Any idea on why the front clip was off?
New to this site new to Impala's
- Thread starter Madmidget
- Start date
Madmidget
Well Known Member
Correct, I posted it on hamb.........here is the thread and some answeres to the questions...
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/62-impala-garage-find-kinda-out-of-my-element.589798/
Some of those guys crack me up with their "value" of that car, $3000-$5000 LOL we should be so lucky. I'm not even close to being a 409 fanatic as many are here and I know that's worth way more then that. Hopefully you have decided to keep and restore it, I think you'll enjoy it for some time and then get substantially more then your investment back out of it when you sell.
Mr. Chev
Well Known Member
I just read that thread, Man O Man O man!!!
That is hitting the car lotto, Wanna get rid of a shifter or a set a heads or whatever!!! lol
Again Congrats that is the score of the century and I would do what you are doing, clean it and put it back together, the patina looks great, and the story makes the car look good the way it is!!! The original owner is someone I would love to meet just to bs with!!! Excellent!!!!
That is hitting the car lotto, Wanna get rid of a shifter or a set a heads or whatever!!! lol
Again Congrats that is the score of the century and I would do what you are doing, clean it and put it back together, the patina looks great, and the story makes the car look good the way it is!!! The original owner is someone I would love to meet just to bs with!!! Excellent!!!!
Madmidget... Welcome to this site, I have been watching this thread on the Hamb.. Great find on an awesome car!! Turns out it was right under my nose.... About 2 miles from my house!! I would love to hear more about how you originally heard about the car... I'm guessing it was a "right place at the right time" sort of thing??
Rick
Topstrap
Well Known Member
Welcome to this site. I have also been following your thread on the HAMB, great find. I've got a 62 Impala on the rotisserie now with a QB dual quad 409 waiting to be put in when the body is done. They have to be one of the best looking cars GM ever made. Be so nice to put that one back the way it was when the owner tore it apart, just a clean up and keep it as an original keeper. As much as I love my Hotrod I'd trade it for your 62 just to keep it original and take it to cruises and shows.
A fella here local just unearthed an old street racer coupe with a 409 in it. The original builder showed up at a local cruise and got to be reunited again. Said he hadn't seen it in 40 years and it was the same as when he sold it long ago. That's the way to keep these cars whenever possible, there are plenty of others to modify or "restore" but some are meant to be kept the way there were.
Good luck on your car, amazing that these cars are still out there. Would love to stumble onto something like that someday.
Topstrap
A fella here local just unearthed an old street racer coupe with a 409 in it. The original builder showed up at a local cruise and got to be reunited again. Said he hadn't seen it in 40 years and it was the same as when he sold it long ago. That's the way to keep these cars whenever possible, there are plenty of others to modify or "restore" but some are meant to be kept the way there were.
Good luck on your car, amazing that these cars are still out there. Would love to stumble onto something like that someday.
Topstrap
The first cars I saw with white chassis' was the Strickler/Jenkins cars back in the 60s. I was always under the impression that since a lot of racing was done in the evening and night in gravel pits with limited lighting White under the car made it easier to see what they were working on with what little light they had available. 
I
The first cars I saw with white chassis' was the Strickler/Jenkins cars back in the 60s. I was always under the impression that since a lot of racing was done in the evening and night in gravel pits with limited lighting White under the car made it easier to see what they were working on with what little light they had available.
And here I thought "white frames" was just a redneck thingThe first cars I saw with white chassis' was the Strickler/Jenkins cars back in the 60s. I was always under the impression that since a lot of racing was done in the evening and night in gravel pits with limited lighting White under the car made it easier to see what they were working on with what little light they had available.
I haven't read all your posts here or the hamb but I hope you have decided to get this car in driving condition. I'm one that never believes in all the claims of car owners when it comes to "it's original" etc I'm very negative when people try to claim real cars, I've seen so many clones that I'm convinced that 99% are clones....BUT I have no doubt what so ever that yours is the real deal and that makes it very, very unique. Hopefully you've come to realize you got a once in a lifetime find.
Madmidget
Well Known Member
I want to sand-prime and paint the front frame rails back to original color...........I am guessing it was a flat or matt black ?..........I noticed the original owner started to scrap off some kind of factory coating under the car, he told me he started to do this to make it lighter.......I see what looks like a red oxide type primer underneath...........so I was thinking of using that on the front frame rails before shooting them in black...............Does this sound correct..........I am trying to not screw this up..........best to ask..........I need to find a chassis manual to figure out how everything goes back together...........I did more cleaning today in the garage this car was stored in......found the headlight buckets and stainless grill ends.........still has the original T3 lights in them...........Thanks for the help, Dave
Dave,
Reproduction factory assembly manuals are available as well.. It will be a great help.
Rick
63 Biscayne
Well Known Member
Welcome to this great site!!!
I have an all original 62 BA 380HP 409 4-speed wagon. Still has it's original 409 engine AND T-10 4-speed. Bunch of options on this car too. But just had a friend about 10 days ago tell me he was buying it. LA built car too!!
Madmidget
Well Known Member
I received my assembly manual............This will be a huge help !............I need to identify the correct set of heads that go to this car..........I have [3] sets w/ casting # 3814690 , I believe that would be the correct casting # for this 62, he picked up others over the yrs.......But he said the originals are amongst them........I also have a set of 3852583's but those are 64-65...........I want to set the originals to the side and move the others to fund machine work and parts to get everything together.......