Jake Dykstra's 1962 409/409 Impala!

[RPOLS3]

Sam-

I forwarded your response to my dad and this is how he replied:

I don't remember that particular car, but as I remember, the Mopars were lighter, and consequently in a different class. When we ran the 409, I think we were in the C/S class. Most of the Mopars we raced on the street were automatics. Eddy raced on the street, and he always chose to race weird cars, like a '55 Chevy with a 401 Buick, and an early 4 sp. Hydramatic. He knew the combination he had worked, and could figure out in his head the power to weight ratio of the cars he raced against. Sometimes it was very close, but he always won. I do remember the Pie Pan restaurant. We raced a 421 Pontiac on Eden's expressway one foggy night, and Eddy had the 409 sideways at about 100 mph. It seemed perfectly natural, and he never lifted! Later when we returned to the restaurant, we saw the Pontiac driver, and he said Eddy was crazy! There were many "Hot" cars there, and they would test their tune-ups on the Eden's Expressway on Friday and Saturday nights, prior to going up to the Drag Strip on Sunday. After being beaten on the Eden's, they would ask Eddy where he was going to race on Sunday, and they would go to another strip! Usually on Fridays, we would go to Skips in Melrose Park, and race on North Ave. When the Police stopped the racing on North Ave, we would go to a side street next to Amlings, and race there. Saturday's were usually spent preparing the car for Sunday at the drag strip. If the car felt really strong, we would go to the Pie Pan, and embarrass the "Big Boys" on Saturday night.


Ah, the memories! I feel like I'm 20 again!

Thanks -

Jake