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Films: 1961 Chevrolet Impala: Dan Gurney’s American Export
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Made To Drive | S13 E1
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Made To Drive | S13 E15

1961 Chevrolet Impala: Dan Gurney’s American Export

Its career was brief and many many years ago, but it’s story is still being told thanks to Ed Foster.
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Don Clar
Don Clar
4 years ago

Major Kudos to the present owner. He gets it. Thanks for your efforts. Love the car.

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bobby
bobby
4 years ago

Great film and story. Oh to have roads and scenery like that to unleash this beast. I’ll take the Impala and the farm!

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wmaloney
wmaloney
4 years ago

The video is great, but the audio is greater!

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ALRandall
ALRandall
4 years ago

That V8 sound. Music to my ears.

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Scott Lockhart
Scott Lockhart
4 years ago

I was previously unaware of this car and this story. Fantastic.

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JB21
JB21
4 years ago

Man, it does sound incredible. Come on, don’t ever silence that!

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Dennis White
Dennis White
4 years ago

I’d say Ed is employing opposite lock at 1:22, but the road is pretty straight and the car really doesn’t flinch. Perfect for a brodie knob!

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Robert in LA
Robert in LA
4 years ago

Pretty amusing story about taking a police specification Impala, and leading the pack with a group of Jaguars. A 3.8L engine is only 232 cubic inches. So with almost 2X the displacement, of course Gurney was out in front. The Impala had a wider wheel base than the Jags, and that would have helped keep the car flat in the turns. The picture of the Impala leading a whole group of 3.8 Jags is at 4:27. The width of the Impala compared to the Jaguars shows clearly in this photograph. The Jags didn’t have a chance.

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michael johnson
michael johnson
4 years ago

Wow wow wow
My tears welled up too. Delightful story. Stunning film. Fun to see an American car be special.
Petrolicious you’re the best!!

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johnonetrillion
johnonetrillion
4 years ago

Fabulous! Love seeing a US car out of context … and this ‘two laps to go’ story!

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John Cozzi
John Cozzi
4 years ago

Great story about a truly wonderful and wild time of racing. thank you P!

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Robert in LA
Robert in LA
4 years ago
Reply to  John Cozzi

Yes. Bench seats. No seat belts.

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Dennis White
Dennis White
4 years ago

An achingly great story and visual! Dan the Man and back in the day when men were men and racers were… just something else! OMG, the sound! Wonderful custodian. Thanks Petrolicious, one of the best!

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Jared
Jared
4 years ago

“When you start it, people either jump, or laugh.” I love that sort of reaction, and it’s certainly worth keeping the silencers in their boxes.

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Carrera5
Carrera5
4 years ago

Tears welled up listening to that engine. What a wonderful story.

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Bruce Meyer
Bruce Meyer
4 years ago

Another wonderful PETROLICIOUS film…LOVE the story and of course Dan was THE MAN…our hero! Thanks to all…Never lift

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James Jensen
James Jensen
4 years ago

What a great story. The more I hear about Dan Gurney, the more I appreciate his impact on motorsports. Smoking a bunch of blokes in cop car certainly adds to the mystique (even if it was only for a few laps). And don’t ever put mufflers on it; that would be very un-American.

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Christopher Gush
Christopher Gush
4 years ago

Interesting that Dan Gurney would choose the 348-409 engine family to power the Impala, given its rev limitations and that its main attribute was of course torque. As a racing application, the 409 maintains a more romantic and iconic perception, than its actual performance , or often lack of in history. A very fun car none the less, driven by a racing legend.

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Robert in LA
Robert in LA
4 years ago
Reply to  Christopher Gush

Wasn’t Gurney limited by class rules to one of the engines with sufficient numbers in production, in that specific chassis, to meet homologation requirements? This was ‘saloon car’ racing after all. The 409 engine certainly seems to have been equal to the job. After all he did get pole position, and he was out in front. On a shorter course like that, with tight turns, torque would have been important in pulling out of the corners.

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Kelly Briffa
Kelly Briffa
4 years ago

Great story. NO Comments. No offence meant but this gallery doesn’t really appreciate when an old American machine beats ups on their ideas of what once was. If ya can’t beat em BAN em I guess.
A great car, driven by a monumental driver in Gurney and proper restoration. Good on the owner for the way he has presented the car.
I guess an Impala can outrun a Jaguar.

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