I HAVE BEEN TASKED BY RUSS to introduce a long lost (well...sorta') 1962 Aluminum front end 409 Impala. The car was built in Atlanta and purchased in Tallahassee
Florida by Dave Youngblood. This car has lived its' entire life as a race car and never been driven on the street. This is an original 380 HP / 409 and raced as a B/Stocker and raced by Youngblood.
A FEW bullet points:
Always a race car
Original 380/409
Friends with Don Nicholson
Nicholson provided access to Aluminum nose............Nicholson's?????
Sold after Youngman's untimely death to gentleman in Louisiana
Painted car current color and raced as big block by 2nd owner (blew up the 409 under his carport)
Sat in carport for many years and not raced
3rd owner saved car from destruction under the cover of darkness.
Sat covered under a tarp in New Orleans for 20 plus years
There is so much more to this story; but I will let Russ fill in the enormous gaps in my little write-up
Now the back end of the story........................
Pat Lobb and I have had many discussions on how I want to build my service package 1962 Bubbletop for quite some time now....... but that's for another time. At any rate, an aluminum front end is part of the discussion. Pat unselfishly provided me with a telephone number to a gentleman in New Orleans that supposedly had a front end. He had never spoken to him, but he passed the number on to me. I guess, other than Pat being just a good friend has decided that 3 aluminum nosed 62's MIGHT be enough..........but......I'll let Pat comment to that!... My sincere thanks and gratitude to Pat for all the help he has given this novice.... Thank you Pat!!
After MANY phones call and months of passionate discussions, I managed to secure a commitment from the 3rd owner to sell be the car!
Russ had been included in all of my conversations with New Orleans and agreed that the car needed to be purchased ASAP. However, with Russ getting most of my money for the bubble top.......I did not have enough cash to get it done NOW!!..........and I still owe Pat for parts!!
I set it up with New Orleans for Russ to come down to verify the car's condition and confirm that my estimated price was fair and accurate. (more to this story too)
As Russ texted to me earlier today " the horse is in the trailer and headed to the barn".!!!!!!!!!!
So............food for thought.........Russ owns the Jack Shaw dealer built Z-11with heavy Nicholson involvement. NOW add the 62.....another great car with Nicholson's heavy (aluminum) help and influence. Truly excited for my great friend!!!!!!
So congratulations Russ.....It's been a blast.................You now have a Thorobred in the Barn!!
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