse 409 then a crate L88 in it back in the day. He noted he blew up the 409 drag racing . Wayne sold the El Camino at one point but bought it back decades later. When I saw it she had a 454 in her, that was maybe 15 years ago .

 

[1958 delivery]

i would give anything to be able to go back to those years with some of the knowledge I have today, and some money to buy cars
and relive my life.

 

[boxerdog]

Not asking for much, are you?

 

[427John]

You forgot the money to build a big climate controlled shop to keep them in too.I've had that exact same thought many times,but I would set my way back machine to the time of the early 70's gas crisis.The money would go farther.

 

[1958 delivery]

Not asking for much, are you?

I already have the BIG rocket so not much more is needed

 

[1958 delivery]

You forgot the money to build a big climate controlled shop to keep them in too.I've had that exact same thought many times,but I would set my way back machine to the time of the early 70's gas crisis.The money would go farther.

we don't need "climate controlled" bldgs in SoCalif

 

[Iowa 409 Guy]

I already have the BIG rocket so not much more is needed

Don't we all......