Projects 62 Impala Garage find.....Kinda out of my element...

thanks for the update.
I'm sure you know but....I'll say it anyway... make sure he doesn't grind off the engine stamping.

 

Any new news on this? Thanks John

 

Hell I'm a Ford guy and I'd give $15k for that thing all day any day

 

Damn, this is so frekn' cool. Nothing to add here......but man, I would love to be you.

 

Good to see this one brought back to thee top. Since reading about this find it has brought back memories of when we held the speed end of the B/S National Record briefly with a 380 hp '62 409 Impala. Shaker Engineering out of Bay City,MI was a group of Chevrolet engineers that campaigned stock class Chevrolets in NHRA. We won the very first Junior Stock eliminator in 1964 with Phil Chisholms 1964 Chevy wagon running a 327/PG and prepared the engine for Ben Wenzels 1967 Z-28 Stock Eliminator. Fun times when your skill and attention to detail made the difference in winning and less how fat your wallet was.

Frank

 

Love it, can't wait for more. These barn finds are great!

 

Any more updates on this car or the parts?

Verne

 

Nice score David!

 

Bought a pair of wheels and tires for the Impala..............First time the car has made contact with the ground via it's own tires in over 48 years...........Last week I removed and installed all new upper and lower A-Arm bushings...........Need to paint the front frame rails and bolt on all of the front suspension that has not been on the car for over 48 years as well........The front suspension parts still need painted....but what was neat......every part still has the factory paint codes on them, each spindle, each spring ect. has a specific colored paint marking on them...I will paint around all them.

 

Looks great! 62's are my favorite.

 

Its cool that you are able to save the factory paint codes. I'm also glad to see you're still working on this gem.
Btw, what are the specs on the cam you mentioned earlier?

 

Perfect wheel&tire combo! That ought to get the juices flowing. What sizes?

 

Lookin' good Littleman. Glad you're still on, it time permitting. Chrome reverse & cheaters, giddyup!
Watching this one with great interest. Keep the updates commin', thanks for posting.

 

love that wheel and tire combo.

 

Daylight!

 

This is probably the coolest find ever! I'm not much of a '60s car guy but this is THE '60s car I have always wanted. So rad to have those photos and trophy as well!

 

I'd also like to know the size and brand of the rear tires as well as the rim width. Thanks.

 

Cool.
Al.

 

Hi Dave

Boy you sure have a great starting point there, I was building my 37' gasser and hanging out at Bob's Big Boy in Van Nuys when those factory hot rods were being built and did they ever sound great with that factory hi-po cam & exhaust plus the stamped steel rockers And covers . Lots of neat ticky- ticky - ticky sounds

You knew it was a hotrod you were hearing, and then they hauled ass too

Sure looking forward to seeing it up and running again

You should try to use that factory engine stuff for the original sound, as that was a special time that will never come around again and it is ' Priceless '

BTW just saw your web and i'am loving your fab work on the J car, great shift levers !!!!!!

Have fun , Don

 

Rims are Wheel Vintique 15x8 w/ a 4.250 BS.........Towel City Cheater Slicks 15x9x28.5.............The original duel exhaust bends into the rear wheel wells, these clear them.......bolting theses on I had to jack the car up and support the frame and lower the jack under the axle relaxing the rear suspension to get them on...........

 

I just now found this thread. Man what rock have I been hiding under! As a previous owner in the '70's of a '62 Impala that I replaced the 283 with a 2-4 409 I am all over this now. Thanks for saving it and I know its in good hands.

 

WOW! Great find in amazing original condition! Enjoy your restoration!

 

I got the front coil springs into place.............Having hard time thou finding someone that can tell me if the steering box was either painted black or left bare steel..........I am finding out that some think they restored their car..........but just painted everything whatever.........restored to me is how it rolled off the assembly line.........I am thinking the steering box and all of the front steering rods and ends were all bare steel, if they were one could use a flat clear over them............Anyone have any knowledge about this..........I have found restoration color code charts, it states the steering rods are natural steel, but nothing is written about the box itself..........I did paint everything black already based on the info from a Impala guru........but I think it was bad info and should have double checked the info........Everyone tells me to bolt it all together painted black for it would not hurt it..........I can always make them bare again............Thanks, Littleman

 

This is very cool. When I was a kid in the early to mid 70's there was a '62 or '63 409 that I'd see every once and awhile, typically at the ball park on the west side of Lawrence Ks. Use to love hearing that thing rumble past. Like I said this is VERY COOL.
-Dave

 

My guess (& only a guess) would be cast on the box & steering components. Black probably has been deemed acceptable by most, but I don't see the factory spending the time & money to do that. Thanks for the update.
(BTW I got the same creeper/rug, re-purposed it the same as you)

 

FWIW...found this on the NCRS site saying the judging guide allows either. I know that's not necessarily the same as the Impala answer, but if there's an A.R. bunch it's the NCRS folks, and if they're allowing it, they probably have documented that both happened.

http://www.ncrs.org/forums/showthread.php?92171-C1-steering-box-finish&p=598963#post598963

 

Can't speak for sure on the steering box in that car, but a lot of the other Chevy's in the sixties (Corvettes, Chevy II's, Camaro's) had bare metal boxes, so I'd be willing to bet it did too. Awesome story so far!

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Hi Littleman.Outstanding find.Please keep the updates coming.Thanks.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Littleman, We have a 63SS that my mother received as a graduation present in 1963 and has never been apart. The steering box and tie rods & tubes were all left bare in their natural state, as was typical for all GM cars of that era. If a steering box received black paint, it was more than likely done after the fact at a dealership during a "blackout" process where the cleanup shop guys just ran through and rattle canned everything for a uniform look. As it left the assembly line though, unpainted. There are those "cast iron" paints these days that look close, but a good satin clear will look more natural.

I'm so glad to see you preserving this car! Is the owner still alive, and have you been keeping him in the loop as you make progress?