STORY LINE: 409… AUTORAMA 2003

When the 1961 Chevrolet cars were introduced in October of 1960, I thought they were a very compromised styled Chevrolet … until about mid year when I got a ride in a 350HP/348 engined Impala SS.

All through the early ‘60s, Pontiac automobiles were my favored cars. Famous at the time for the Trophy 389 V8 engines, Royal Pontiac sponsored drag cars and the SD 421, high bank oval wins and beautiful styling were cause for Pontiac attaining and holding onto the coveted #3 sales position for a goodly group of years. The Ventura of 1961 was a beautiful car, and with 8-lug wheels, a 4-speed manual transmission and Tri-Power 389 along with bucket seat interior trim … style, speed and comfort were hard to beat. I hung around Royal Pontiac back then for a reason.

As it was, my mode of transportation in the early ‘60s was my two feet and the thumb for catching a ride, didn’t have a car then … would meet my girlfriend on 6 Mile Road and Van Dyke where Ver Hoven Chevrolet was located … and examine the high powered Chevrolet cars in the showroom.

Started hearing rumors of a ‘big’ Chevrolet V8 based on the ‘W’ engine and around February of 1961 it did happen with 409CID and 360HP. Only a couple of the magazines covered it in May and June issues with a road test 348 vs. 409 … and Chevrolet released ad copy introducing the new 409 with a special model SS Impala, only available with 348CID engines of 305-350HP, and that new 360HP/409.  Don Nicholson, Hayden Profitt and a selected group of racers got the new 409 race package for NHRA drag racing duty, with Dyno Don winning the ‘TOP STOCK’ class at both the 1961 Winternationals  and Nationals. I never saw a real 409 in 1961 other than at a dragstrip-but just one or maybe two. Only 142 were built and only 453 SS model Impala cars. Very rare.

When hitch hiking, I found it very entertaining to get a ride in a special car … preferably in a ‘zoomer’, and many a time it was that these hot cars were daily drivers back then.  Late 1961, when along comes a Honduras Maroon 1961 Impala SS ‘Bubbletop’ making noise and I get a ride. How well I remember that 350HP/348CID, solid lifter with high lift cam, tri-power and a 4-speed ride … no biggie, just a ride towards home. But the impression of that car stayed with me though, never forgotten and always remembering saying that someday I would like to own a Chevrolet just like that one.

About 1989 at the world famous Eddie’s Drive-In, on Jefferson Avenue in Harrison Township, a 1961 Honduras Maroon Impala occasionally shows up on Friday nights … and it has that same sound as that ride from years ago, it haunts me. After awhile I learn the car is 409 powered with 2x4 barrel carburetors and 4-speed transmission. Nice people own the car and they almost always show up with another couple, and they are always sitting next to each other just like .. . well just like in the movies and just like it was back then, 1961 I guess. Nice people.

Horace Totty and I make friends and I tell him and his wife Patty about this ride from years ago that I never forgot … I also ask Horace that if he ever wants sell the car to call me. Sometime around 1992 Horace puts the Chevy away and for over 12 years I ask Horace the same question exactly twice a year, and each time he says no, it’s not for sale. During this time Horace Totty gets another car, a 55 Chevy that he modifies and restores and later a ‘shoebox’ Ford that he customizes-I figure he’s gettin’ close and in May of 2002 I do bring it home.

Last century in the year of 1969, I displayed two vehicles in Autorama, a Yenko 427-L88 powered Camaro once owned and raced by Dickie Harrell, and a 1950 Oldsmobile Club Coupe … that was 33 years ago. At Autorama 2003, the Vixster and I displayed our re-creation 1961 Impala SS 409 in the SUPER CHEVY MAGAZINE display.

6 Mile and Van Dyke has a lot of memories for me … thank you Horace and Patti. Thank you SUPER CHEVY. You know, sometimes you just got to live your memories, ZOOM!

TOP HAT JOHN can be contacted for story leads, vehicle appraisals, or questions at: P.O. Box 46024, Mt. Clemens, MI., 48046-6024; or call 586-465-1933