"Shes real fine my 409
Well I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes
For I knew there would be a time
When I would buy a brand new 409
Giddy up giddy up giddy up 409..."
The Beach Boys released 409, their tribute to one of the great hot rod engines of all time, in 1962.
The 409 engine was available from 1961 - 1965 in Chevrolet's full size cars. My first memories of any car are of my dad's 1961 Chevy Biscayne, which looked very similar to this 1962 Belair.
I re-edited this image to give it a posterized effect.
Best viewed large.
When I was about 17, my neighbor was a car dealer in a nearby town in CT and needed to move a 409 (not a wagon) to his store. He let me drive it there, and he followed me in his Packard. I punched it once, and WOW! On the way back, he even let me drive the Packard. Great day. You are stirring up a lot of memories.