1962 Chevrolet Sport Coupe Z11 409 "Light Weight"

[Blk61409]

Living in SoCal, I attended every NHRA Winternational event from 1961 through 1965, as they were all held at Pomona. I remember very well the 1963 event. I also attened the NHRA meeting with all the S/S racers, the meeting that caused all the comotion, with racers yelling at NHRA and vice versa. Having a 409/409 myself (1962), I hung out with a lot of the Chevy racers, Nicholson, Leal, Terry Prince, etc. All these guys had the new Z-11 Impalas. And all these cars went through the usual tech procedure, and all of them had been NHRA approved and classified as being S/S legal. That started the big broughhaha. There were 40 or 50 409/409 Super Stockers there, none of which were were Z-11 "light weights", but they were also approved and classified by NHRA as S/S legal. Naturally, the non Z-11 racers did NOT want to be paired up with a light weight Impala, with 427 cubic inches. A few of the non Z-11 Chevys were classified as S/S, and some as A/S. Although NHRA Tech Dept had been givien the spec sheet on the Z-11 in advance, I'm not sure they ever read it. I do know for sure that they had no idea that only about 50 cars were going to be built by Chevrolet, and even less when it came to the Pontiac Swiss Cheese 421's. It caused a ton of stress among the racers, NHRA, and a Chevy rep that was in attendance. When all this came to light at the meeting, NHRA called a halt and the meeting was put on pause for a short while, as NHRA tried to figure out what to do. Fortunately, there was the FX class for some to race in, and NHRA created on the fly, the LP class for the rest of the Z-11's, a seperate class for all the lightweight limited production cars to race in and still be in the Stock Class.

George good recap.
I must share that all of what you have shared worked for major events.
However, “the good ole boy” system was alive and well all over the country. Entirely possible to encounter guys that got into the “better lane”, flagmen that determined who was going to win, under weight cars being allowed to run, etc.etc.
I personally experienced the chaos about engine components determining a class when it was not done for others. I even got put in B/FX class one time with a 61-409 because the inspector has no idea what he was doing!
All car manufacturers were trying to win every week with reports being sent back to the factory office each Monday after big races. I have a couple of copies.
Anyway, both NHRA and AHRA did not keep up with the changes constantly coming out.
This led to the chaos you described above.

 

[George Klass]

George good recap.
I must share that all of what you have shared worked for major events.
However, “the good ole boy” system was alive and well all over the country. Entirely possible to encounter guys that got into the “better lane”, flagmen that determined who was going to win, under weight cars being allowed to run, etc.etc.
I personally experienced the chaos about engine components determining a class when it was not done for others. I even got put in B/FX class one time with a 61-409 because the inspector has no idea what he was doing!
All car manufacturers were trying to win every week with reports being sent back to the factory office each Monday after big races. I have a couple of copies.
Anyway, both NHRA and AHRA did not keep up with the changes constantly coming out.
This led to the chaos you described above.

This all sounds too familiar to me. We need to remember, there were two forms of drag racing at the time. There were NHRA National events and there were local or regional drag strips running their own events with their own rules. In SoCal, Lions drag strip was sanctioned by the AHRA, and not NHRA. The Chevy light weights such as the Z-11's ran in S/S, with every one else. San Fernando drag strip was not sanctioned by any organization that I knew of, and allowed cars to run in their S/S class that would have clearly been illegal at NHRA National events.

NHRA was growing, there was no question about that. The first NHRA Nationals was held in 1955, at Great Bend, KS. (with the finals for that event held in Arizona if I remember). In 1956, the NHRA Nationals was moved to Kansas City, and then to Oklahoma Ciry in 1957, and then to Detroit, MI in 1959, and then to Indianapolis, IN in 1961, where it finally stayed since then. The NHRA Winternations started in Pomona, CA in 1961. The NHRA Spring Nationals began in 1965, in Bristol, TN, as did the NHRA World Finals (Tulsa, OK) the same year. In 1969, the NHRA World Finals moved to Dallas, TX. In 1971, the World Finals was moved to Amarillo, TX, and then to Ontario, CA in 1974, and then to Irvine, CA in 1981, before moving to Pomona in 1984, where it has stayed since then.

As far as the "Factory Racers" who raced Chevy's, Fords, Pontiacs, Mopars, Mercurys, etc., they now had plenty of NHRA National events to race at, but for most Super Stock or FX racers, the payouts for winning any of those events was very small. They could make more money racing in booked in Match Races, and "run what ya brung" Match Racing became the way to make some real cash. Guys like Dick Landy, Dyno Don, Hayden Proffitt, and many more around the nation made a good living doing that. Their cars were supported by the factories, and the Match Racing bookings payed their salaries. AND THERE WERE NO RULEBOOKS, NO PROTESTS, AND NO TEAR-DOWNS. Many (or most of) the factory supported racers had two race cars, the legal F/X car for NHRA National Events and the heavily altered Match Race car for making a living. Life was good. Despite the issues many of us have had with NHRA over the years, Wally Parks put drag racing on the map, and for that alone, we owe him alot. I'm 83 years old, will be 84 in April, and drove my 1940 Flathead Ford Coupe down the Santa Ana Drag Strip in 1955, the day I turned 16. I have no idea what I would have done with my life were it not for Drag Racing, and that includes the 10 years I used my SFI Tech Card teching drag cars...

 

[GA409]

Great stories! Keep them coming.

 

[AK-Guy]

Zintsmaster 62 Lightweight Impala is listed on ebay.

1962 Chevrolet Impala 409 Factory Lightweight | eBay

From our museum collection a really one of a kind offering!!! This is a 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 Factory Lightweight drag car that is most likely the best surviving factory lightweight of it's time! This car was the Zintsmasters Chevrolet drag racing team car from new. It has never been...

www.ebay.com

 

[George Klass]

From everything I have heard about this Zintsmasters Chevy over the years is that it is a factory built lightweight. Does anyone know if it ever won an NHRA event? Does anyone know if it ever won any event? Does anyone know if it ever won a single round at a drag race? Of the 5000+ miles on the odometor, how many of those miles were on a drag strip?

 

[George Klass]

In looking up information about the Zintsmasters '62 Impala, it's listed as a "one of a kind" historical car. But is it? As I understand it, the factory did assemble several lightweight Super Stock drag race cars in 1962, not just this one. I'm not trying to be negative about this car, but I can't seem to find any data that makes this car a significant historical drag car worth the money they want for it, especially considering that there does not seem to be any drag race competition history for the car. When it comes to "significant" historical S/S drag cars from 1962, these cars below have the history to go along with the title. Sure, these cars were just a few of the 9,000 or so 409 equipped Chevy's produced by the factory in 1962, but each of them, and many more, could be classified as "significant". None of them had any (or many) street miles on them, they were used as race cars, well known primarily because of their competition history, and that is what makes them "significant" in my opinion...

Butch Leal's original "Old Blue".


Dyno Don's Impala.


Dave Strickler's "Bubble Top".


Hayden Proffitt's red "Bubble Top".


Don's "Bubble Top".

As a history major, let's define "history" for a minute. It is a "chronological record of significant events or achievments", all of which are connected to the race cars above, and many others, too. There is nothing fake about these cars, all of them were originally shipped to a Chevy Dealer. These are the real thing, and that is what makes them significant...

 

[327]

George Klass

 

[427John]

Now now lets not muddy the waters with facts while this man is trying to get top money for his car!

 

[George Klass]

Now now lets not muddy the waters with facts while this man is trying to get top money for his car!

A good point. However, it's not the seller that I have an issue with, it's the potential buyer. It's kind of like buying a diamond necklass for your wife, only to find out later that the diamonds are not the real thing. I assume that the Zintsmaster car is the original car, but there are alot of original '62 409's that are not that expensive. Although I enjoy going to car shows and looking at a clone vehicle that is a duplicate of the original. But a clone is a clone, meaning that it may look like the original race car, but it isn't, nor has the clone accomplished what they orginal car has accomplished as a race car. This is the reason I have tried to never use a photograph of a "clone" race car on my website (www.georgeklass.net)...

 

[Barry Taylor]

I’ve often wondered what the window sticker on one of the aluminum front end 62s would have read and been priced out!

 

[327]

George Klass.

 

[GA409]

George,
Great pics on your website! Sharing the link with a couple of my 60's era buddies.

 

[Blk61409]

I’ve often wondered what the window sticker on one of the aluminum front end 62s would have read and been priced out!

 

[Blk61409]

Barry, I remember cars like the Zintmeister car above were not charged for the aluminum. Since it was only 18-20 or so cars it appears Chevrolet did not want any potential fit and finish issues. These were not sold as full on race cars like the coming Z-11.

 

[427John]

A good point. However, it's not the seller that I have an issue with, it's the potential buyer. It's kind of like buying a diamond necklass for your wife, only to find out later that the diamonds are not the real thing. I assume that the Zintsmaster car is the original car, but there are alot of original '62 409's that are not that expensive. Although I enjoy going to car shows and looking at a clone vehicle that is a duplicate of the original. But a clone is a clone, meaning that it may look like the original race car, but it isn't, nor has the clone accomplished what they orginal car has accomplished as a race car. This is the reason I have tried to never use a photograph of a "clone" race car on my website (www.georgeklass.net)...

That really wasn't my point I agree with you 100%,I guess I was just trying to be funny but the room was tougher than expected.

 

[George Klass]

That really wasn't my point I agree with you 100%,I guess I was just trying to be funny but the room was tougher than expected.

We live in a time where fiction and fantasy are being turned into a false reality. It is happening in every part of our lives. Just look at this guy Santos that was recently elected into Congress, before it was found that he lied about almost everything in his past just to fool the voters. The sad news is that it's really not very hard to decieve people. For instance, we can purchase a used 1960 era Chevy and letter it up as if it were once a race car, and sell it on the open market for three times it's actual worth. It's not that hard to fake a car into looking like it's a famous ex-race car. Someone will buy it, thinking it is the real thing. People will see the car, also thinking it is the real thing. Now, I have no issues with somone that has purchased a legitimate ex-race car and has gone to the trouble and expense of restoring the car to its original glory. There is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. In fact, it's a worthy endeavor. It was Abraham Lincoln who once said: "You can fool some of the people all the time, or all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time."

Back to the Zintsmaster Chevy for a minute. I have talked to a few friends that know alot more about this car than I do. It IS a real car. It was entered in the NHRA Summer Nationals in 1962 and was driven by Dave Mason, and from what I've been told, that was the only NHRA National event (in Indy) the car raced at. Nobody was able to tell me if the car won or runnered-up in any of the rounds. I was also told it did race at a regional or local event in Muncie, IN, driven by Mason. For all practical purposes, the car has never been restored. The reason was that the car did not need any restoration, it is all original, and has beeen in storage pretty much since it was built.

A photo of Dave Mason at Indy in 1962, at the wheel...

 

[lennyjay]

I read the '62 Hot Rod mag that stated the lightweight Chevy's could not run in SS/S class because the aluminum parts where not an option part from Chevrolet, but an addon. Pontiac could and did run their lightweights. "Dyno" had the lightweight parts (and HP engine parts) on his 409 and was put in B/FX, winning his class. There was was mentioned the Zintsmaster Chevrolet was running in the high 12's at this meet. Looks to be a very short career at the track with almost no photos of the car in action.

 

[George Klass]

I read the '62 Hot Rod mag that stated the lightweight Chevy's could not run in SS/S class because the aluminum parts where not an option part from Chevrolet, but an addon. Pontiac could and did run their lightweights. "Dyno" had the lightweight parts (and HP engine parts) on his 409 and was put in B/FX, winning his class. There was was mentioned the Zintsmaster Chevrolet was running in the high 12's at this meet. Looks to be a very short career at the track with almost no photos of the car in action.

I have never seen a photo of the car showing the class designation. I would be very surprised if the Zintsmaster Chevy ran in the SS/S class at the NHRA Nationals. The aluminum front end and optional engine components would have put the car in B/FX. Here are a couple of photos of some other B/FX Impalas:

 

[lennyjay]

There is mention of Mason winning a title in Muncie, and the car running in the 12's at the National in 62. Then returning the car to have a steel front end installed. I don't know if it continued racing, but was stored in '63. The plot goes on.....

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/what-winners-drove-1962-chevrolet-impala-ss

 

[George Klass]

The problems at the NHRA Nationals in 1962 as to how to catagorize the optional components on some of the Chevy's was not just a racers problem. It was a problem for NHRA, too. The NHRA Stock Class rules in the 1962 Rulebook stated that "All cars in stock classes manufactured after June 1, 1961, must be factory production assembled, show-room available, and in the hands of the general public." This statement was also contained in the 1963 NHRA Rulebook. There was nothing in the NHRA Rulebook that stated anything about the material (steel, aluminum, fiberglass, etc.) used for the body, provided it was "factory production assembled". There was nothing stated in the rulebook that precluded the factory from drilling holes in the frame (as with Pontiacs), either. The NHRA Rulebook is much like the U.S. Constitution, it's not so much as what it says, it's what is left unsaid that usually causes the problems. There was a statement buried in the general section of the NHRA Rulebook that stated: "The rules are presented in a positive manner, meaning that if the rulebook says you can do someting, you can do it, and if the rules don't say you can do it, your can't." Many of the racers never knew about that statement I guess. A lot of the NHRA Techs around the nation had ever read it either.

The tech inspections for the 1963 NHRA Winternationals were conducted a day or so before the event opened. The Z-11 Impalas, the 421 Catalinas, the 427 Ford Galaxies, and the 426 Dodge/Plymouths were classified as legal S/S class vehicles by NHRA. And then the roof fell in. The scuttlebut at the time pointed fingers toward Mopar dropping a dime on Chevy and Pontiac (which was never proven, however). Remember, the Mopars were using wedge engines at the time, the Hemi did not come out until 1964. It was at this point that NHRA made the decision to create the Limited Production (L/P) class for cars running the 7" treaded S/S tires, or drag slicks for the lightweights runnning in the F/X classes. The L/P class was used only at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals. The Fords and Mopars eventually produced enough cars to be running in the S/S class again, at NHRA National events, whereas the Z-11's and the Swiss Cheese Pancho's ran in the F/X class, since factory production for both GM brands had already been terminated. By 1964, the language in the NHRA Rulebook for the stock classes had been cleaned up enough to keep these kind of issues from ever coming up again.