Poor boys 409 project

[Ryan Burman]

I'm seriously jealous. Awesome car and the straight axle and cross ram are just wild! I love it. You did really well with making the paint match on the rear quarter too. Makes me want to go get that 1960 sedan delivery I know of.

 

[LMBRJQ 60]

Hey Kevin,
Love the expression in the first pic.
sort of looks like you were saying "holy Sh1t!!!!"
Nice car
Steve

 

[blkblk63ss]

holy cow, i don't think i could keep the body tool's from finding there way to that car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get on it like the 63 lol I like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[benchseat4speed]

I bought yet ANOTHER project car.

I found this 61 Biscayne en route to the convention in Great Bend almost two years ago. This guy Bert has about 40-50 cars, (mostly Chevy stuff '47-'64) off highway 50 near Lamar, CO. I actually went to look at the 64 Biscayne, I didn't know he had the 61. I really liked it from the second I laid eyes on it. He threw out a figure of $1500, but he wouldn't sell it right then. Had to 'find the paperwork first' or some BS...

So Dad and I go to the convention, X-frame Chevys with W-power everywhere. Food for the soul Then I saw Ricky's 61, and Butch's 61 in the building, and that was it. I had to have this 61. So we return home and I called Bert every week for 2 months. Same answer every time. Won't sell it, can't find the paperwork, etc. The last time I called him he was kinda grumpy and he says, 'I'll call YOU when I want to sell the damn thing...' A week later he called me and said, 'come get it, 1500 bucks.' This thing has been off the road since 1972!! I'll post more pics tomorrow.

 

[boxerdog]

Good for you!

 

[303Radar]

Not too bad of a deal, especially for your idea of fun!
Enjoy the hell out of it!

 

[oldskydog]

I need to find that place. I have a good friend who's a crop duster in Lamar.

 

[benchseat4speed]

Thanks fellas. Hey Ragan, thanks for the heads they're very helpful! Cecil, this place is in Hasty, CO.

So here's some pics from the day I picked the thing up, and some of the other cars he had. November 2014, this was.










This was out on the back 40. Offered him 200 bucks and he laughed. It's still out there and probably will be forever.

 

[La Hot Rods]

Try too trade him some more rear wheels and tires for his wrecker

 

[409envy]

I'm loving your tow rig!!! 66 c20?

 

[benchseat4speed]

I'm loving your tow rig!!! 66 c20?

Thanks, close enough 64 C10.

 

[409envy]

Thanks, close enough 64 C10.

Wow that's impressive that you tow with a c10! Anything done to the suspension? I'm building a 65 C10 to tow my wagon eventually. Good to see it can handle a full size chevy! I should have no problem with the nova! Good luck with the 61 it's a great starting point!

 

[skipxt4]

They can drop off, all those 64's.

 

[benchseat4speed]

Wow that's impressive that you tow with a c10! Anything done to the suspension? I'm building a 65 C10 to tow my wagon eventually. Good to see it can handle a full size chevy! I should have no problem with the nova! Good luck with the 61 it's a great starting point!

Thanks! My truck is marginal, but tolerable. 292 six and an sm420 4-speed. It squats down pretty good with a trailer on it as you can see, but it isn't into 'coil bind' It's got a big @$$ sway bar on the front and that helps a lot. I've been watching your wagon too I like that thing it looks very period correct.

I'll post more progress pics in the next few days, got quite a bit done in the last year and a half, just haven't posted any of it yet...

Note the '1211' on the firewall. This thing was built in Kansas City, mid October 1960.


Didn't find much in it, just some drive in movie ticket stubs from 1970, and a 57 Chevy dog dish hubcap in the trunk. Mesa College is in Grand Junction, CO and is still open today.

 

[La Hot Rods]

I bet she sighed after that

 

[skipxt4]

Those 6's, had some weight, to them. That top bar, on the A, tells the tale.

 

[tripower]

Congradulations on the 61 Kevin... Keep up the updates...

 

[benchseat4speed]

So here's what I've been doin'. I made a trip to a wrecking yard last summer and cut out every patch panel this pile needed from a few different cars. The front floors and trunk were easy to find (63 Bel Air 4-door!!) but every one of the six 61's in the yard had rusty quarters. I cut off the most solid 1/4's I could find and they were far from perfect, but it's a lot better than what was on the car. The fenders were a PITA. Had to make the patches cuz I couldn't find any repop stuff.

Otherwise, I've gone thru the suspension at both ends, 409 wagon springs up front, brakes are done, mocked up the engine and trans, fixed the headers, exhaust is done, rearend is built and installed, and the front clip is back on.

Work gets in the way of this project constantly. My work schedule is a bit lighter this summer though, and I'm hopeful to drive it by the end of the summer.

 

[Iowa 409 Guy]

Good work Kevin.

 

[benchseat4speed]

Brian L, recognize these headers? Had to cut some tubes apart and re-route em, but they should work good. This is just a 348 ('63 truck 655) and some 379's for mockup.