1960 Chevy Gasser: 409 Street Freak With A Racing Pedigree

This 1960 Chevy Impala gasser isn’t some kind of poser, built to look like something from back in the day. It’s the real deal, with a Lamar Walden 409 W-engine, and it was originally built to race in the early ’60s.

According to Jack Spitler, who not only owns this piece of history, but has a ’67 Camaro gasser in his garage, the previous owners purchased the Impala from the city of Chicago in 1963 and immediately converted it into a quarter-mile bruiser — from the lifted front end to the lead-filled rear bumper. When Bob Seger sang about being in the back seat of a 1960 Chevy in the song “Night Moves,” we’re pretty sure this is not the machine he had in mind. After all, there is really not much of a back seat to speak of.

This 1960 Chevy has been a gasser since 1963 — no kit was used in its contruction! (Photo by Jim Campisano

There was no store-bought “gasser” kit available when this Impala was put together. It retains much of its factory X-frame, though obviously the front was cut off and replaced with square tubing. There is a ladder bar set up out back, and like any gasser worth its salt, there’s a jack screw you can turn to raise the right height in the rear.

Genuine W-Power

The Lamar Walden Automotive engine is 409 bored .020-over (413 cubes). No modern aluminum W-motor heads were employed in the making of this powerplant. Number 690 Chevrolet performance heads are bolted to the block and a genuine factory aluminum Winters intake holds the twin 500 cfm AFB-style carbs from Edelbrock. According to the owner, the engine dyno’d at 500 horsepower and 496 lb-ft of torque.

The air filters were off for our photo shoot. The plan is to get different units that won't cover up the 409 verbiage on the valve covers. (Photos by Jim Campisano)

Carrying the “old skool” theme further is the Richmond Super T-10 four-speed transmission, though he made his life a little easier by converting it to a hydraulic clutch.

The long-tube headers are homebuilt. The tubes came from Speedway and are Sprint car-style, while Jack’s friend John welded on the flanges. The exhaust system exits from the sides and housed inside the pipes are 12-inch-long mufflers that are three-inches in diameter.

Other details: The Champion radiator came from National Parts Depot, while the master cylinder is from Wilwood.

The rear wheels are from AERO with 4.5-inch backspacing and are 10-inches wide. Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro tires measure 29×12.5x15s. try to harness the 500-horsepower from the engine. The fronts are traditional American Racing Torq Thrust Ds, 15×6-inches wide.

The photo on the right (courtesy of the owner) is what the front end looked like when he purchased the Impala. (Left and center photos by Jim Campisano

Style For Miles

When Spitler first got the 1960 Chevy in 2015, it still had its original aluminum door panel interior, which was period correct, but not entirely practical during Florida’s hot summers. He decided to spruce it up a bit and had Mike Geary of The Custom Shop (Plant City, Florida), do the houndstooth-style interior. He came right to Spitler’s house, drew up some patterns on the panels, and used Jack’s suggestion of a houndstooth pattern that is broken up with black and orange.

Amazingly, the steering wheel is out of Jack’s original 1960 Chevy, which he bought in 1965. He removed it from that car 60 years ago.

The wheel was hanging in his father’s garage until a friend bought it in 2007 and installed it in his 1932 Ford pickup truck. Luckily, Jack was able to get it back.

The exterior is purposely a little rough, but we like what Jack did with the interior. Steering wheel is Washington Blue (a '32 Ford color) and white. (Photos by Jim Campisano)

The hood and trunklid are fiberglass, but the rest of the body is solid steel. Even more “solid” is the lead weight-filled rear bumper, which weighs a whopping 85 pounds to aid in traction, just like in the old days.

As you can see from the photos, the car has changed colors since Spitler bought it. It’s now the same color combo as the ‘60 Chevy he had in 1965: Sateen Silver enamel with a glossy white top. The car was left a little rough, with dull paint on the body and a rough body.

Gotta love whitewalls. This car has come a long way.

Spitler’s plans for the car are simple: Continue driving and enjoying it. He does all the local shows, and is not adverse to taking it for longer cruises, but with 4.56 gears in a Currie 9-inch, he’s not exactly taking it on any 500 mile trips.

Apparently, the 1960 Chevy was pretty famous back in the day. It was featured in Rod & Custom magazine and possibly Popular Hot Rodding, too. And though it is a pretty analog piece of equipment, it will be famous in the 21st century for being featured on StreetMuscleMag.com!