Hi guys, yeah I've been mulling over just how I could ask a question of George particular to my bros car that would answer the general question. The only thing I can think of is asking him if there are any later serial numbered cars with the 409 installation, or if there are any 409 options on record with a later shipping date.
If you guys know how he works I'd welcome suggestions as to how to phrase this.
As for Carls comments awhile back, its kind of weird to think that a couple of hillbillies from Northern Alberta should have stumbled onto these rare pieces. I think its maybe just karma. They just know we love 'em and we found each other (Awwww.)
Also I think that it is at least safe to say that the last 409 car was certainly Canadian. There might be a Canadian Chevy out there that could be later.
Also now that a couple of weeks have passed, I'll have to follow up on that 65.
I don't know George at all but from what people say he has a genuine interest in his job. This is really probably one of thd most historically important questions he could be asked from a Canadian Pontiac point of view. Imagine if your car is the last 409 car and then imagine it is a Canadian Pontiac, that's serious information! Why not just call and ask him straight up to find out for you, and all of us. I can't imagine he would refuse on such a significant point.
I too do not know George but another story regarding a friend of mine getting the info for his car a couple years ago and George got back to him asking info on the condition of his car. My friend said that it was in beautiful condition and George then told him it was the last one off the line. I'm not mentioning the type of car for my friend's privacy sake but he sold it a year or so later for over 40 g so it made the car just a little more interesting. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to have traced down a car like yours.
Hi guys, I talked to George this morning and asked him if it was possible to find out if my bros car was the last 409 built as it was a March car. He said that production went all the way into July so it was certainly possible that more were installed. I asked him if it was possible to search option installations by installation date and he said no it would have to be a manual search of the microfilm day by day to see how many were installed. He figured it would be about 10,000 records. So basically he said it couldn't be done.
I wished him well and told him that I hoped his service would continue. He hoped so too.
Had to go to work at that point.
So, I guess we are back to checking out to see if any 65's came with 396's and waiting for more cars to surface with later dates.
Since there were 2792 2 door sedans, in 1966, I alway thought, I would just order all the vins written up, when I won money!! I wanted to find my friends special order 396-325 4 speed 2 door about $168,000.00 your would be closer to $600,000... I still like to do it!! lol
Did anyone ever find a later 65 409 or a 65 396? Just found this posting, interesting read.
Ken, what happened with the last 409?
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Tuesday 5th of January 2021 08:47:16 AM
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
The one thing I'm also seeing (I think) is besides the rad hose configuration, the CP 396/427's from 65?-to 68 (drivers side alternator) have a unique alternator bracket from the US BB's of that vintage. That and the heat stove appears to be on the passenger side.
68'
First big mistake here is the double (No. 1 Tonawanda Team) decals on the valve covers.
GM factory never put two decals on, only one on the passenger side and even then only beginning in 1967.
No big block before '67 had that Tonawanda decal. Being a 20 year old apprentice that lived for the Chev
big block after the 'W' disappeared I worked on many, many BB cars and never saw that decal anywhere but
the passenger side. When you here 'totally restored' and see this, you wonder what else may be off.
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......big block, 4 speed, bench seat, it doesn't get much better
Agreed on the two decals being wrong but this one has it partially correct. The decals appear to be "396" decals. There should only be one decal. I believe it is the 69 Pontiac assembly manual shows the "396" decal and the instructions say to stick it over top of the existing Tonawanda decal.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Did anyone ever find a later 65 409 or a 65 396? Just found this posting, interesting read.
Ken, what happened with the last 409?
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Tuesday 5th of January 2021 08:47:16 AM
I did but don't remember the date. I added this one to the registry under myself as "spotted" and I then asked the owner to join and then changed to his name. To date, nothing ever documented on a Canadian 396.
April 19th 196576637 409ci A (285 red) Saskatchewan link #761551 Custom Sport 2dr hrdtp M20 Tuxedo Black %% Oldsledguy
-- Edited by 67Poncho on Tuesday 5th of January 2021 02:21:26 PM
This subject comes up periodically and from what I can recall there are two or three 409 cars that are still around that were built after my brother's March 65 build car.
As well, we have still to see a convincing 1965 car with a 396. All the ones we have seen have had a transplant.
The only written reference I have ever seen to the changeover in Canada was in a GM of Canada new model info book for 1966 Pontiacs, Acadian, Beaumont and GMC that I have. It states that new for 1966 is the Mark IV big block.
We have a consensus here that the 409 trickled out in Canadian Pontiacs till the end of the 1965 year probably using up surplus engines they didn't need on the states. I assume the same would apply to Canadian built Chevys.
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic