OT: 1964

1964 is the year that Diane (Dee Dee) returned to the Lennon Sisters after an hiatus to start her family. Once again there were four lovely Lennon Sisters.

I stumbled across this this morning.

Dean
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I remember seeing this advertisement for the 1964 Chevrolet Impala while watching Bonanza. I thought it spectacular at the time and wondered how it had been done.

FWIW, The 1964 Impala SS (the Impala in the ad is not an SS) is my most favorite Chevrolet. I owned two back in the day.

Dean
1964 Chevrolet Commercial Castle Rock, Utah

I actually remember that one because we marveled at how they must have got it to top of rock. I was 10th grade high school and a buddy graduated that year, got a good job in aircraft factory and ordered a black 409 four speed hardtop. Fine fast car but he rolled it on a country road less than a year later, totaled it out.

I owned a yellow 64 Impala SS convertible with 327/250 and Power glide for a few months. Immediately thereafter, I owned a Palomar red metallic (burgundy) 64 Impala SS hardtop originally equipped with 327/300 and four speed transmission. Both had black interiors. Those of you in the know will remember that the 327/300 was under rated and was a sleeper in the day. I shut down my share of tri power GTOs with the 327/300 in my big Impala without modification other than a 4.11:1 Posi traction gear.

Over the course of a couple of years, I built the 327 as far as I could go and still drive it on the street. Mondello heads, Crane SS-330 cam and kit, TRW 12.5:1 forged pistons, Edelbrock C36 manifold with 2X4 AFB (409) carburetors, Hooker headers, Mallory Rev-Pol ignition, 4.11 Posi traction gear, etc. It would wind to 7,500 and above. I power shifted it at 7,000. I remember once missing a gear, watching the Sun 10,000 RPM tach coming back down past 9,000 when I was first able to glance at it.

It was a big, heavy car with a small block and small block emblems-a real sleeper. I shut down my share or 396 Chevelles and Camaros, 389/400 GTOs, 383s, 390s, etc. I never lost to a GTO, Road Runner, 390, etc. I had the good sense to not run 396/375s or HP 427s.

My finest hour was in the fall of 1969. A guy with a new Mustang SCJ 428, bought for him by his father, finally caught up with me at the local drive in. I could see the headers beneath his car and had tried to avoid him for a time. His Mustang was lighter and his engine over 100 CI larger. Unable to avoid him any longer, I agreed to a 3 out of 3 match race on the black top north of town. One could street race in the day.

The Mach I was a C6 automatic and, to be fair, he had 4 people inside. I had only myself and my then girl friend. His mouth told me that he had a 4:67 Detroit locker gear but his performance surely did not confirm this. Three out of three. The first time I pulled him out of the hole and won going away, the next two, he was less confident and launched first but I ran him down. I burnt a piston that night (even with Sunoco 260) and retired the 327 shortly thereafter.

The 3.25" stroke SHP 327 was a winder (as was the 302/302). With proper heads, cam and carburetion, it would run you down. After retiring the 327, I bought a new SHP 350 (LT-1) short block to replace it. I was working at the local Chevrolet dealer at the time and bought it right. I put my top end on it and put it in the 64. Despite the additional cubic inches, it never ran as well. Even with the identical top end, it topped out somewhere between 500-1,000 RPM less. Still a strong small block but not the same.

Pardon, my reminiscences.

Dean

1963 Impala convertible
327/250 3 speed
Not a racer, but extremely fun to go out on Saturday night with.
NE Arkansas June, 1964
This photo the only thing left of the ?63, drunk driver crashed into the car.

I had two 64s, my first car was a red 2 dr. Impala, then a 65 Chevelle, then a 64 light blue SS. Nice cars.

1964, the year I turned 16 and got my driver's license. Riding the bus home from school we went by a place with a '36 Chev pickup sitting out front with a for sale sign on it. Two hours, and $125 later, it was mine! Very cute little pickup, but with the '36 206 engine (216 started in '37), it would float the valves at 38 MPH. So the next year I put a Chev 283 in it, Powerglide trans and '57 Olds rear end. VW bucket seats. Great little hot rod, even if a little primitive. In a stupid moment in '73, I sold it for $250 to my cousin. He passed away last year, and I learned that it had sat in the woods ever since. His son said he'd give it back to me if I wanted, but the frame broke in half when they towed it out. So much for my little truck :<(

Great looking car, John.

It has 64 SS wheel covers. I love them.

I have only a few Polaroid swinger B & W photos of my 64. Gosh, I wish I had some good ones.

Dean

We all make mistakes when young, Coshoo. I made my share of mine. The trick is to try to make fewer as we age and gain experience.

In 1970, I married my girl friend and sold my 64. To this day, I consider these events the two biggest mistakes that I have made.

Dean

Mom loved to watch the Lawrence Welk show. 64 is the year I left the farm and joined the Navy. Dad also stopped farming it the early 60's. Stan

Turned 16 first week of 1964. Few weeks later the Beatles arrived in America. Several months later the Ford Mustang arrived

Yep four of em......trying their best to bore us to death.


Rick

I absolutely love the Lennon Sisters, Rick.

Sorry that you do not.

Dean

In my young dumb days had a 64 super sport 250 hp 327. A friend wanted me to open her up.I found a level not busy road.
1/4 down the road it said 80 mph. 1 and 1/4 miles it said 15 marks pass 120. We never did that agian. The town Cop said I had the town record for a black mark 275 feet long. First set of tires did'nt last long

Just stumbled across this.

Until now, I did not know that the Lennon Sisters had recorded Everybody's Somebody's Fool. I'm not certain about the year, but the photo seems appropriate for 1964.

This song is one of my favorite songs from the 50s-60s, and is one of my two most favorite dancing songs from the era, the other being the Drifters, Save The Last Dance For Me. I have never been able to choose 1/2 between these.

I love the Lennon Sisters and like their rendition, but nobody recorded Everybody's Somebody's Fool like Connie Francis.

It is an absolute sin that, to this day, Connie Francis is not in the R & R Hall of Fame.

Dean
Everybodys Sombodys Fool

I had two 64s, my first car was a red 2 dr. Impala, then a 65 Chevelle, then a 64 light blue SS. Nice cars.