Chad and Daphne have their Ethyl wagon that has successfully carried them through a couple of trips to Rocky Mountain Race Week and we can see the wagon here being a nice addition to the family. This 1965 Impala wagon is packing a dual quad 409, a four speed, and loads of that glorious room that old wagons are so famous for. The ad is interesting in that it asks if you have ever seen a “real” dual quad 409 Impala wagon and while this car does exist and in that sense is real, we’re not sure it was actually a dual quad 409, four-speed car from the factory. We’re not diminishing its cool factory now because clearly the thing is neat, but that was one point that kind of stuck with us.
We can’t say that we’re huge fans of the cowl hood but we’d not kick this big girl out of bed for that, right? The thing probably makes wicked snot and is fun to drive while rowing the gears comfortably seated on the factory-style bench. If you don’t know there were not that many 409 powered 1965 Impalas built and when you see car show “experts” google them at shows you’ll all kinds of outlandish and horribly misinformed junk when it comes to their existence. Long story short, this car could have had a 409 in it from the factory but we’e not sure it was this hot a model. Obviously the Edelbrock carbs and what seems to be an aftermarket intake are a bit of a tell.
Again, we’re not knocking the car. We’d own this thing in a New York minute and drive it until we could drive it no more. It would be a bad ass cruiser with the addition of a Gear Vendors and while AC would be cool, the thing looks so bad ass without it, maybe we’d just suffer.
What do you think about this package?
CLICK TO SEE THE EBAY LISTING FOR THIS 1965 IMPALA WITH 409 POWER
Great car!!!! I don’t think the ‘Beach Boys’ were thinking about ‘Aunt Gurleens station wagon when they sing ‘409’!!
Dual quads on a 409, Muncie 4 speed and it still has single circuit brakes!
It looks like only the 340 horse and 400 horse 409 was available in 1965, both single four barrel engines. Trivia: 348 engine had the dipstick on the left side, 409 on drivers side.
Left side is the drivers side
Only needs a/c then its perfect. 450 doesn’t cut it anymore. What’s 450? Four windows down at 50MPH. ;).
Well that car was built the second week of may according to the data plate. 409’s were dropped in feb of 65 & were replaced with the 396, so it can’t be an original 406 car. My guess it was a 6 cyl 3 on the tree car. I had a neighbor who had a 6 cyl. 65 Imp & it also had the vacuum gage in the dash because people who wanted economy could use the gauge to help with their frugal driving skills. Any bets that 409 started out as a 348? With that said, I still am digging on it.
One other thing, in 65 there were no dual quads. There was only a 340 or a 400 horse single quad available.
It\’s not an Impala it\’s a Bellair, Impalas had six tail lights. I\’ve owned a 65 Impala wagon 396 since 1978 !
Cool wagon, I’d just add disc brakes to it.
That\’s NOT a Impala!, it\’s either a Biscayne or Bel-Air?, sense the Impala has three (3) tail lights on each side of the tgate this one has two (2)!
Been around W engines since a teen………and today I get ‘schooled’ on my 409 at car shows all the time……..the whole dipstick thing wears me out
I’ve owned both 348’s and 409’s
409 dipstick is located on passenger side……although a 409 with A/C could have it on the driver’s side for clearance issues from some of my sources
Another side not…. oil pan factor with this ’65 is that the steering linkage changed to behind the cross member…another different pan
Block stamping (if it’s there) should tell the tale on the engine)
With some bore and stroke a 348 can be built to 409 cu in (348 .040 for a total bore of 4.165 and use the 3.76 stroke you have 409ci) 348-409 Forum
A 348 oil pan won’t normally fit a 409 because because of crank clearance issues….but some folks have massage them to make ’em work
There were some 348 truck engines that came with a 409 oil pan
I’d like to know on this particular W mill if it has been bored or stroked…..with a 4″ throw and some overbore can get in the 476 cu in neighborhood with tons of hp and torque