Monte Carlo Forum - Monte Carlo Enthusiast Forums - >Chevy 409c.i. > National Convention " A Celebration of Big Block W-Motor Power <

348-409 National Convention, Part 1: A Celebration of W-Motor Power

Doug Marion Dec 3, 2014 >Source: SuperChevy

http://image.superchevy.com/f/857015...8-409-nats.jpg View Full Gallery

It was a long time between the first and second annual 348-409 National Convention—a full decade, in fact—but it was worth the wait. Phil Reed’s Classic Motor Company and Boat Anchor Productions did the first one in Kansas City and it was a bonified ’58-’65 348-409 extravaganza. It was such a blast it took years many to fully recover!
Reed finally decided that to be fair to all it should be as close to the center of the USA as possible. Enter Great Bend, Kansas, and historic S.C.R.S. Dragstrip. It hosted the very first NHRA Nationals in 1955 and before that was a WWII B29 Superfortress training facility. On September 26-29, 2014, it was taken over by a bunch of 348 and 409 diehards. There were some 75 drag cars and 52 show/street machines, plenty for this veteran photo-journalist to cover—especially one whose first car was a ’62 SS 409.
Every 348 and 409 car and truck (El Camino) present was in mint condition, and there were both stock restorations or modified except for two: Ohio’s Rick Inghram drove his totally original, 3x2 348, ’61 Biscayne to Great Bend, then made a bunch of time trial runs too. The other exception: In 1980, Yankton, South Dakota’s Thomas Cwach bought a ’62 409 Biscayne and put it away in his barn in 1981. Thirty-three years later he decided to trailer it to Great Bend for all to see and give him expert answers to his many 409-related questions. He believed it raced new back in the day at Union Grove, Wisconsin.
If Larry Barnes’ white ‘54 409 Corvette and port-injected ’58 Impala didn’t get you, then Pat Lobb’s three ’62 Bel Air sport coupes had to. A black Z11, a white drag car and a red 409 sporting the only factory prototype 409 fuel injection left on Earth were there. Still not convinced? Try Butch Schultz’ maroon ’61 409 Biscayne Fleetmaster, Tommy Nolen’s blue ’61 Super Sport 409 and Ken Reeves’ rare silver-over-red, ’62 SS 409. All these were concours vehicles sitting inside on display. There were 60 more street-driven stunners outside. Enid, Oklahoma’s Ed Pogue has been into 348s and 409s since they were brand new. Today at 77, he tootled up to Great Bend in what is probably the finest, most optioned, red, ’60 348 El Camino in the world. Finished with polished aluminum wheels, it was stunning. So was Jon Meyers’ blue ’58 Impala from Lincoln, Kansas. Dave Reid’s red ’62 409 Biscayne from Custer, South Dakota was another stunner. A red ’62 Impala gem was Mike Nothnagel’s from Nebraska. He told me, “Oh, it was nothing. It sat for years as a parts car—then I decided to put it together.” Boy did he ever!
Back in the day Chicagoans, remember Bob Goss’ engine set-back ’63? It was there. Its current owner is Lou Savio of Colorado Springs. We saw this baby yank the front wheels airborne at Union Grove in 1982. There were many quarter-mile sleeper ‘09s too. We’ve pictured them and told their tale in caption form. Enjoy and stay tuned online for more!!

Best Reaction TimesSteve Morgan’62 Impala.005 & .010Paul Carbaugh’62 Impala0.018Allen George’62 Impala0.022Gerry Gostenik’61 Impala0.034David Mills’65 Chevy II0.037Brian Fugate’63 Impala0.044
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799238...8-409-nats.jpg 2/24
Dearborn, Michigan’s Gerry Gostenik was one of many racers who were absolutely mentally dialed-in to win. He continuously ran right on his 10.90 dial-in and guess what? He won both Hot Rod 1 Eliminator and King Of The Hill. And it wasn’t easy.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799239...s-trophies.jpg 3/24
Event Grand Marshall Hayden Proffitt stands proudly by his many championship trophies. The big one in front is from winning Stock Eliminator at the ’62 NHRA U.S. Nationals over a field of some 75 factory-backed cars in his red ’62 Bel Air 409. Credit Pat Lobb for buying it (not cheap), then giving it to Hayden at this event.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857013...8-409-nats.jpg 4/24
Larry Barnes’ ’54 Corvette was a work of art. Engine is fuel-injected with dual air meters. A build sticker on the valve cover says Lamar Walden Automotive.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857013...8-409-nats.jpg 5/24
Probably the very best 1961 Impala Super Sport 409 anywhere is Tommy Nolen’s Virginia gem. It’s fully documented. Tommy is owner No. 2. To its left is Larry Barnes’ stunning ’58 sporting an aluminum 409 with port fuel injection.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799238...8-409-nats.jpg 6/24
Larry Barnes’ white ’58 has the very first aluminum 509 cubic-inch 409 engine (World Products & Lamar Walden) ever created. It produces 655 horsepower and 628 lb-ft of torque. Its Hilborn fuel injection is computer-controlled.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857013...8-409-nats.jpg 7/24
Wisconsin’s Charlie Kuenster has raced his ’59 Impala since 1963. It is still fully equipped, but still boogies to the tune of 10.80 at 121 mph.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857015...8-409-nats.jpg 8/24
Charlie Kuenster’s 409 race engine is an extremely detailed, ongoing work of art. Everything else is a secret.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799238...8-409-nats.jpg 9/24
Did GM of Canada ever have a 348? Sure. This legit black ’61 Pontiac Parisienne sported a dual quad 348.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857013...8-409-nats.jpg 10/24
Red ’62 409 Bel Air ran an 11.38 at 117 mph during Saturday time trials while Dave Coots’’64 broke. Its high-torque, 472ci 409 fractured first-gear on the starting line. Dave said his sleeper runs high 11s. Coots Manufacturing was one of the great event sponsors.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857013...8-409-nats.jpg 11/24
There’s something about Dave Reid’s “really red” ’62 409 Biscayne that trips my trigger. Car is an absolute gem.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799238...8-409-nats.jpg 12/24
Omaha’s Ken and Diane Reeves own this rare silver ’62 Impala SS 409/409. The engine has Gary Jesperson magic in it. One Stop Auto Body expertly applied the hue.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/857013...8-409-nats.jpg 13/24
The Reeves’ factory tachometer and shifter originally came in my original ’62 Impala SS 409. I sold it in late 1965 after being undefeated in class C-1 at the drags. I hung on to the tach, sending unit and shifter until 2007 when Ken announced his needs and I decided it was time to liquidate.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799238...8-409-nats.jpg 14/24
We can’t say enough about Coplay, Pennsylvania’s Allen George, Jr. and his “Blue Screamer.” A longtime racer, he’s a friend of and to many. In his early 70s, he towed all the way to Great Bend, Kansas to be part of the action. Awesome ’62, too. It runs 10.90s at 120.
http://image.superchevy.com/f/799239...8-409-nats.jpg 15/24
Another racer who garnered our respect is Michigan’s Brian Lambert. Running 12.20s is impressive. He had a great crew and he oozes mechanical savvy.