Milan Dragway, Milan Mi. 1987 63 409 on a 2 barrel carb
- Thread starter david montanbeau
- Start date
david montanbeau
Well Known Member
I sponsored this car back in 1985. Came second in the national event in 1987. The owners name is Mike Zubal. 409 with big heads, 550 Holley carb with a 2 barrel adapter, Power glide with 4000 stall, 488 rears. We built this car to have fun racing. The engine had about a 1000 runs on it with out pulling the valve covers. The trick was 10 to1 pistons, hyd cam, came out of the shoot at 4000 and shift at 6000. Goes thru the traps at 6000. Car ran 12.70s at 107 all day long. Never over heated or broke a part. You would race it then go park it watch the show. People would flip out that we didn't work on it after a round. Only time we would open the hood was to jet the carb at the beginning of the day. Then the hood wouldn't be open for the rest of the day. Everybody else would be working on their cars or cooling it down. What broke the motor was during the winter. Forgot the you know what! Sorry for the picture quality and order of the pictures. New at this. Its on a video, as soon as i learn how to post it, i will.
That's pretty impressive. Is the car still around? Nice job getting the pics posted. Can't wait for video!!! 
david montanbeau
Well Known Member
Yes I was in the Mid West 409 club. Here some more pictures of my car. We also cloned Haydens car with a Z11 in it back in the mid 80s. I left Det in 95 so i lost track of the car. We had a fallen out. Wont load pictures from my computer. said to large. Have to work on that. Have a bunch from the mid 80s at Union Grove.
Cool car and interesting story. Thanks for posting. 
I hope you can get the video to work.
That car ran great though a two barrel carb.
My experience is similar to yours, if you shift these engines at 6,000 rpm or less, they'll last just about forever.
(actually, as I think about it, I think the same rule applies to almost any engine) 
I hope you can get the video to work.
That car ran great though a two barrel carb.
My experience is similar to yours, if you shift these engines at 6,000 rpm or less, they'll last just about forever.
(actually, as I think about it, I think the same rule applies to almost any engine)
david montanbeau
Well Known Member
The 63 also retained the 2 piece drive shaft. Had the bigger slip yoke and u joints. We modified the center bearing by welding nuts to the sides of the frame to run bolts thru the frame until it would be snug up against the bearing. That kept the mid bearing from walking side to side. Not bad for a 3600 pound car with more than a thousand runs without breaking. Also have a 8mm movie from 1968 at Det Dragway racing my 1965 Impala SS conv running a 409 400 at mid 13s back then. I was 16 at the time and didn't know what the hell i was doing. Now I'm living in CA. racing airplanes with a 1934 Dodge panel with a 392 Hemi/871 blower.
If you are in CA.....you ought to get in touch with Greg Reimer and Mitch Ayers. Greg was just on the forum this morning. Greg had the Southern CA 409 club. Between the 4 of you..........probably gave more credence to the 409 engines in the day more than anyone else!!!
CDNpontiac409guy
Banned
It must be nice, when parts aren't breaking !
I like it. One for the archives for sure.
I like it. One for the archives for sure.
david montanbeau
Well Known Member
I'll look in to that. My dad worked at the GM tech center and the proving grounds back in the 50s and 60s in MI. on the W. We probably built about 20 348/409s back then. My 65 409 car was the fastest car in high school until a kids dad that owned a Chev dealer (Emmertt Chev) in Det bought him a LS6 Chevelle. That car blew my doors of but not for long, to much power for a 17 year old. He put it into a pole, the pole won.
poison ivy
Well Known Member
i bought a 425 409 from zubol in 1989, it was complete without an aircleaner, PAID $1500 took the engine back to the shop,TOTAL ENGINEERING,took it apart, had an Engle cam, we went thru it ,standard bore,new Crane cam small exhaust,434 hp,with original carbs, ran in my 58 for 10 years,needed valve job in 99 so we just pulled it out and put in a 422 ci w that makes 506hp. zubol is still aroundwishing he never sold it to ivy.
david montanbeau
Well Known Member
More picture at Milan Dragway in 1987. I ran the
car that day with a broken leg in 7 places. That car was so easy to drive, 1st time in it, I was twisting 12.70s all day long. Ran about 20 rounds then i red eyed on the last round
That is Mike Zubal with the glasses and me (dave) getting out of the car saying, REDEYE!!
car that day with a broken leg in 7 places. That car was so easy to drive, 1st time in it, I was twisting 12.70s all day long. Ran about 20 rounds then i red eyed on the last round That is Mike Zubal with the glasses and me (dave) getting out of the car saying, REDEYE!!
![Midwest 409 Club 1980 007 [320x200].JPG](https://www.348-409.com/forum/data/attachments/21/21721-9423e3ce59e33c058cd7b923fb3486f7.jpg "Midwest 409 Club 1980 007 [320x200].JPG")
Dave, Were some of those pics from the First Annual 409 Nationals of the North? I went to that . It was put on by Late Graet Chevy from Michigan.
I haven't heard from Mike in years.
That event was the first and only trophy I ever got. Low ET of the meet!
Bob
I haven't heard from Mike in years.
That event was the first and only trophy I ever got. Low ET of the meet!
Bob
Dave, Was the original owner of the car Mike drove a GM engineer?? I talked to an enginneer and I thought he said a guy in Michigan named Mike was running it.
Bob
Bob
Dave, Last time I saw Mike's car was at Milan. He had Z-11 heads and grafted a Mopar intake to it.
Region Rat
Region Rat
Joey Joe Jo JR Shabado
New Member
Mike Zubal called me on some usedbSBC parts I have on craigslist today. Seems like a pretty good dude. Small world.
I saw mikes 62 bubble top clone at the Detroit autorama way back in the day.thought I saw a for sale sign in it for like 12g but I could be wrong. I was a kid but it left a big impression on me. I dont know why they loaded upside down they are right side up in my gallery
Mike brought that car to a Midwest 409 Club race weekend at Great Lakes Dragway, known as Da Grove in the early 80's I think. $12,000 may not have been that low. There was a guy selling a Z-11 at about the same time for $8K.
Bob
Bob
david montanbeau
Well Known Member
We put that car together from spare parts when I was converting the 62s to 409s.