1962 409 Air Cleaner and 1963 409 Air Cleaner Emblems - and a trip thru time

[hrlykngt]

Another piece of the puzzle came home! Bought this air cleaner for a 1962 Chevy 409. You can see my profile picture and other pictures below of My Daddy and his Friend Ken Brown and the 62 Impala they raced. This 62 Impala had the 62 409/409 when they started racing in 63 or so, in late 64-65 they pulled and put in a bigger cam, heads compression 63 425/409 installed to race. From what I was told, they swapped the valve covers to the painted 62 ones, the chrome dual quad breather that was on the 63 motor was thrown away and the black 62 air cleaner from old motor put on it so it would look like the correct 62 motor in car. There was a young boy that hung out with them about 15 or so, back then when they were working on car his name was Raymond. He went to junk pile and got breather out and took 409 emblem and flag off and threw the breather back in the pile (obviously not as valuable then as now). Fast forward in time 25 years or so. I met Raymond talking on CB, he had a base station and broadcasted every night, we started talking about the old cars and 409s I was completely unaware that he used to hang around Daddy and Ken. When I found out he did, and he found out who I was we really hit it off. One night I went by his house and he gave me a bunch of old magazines with 409 articles he had collected and told me to come out to his shop with him . We went to his toolbox and fastened to the front of it was the 409 emblem and cross flag . He took them off and gave them to me. You can not imagine the feeling I had to have a piece of that car that Daddy raced. I dug them out the other day I had them put up for almost 30 years. While it is not correct for my motor, they will find a place on my build. I am following up on leads, Hopefully 1 day I can find the whole car and bring it home also. Raymond passed away a few years back, I miss him and will always appreciate him giving them to me.

 

[smittys09]

That is just flat out a very cool story!!!!!

 

[63impalass409]

Very cool of him to give those to you and it goes to show you it's a small world

 

[Shaark92]

VERY cool. thanks for sharing and enjoy the build!!!!

Got to remember about my Pops racing a '61 and a '64 when he was in the Navy before I came along but was raised hearing about "Billy's '55" when he was in HS. The motivation for my getting Polly in '82.

If yer not doing NCRS, make it yours ... and you are with some WONDERFUL components.

 

[hrlykngt]

What is everyone doing to run the newer AVS style Carb with the stock air cleaner, do they make an adapter that goes from carb smaller to breather? Hate to cut this original breather to fit these new carbs. Would adapter choke down the air to much?

 

[Barry Taylor]

I think Showcars have some for this application! No they won’t choke it down!