61 409 info wanted

[arkyduck]

I have a friend who is looking at a 61 Chevy Belair 2 door hardtop with a dual quad 409 with a 4 speed and posi. The owner says it is numbers matching. I know 61 was the first year for the 409 but I only thought it came in the Impala SS version and didn't think you could get the dual quads. Is it possible this is the real thing? Thanks

 

[rstreet]

nope
Robert

 

[tripower]

I have a friend who is looking at a 61 Chevy Belair 2 door hardtop with a dual quad 409 with a 4 speed and posi. The owner says it is numbers matching. I know 61 was the first year for the 409 but I only thought it came in the Impala SS version and didn't think you could get the dual quads. Is it possible this is the real thing? Thanks

Arkyduck, You are correct. The SS package only came on the Impala. Also 62' would be the first year for #'s matching. Anything prior would be date code correct...

 

[tripower]

I was always under the impression that Chevrolet produced 453 SS models in 61'. Of that 453 142 of those cars were 409 cars but, I was just reading in Chevy Super Sports 1961-1976 By Terry V. Boyce and he states.

"Production of Super Sport kits for 1961 was very limited. Chevrolet indicates 453 cars left the factory with SS equipment. (Another figure quoted, of 142 cars, is apparently the number of 409-equipped 1961 Chevrolet's built.) There are indications that some dealer installations of the SS trim items were made very late in the year."

It appears that the 142 409 cars could have been Biscayne, Bel-Air and Impala. What has me a little puzzled is would all of those cars be equipped with the SS trim. It sounds like maybe not.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Block casting # ???

Arkyduck mentions: "I have a friend who is looking at a 61 Chevy Belair 2 door hardtop with a dual quad 409 with a 4 speed and posi. The owner says it is numbers matching."

Ask the fella what the casting numbers are on the back of that 409 block that is currently residing in that 1961 Belair. That will tell you a lot. If it ends in "623" let us know .

Best,
TomK