1963 Chevy Impala 409

Street racers and drag strip racers are quick to catch on. They quickly learned that the “truck option” in the ‘61 Impala was a hot setup. It quickly became known as the “409 Impala.”

Chevy offered the 409 truck engine in the Impala from 1961 to 1965. Before the pony cars took over in April ‘64 with the introduction of the Ford Mustang, these big “special option” beasts had center stage. It’s what inspired the pop hit from the Beach Boys, “She’s Real Fine, My 409...”

1965 saw the introduction of the 396 Mark IV big-block Chevrolet. It was also the last year for the 409. In ‘66 Impala buyers could order a mellow version of the 427 Corvette engine. It was still a quick ride, but it just didn’t have a hit song.