Greetings from Columbia, Missouri! My name is Tom Kochtanek, and I am a hobbyist that enjoys working on GM cars from the early 1960s. I primarily focus on 1961-62 full size Chevrolets with 348s or 409s. I frequent the 348-409 Forum and ChevyTalk, and thought I'd join the H.A.M.B. group so as to stay "well rounded" . My current cars include a nicely restored 1962 Impala SS that I cloned with a stroked 409 and a four speed. She was born with a 283 PG (I have the original invoice) and I kept those in case someone will ever want them to restore to original. I finished this one about 3 years ago after driving it with the 283 for about four years. I now have about 9000 miles on the 409-powered version of the car. I also have a 1962 Belair 2 door sedan that is currently getting repainted back to it's Twilight Blue/Ermine White two tone colors. It also sports a dual quad 409 but with a TH350 tranny hooked up behind it. She is in primer/sealer at the moment, and I am waiting for Spring 2010 and some warmth before starting that project back up again. My other projects include a 1961 Belair Sport Coupe (aka "Bubbletop") that originally came with a 348 and three-on-the-tree. This one has been stripped to bare and I am slowly bringing it back to it's original condition. She is also currently in black satin primer for protection purposes. Original colors were Corona Cream over a Copper interior. The engine going back in is a stroked tripower 348 from 1961 (not original to the car, the factory engine was blown up back in the day). I also started on a somewhat incomplete 1961 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe (also a 2 door "Bubbletop"). I've got this one done underneath, and have the body smoothed and in primer/sealer as well. The replacement engine is a 428 bored and stroked to a 455, and sporting dual quads. Long way to go on the body to get it ready for final paint. I do a lot of my own work, and am seemingly handicapped by the general lackof space, although I've seen worse. I basically work out of a two car garage and a basement, and at the end of the day the wife's car has to be inside one bay. The basement holds shelves and shelves of removed and cataloged parts for the various cars under repair. I have maybe ten "W" engines mocked up or fully built on engine stands. A few other engines are down there as well. I look forward to following some of the dicsussions, and if anyone has any questions about X frame Chevys or the "W" engine, I will try to add my insights as needed. Cheers! Tom Kochtanek Columbia, Missouri
Greeting's Tom I see you got a 61 bubbletop, maybe you will be able to use that 61 ss hubcap with the spinner on it someday that you got from me.
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