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Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
I found this car thru the site. One of the members (Dave...dehw31) put a blurb on regarding a 64 Belair found by Les , a buddy of his up in Michigan. It had been sitting since 1968 and had 8700 original miles on it.He got it from a woman’s estate who unfortunately was not in good shape.. It had a 6 cylinder and 3 on the tree with an unpainted new shift collar on the original column, trans linkage pieces with GM tags still on them and the frame bracket for the linkage looking like it was welded on at a later date.
What caught my attention was the fact that there was a 4 speed cutout on the floor in the original carpet, a tach missing ,and emblems removed from above the cross flags. After getting ahold of the owner we thought there was a good chance it was a 409 car. I bought it sight unseen just because it was neat. After he delivered it to the house we pushed it in and I went about looking the car over. Tach harness there but cut. Backup light harness there but cut, Ballast resistor there but cracked…hmmmm. I opened the hood and started taking pictures of everything to document my finds. I gave my buddy Verne Frantz all the numbers from the tag and a part number for one of the original spring tags. Original spiral shocks are even still there and work fine. There were many crayon markings on the firewall which I also gave to Verne. He confirmed how the car was equipped which was a little odd. Remote mirror, am pushbutton with rear speaker,4 speed, Daytona blue ,blue interior. It had plastic seat covers so I stripped them off too. Verne asked me to check one specific area to put the final icing on this car being a 409…I looked and sure enough…it’s a 409 car. No doubt. I pulled out the 1958 six cylinder and trans and had a mild 1964 block full roller 409 built for it…put in a new trans and driveshaft too. Buffed the original lacquer and shampooed the carpet. Also put on a set of station wagon rims with caps. Its a pretty cool old car. We have no idea what may have happened back then to warrant someone pulling the big block and slapping in a six banger and buying new pieces to make it all work. One thing Verne and myself found curious on the firewallwas a big “0” written with an “8” inside…L80 ??? Don’t know. Firewall also had Paint Body Trim STICKERS too !!! It was not in a climate controlled garage so the underside is not real pretty…but it’s staying the way it is. Added: Here's the link to the post that refers to this car on the site: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/show.../fpart/22/vc/1 As Found http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...airpics021.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...airpics024.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...airpics013.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...polish9-25.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...4heater028.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...airpics011.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_clean005.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart076.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart073.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart059.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart002.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart003.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart007.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_apart049.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...4heater021.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...n_clean006.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...gineout004.jpg |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Here are some detail shots!
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m016.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m017.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m018.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m019.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m020.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m021.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m022.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m024.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...62/tn_m025.jpg |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Nice work Bob, very nice !!!!!!
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
How appropriate.."Wheels Of Terror".
Man that's sweet! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Pretty neat Bob. I was excited when you first mentioned this car to me and hoped it would turn out to be a 409 car. Neat looking sleeper. You did a great job cleaning it up and getting it back in shape. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
Rick |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Wow!!!!!!! Nice Job Bob........... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif Next time we meet, remind me to tell you a story about another 64 Bel Air 409 car https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Great preservation work Bob!
Congrats on the 409 sleeper... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ouguysrock.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
++++ Bob +++ Great story, some really Fantastic pictures of before, and after, What a great find, enjoy , and give it the Ride of a lifetime... Thanks for sharing, and bringing this Beauty back to Life....Kasey .... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
I love sleepers like that! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
Very cool ride. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
------All I can do is repeat the "WOW!!!", Bob. What a cool 64 (my favorite color). Can I ask how you figured out which 409 it was. Maybe throttle linkage remains??? Obviously, it probably was a 425, but it could have been lower horse...........Bill S
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Thannks to Bob for sharing his cool ride with us. I like the dog dishes on it...
By the way...if you didn't notice, Bob sent like 49 pictures...he FINALLY has high speed internet! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Finally! I love it, Bob. Looks great. Always been a fan of that missing inner headlight look. I'd put two scenarios in that cars past: it was stolen and recovered minus the '09 and four speed (very common on these cars back then) and was being put back just as a driver or the car was just harvested of it's driveline to be put into spome Willys or '55 Chevy when the owner wanted to go faster. Who knows? Wish they could talk.
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Way to go Bob. Glad to see it in "print" finally. It was a lot of fun researching the car. I remember your amazement when you discovered that one little tidbit!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif No doubt about it - it's real one! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif That original interior blows me away!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/drool.gif
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gifVerne |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Bob was the right guy to get this one, still amazes me how the paint bounced back, great job Bob!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
[ QUOTE ]
Bob was the right guy to get this one, [/ QUOTE ] NO DOUBT!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif She turned out fantastic! Doncha love those vintage shifters? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif Bet she sounds sweet through those Cherry Bombs too. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif Nice Bobby, NICE! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Outstanding find and great job bringing it back from its long 'nap' https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif Did they really have nothing covering up the unoccupied floor shift hole?
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Hey Bob, Thats you man! Real nice deal. Don't get any Italian Beef juice on those seats!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
[ QUOTE ]
------All I can do is repeat the "WOW!!!", Bob. What a cool 64 (my favorite color). Can I ask how you figured out which 409 it was. Maybe throttle linkage remains??? Obviously, it probably was a 425, but it could have been lower horse...........Bill S [/ QUOTE ] Bill...the spring tags were/are still on the car along with the original spiral shocks. Verne looked the numbers up but I don't recall what the listing was. If I remember correctly they were a 409 HD application. |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
dehw31(dave) is a great guy,glad he was able to hook you up with Les,and your 409.
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Sharp.
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Wondered when the cat would come out of the bag on this car. This is a good example of what can be done with an original car without tearing it apart to repaint it. 9/10 people probably would have done that rather than work with the original stuff.
I was really happy when Bob contacted me on this car and I hooked him up with Les. I put a plug in for it here right after Les told me about it. Most people were very skeptical of what it was. Classic example of if you snooze you lose on this one. Les suspicioned himself that it was something neat as he has 2 or 3 63 409 SS cars himself. There was a 69 Nova 2 door in that garage beside it that Les got also and sold immediately before I heard about it. It wasn't anything special, but also low mileage. Blue with a black vinyl top. Also a six cylinder, but an automatic. Car appeared to be built that way. The old guy that had them died recently and his only heir (a daughter) was in some sort of mental hospital. Les' father either knew him or heard about these cars and the rest is history. I was surprised they came with clear titles. Having bought a 1950 Bel Air Hardtop in my wife's family under similar circumstances (in 1970) with similar mileage I wonder if the scenario was the same on this car. It was bought new by my wife's cousin and put away when he went to the Korean war soon after. He did come home but lived in a VA hospital until he died. His dad kept the car in his garage and we got it after he died. My guess is this Bel Air was his son's car and didn't return from Vietnam. Timing is right. There were lots of cars like this put away while the owners were at war. It wouldn't fit for the old guy to be the owner, but stranger things have happened. As far as why the drivetrain was changed, who knows. Glad it went to a good home. Les was going to put one of his 409's in it and add it to his collection, but he wouldn't have done anywhere near the superb job that Bob did on this. The car merited someone like this to appreciate it. Congrats on a fine job. |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
[ QUOTE ]
My guess is this Bel Air was his son's car and didn't return from Vietnam. Timing is right. There were lots of cars like this put away while the owners were at war. It wouldn't fit for the old guy to be the owner, but stranger things have happened. As far as why the drivetrain was changed, who knows. [/ QUOTE ] Never thought of that angle....Dave all I did was wash it, buff it, pick up a few pieces here and there, remove seat covers, add the engine and trans and thats it..BTW..Les came out and picked up the 6 and trans to put in some 58 Chev he had. Quite a character !! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Les is quite a character. After you bought the car from him, he thanked me for the referral and said he'd like to take my wife and me out to dinner with him and his wife. Thought that was kinda nice. Found out afterwards that he had free coupons for dinners at that place. I should have known.
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Really nice job of doing just the things that needed to be done to make her look like that.
Great Car! Regards, Mark |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Belair is that the shifter handle you got from me! Sure is a GREAT LOOKING CAR!You did a fantastic job on bringing her back to life!
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
[ QUOTE ]
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../tn_dog010.jpg [/ QUOTE ] To me, this is the money shot. Dark color, tall blackwalls and caps nail this car's look. Nice work Belair. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif x 1,000 |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Looks good Bob! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
I love it, way to preserve a car..........
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
does that boat come with an anchor davit Gags?
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
No...I left in on the 62...
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
[ QUOTE ]
Les is quite a character. After you bought the car from him, he thanked me for the referral and said he'd like to take my wife and me out to dinner with him and his wife. Thought that was kinda nice. Found out afterwards that he had free coupons for dinners at that place. I should have known. [/ QUOTE ] white castles?? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Worse than sliders. Was supposed to be genuine Memphis style pit bar-b-q, should have known the only place for that was Western Ky and Tennessee. No wonder it was free. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/tongue.gif
So Bob, what's it going to take to get you to put that gem on a trailer and bring it to a F.A.S.T./Factory Stock or Pure Stock race? This is precisely the type of cars we run there. Much safer than driving on the street and really doesn't hurt them on the tires we run. Won't add that many miles to that odometer. You'd get a feature article in Muscle Car Enthusiast in a minute with this one. Ask the Hillbilly Race team leader. He runs his Yenko and is probably loading the trailer right about now for Martin, MI. US131 this weekend. He just may drop into the 11's this year. We'll also be running at the York Reunion this year. All the magazines (including Hot Rod) will be there and Year One is taking good care of us again. |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Wow, thanks for preserving the car and sharing this gorgeous car with us.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
OK Gags, this is your warning. If you don't bring this car to the Nov 17-18, 2007 Vettefest, I will personally have Mark W. chase you down and drag you and your car to the show.
Mark will be overseeing a "Big Body" Showcase for us and your 64 would certainly be a fine addition. So, since you have been "out of town" the last few shows... BA |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Mark knows I will drag him around like a rag doll....but truthfully...I will be at my usaual spot on the beach in Florida starting that weekend again !!!
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
Would that happen to be the same Mark W. of Pue Stock racing?
There's lots of talk about a new spin off of Pure Stock for Big cars. This Bel Air would be perfect. Others already in are: 68 427 Biscayne 67 427 SS Impala 64 427 Mercury Marauder 64 421 Catalina 66 421 Bonneville 63 409 SS Impala 64 409 SS Impala 65 421 2 + 2 Pontiac Bunch of Mopars (all orange ones it seems) 70 Buick Wilcat 70(?) Buick Centurion 63 Fors 427 Q code (in process) All big $$$ show cars or low mileage originals. Pretty sure steve Stratham and/or Geoff Stunkard would love to do a photo shoot of this. So far only talk, but after this weekend at Martin FAST meet, may materialize for Stanton. You'd fit right in!!! |
Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
I would have to bring a broom and shovel to pick up rear end parts if it hooked up !
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Re: Belair62's (Gags...Finally) 1964 409 Belair!
[ QUOTE ]
Mark knows I will drag him around like a rag doll....but truthfully...I will be at my usaual spot on the beach in Florida starting that weekend again !!! [/ QUOTE ] Excuses, excuses. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/rolleyes.gif Just leave us the keys, we'll get it there. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/drool.gif |
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