Ford Muscle
Written by Keith Fudge

Dennis Gage always jumps at the chance to head down south to Ocala, Florida to visit with Rick Schmidt of National Parts Depot.  This is because he knows that Rick has some really special cars!  On this latest visit, Rick had a couple of super-sweet full-sized rides from one of the stellar years in American car production:  1964!  To begin, Rick mentioned that GM was definitely at its best during this period and that its quality was unsurpassed.  Dennis also remarked that these full-sized cars were just prior to the “official” muscle car era of 1964 ½ -1965, but that didn’t keep them from having plenty of get up and go! 

The first car that Dennis saw was a beautiful Chevrolet Impala SS.  This car is an all-original 22,000 mile survivor except for some engine detailing underneath the hood and restoration underneath the body!  Even the engine-turned trim on the exterior of the car is absolutely flawless.  As they walked around the car, Rick and Dennis examined the unique features of the body lines.  One being that the hardtop was “creased” to make the car have the appearance of a convertible, the true status symbol of the era!  Painted in Ember Red with a sleek black interior featuring bucket seats and a factory 4-speed transmission, this car is the definition of cool!  The car is also equipped with a factory tachometer, a rare option of the day.  Under the hood is the Chevrolet workhorse, a 327 cubic inch, 300 horsepower V-8.  However, Rick mentioned that there were a variety of engine options for the SS, all the way from a six-cylinder to three variations of the beast 409 cubic-inch V-8!  It was an outrageously beautiful Florida day and with this Impala poised and ready to roll, Rick told Dennis to jump behind the wheel go for a spin!  Dennis promptly complied and soon they were on their way!  Dennis remarked how it was odd to feel such a big car with a four-speed transmission, but once again the talked turned to the outstanding condition of this original automobile.  Rick said that one aspect that makes cars of this condition so difficult to find is that during this era, people could afford to trade cars almost every year.  Consequently many people didn’t take good care of their vehicles because they knew that they would soon trade them!  Soon, Dennis and Rick returned from their drive to look at another exceptional car from 1964: a Pontiac Grand Prix.

In contrast to the Impala, the Grand Prix is a restoration project by Rick and his brother.  Rick said that they purchased the car as a restoration and then discovered that they needed to do some things to the car to get it back to factory original specifications.  Dennis noticed that this car is “all Pontiac” in terms of styling and that it shows an almost custom look including a concave back glass and flared rear quarter panels!  The interior features Pontiac comfort and luxury including real wood inserts in the dash and steering wheel and even a gauge for a manifold vacuum mounted on the console between the bucket seats.  Painted in Nocturne Blue with a lighter shade of blue in the interior, this car is a statement of style and comfort!  But, let’s not forget what is under the hood!  Powered by the legendary 389 cubic-inch Pontiac engine that makes 303 horsepower, this car has more than enough power to move this full-sized ride down the road!  Soon Dennis and Rick were on the road again.  As they drove along, Dennis noticed just how many options the Grand Prix has including power steering, power brakes, power windows, and air conditioning.  Rick said that since the car was so heavily optioned from the factory, that fact played a major part in their decision to do a complete restoration on the car.  Rick also mentioned that for 1964 the Grand Prix was fairly limited in terms of production, so it was a worthwhile effort!  As they were cruising back to the site of the Impala, and after driving these two remarkable cars, all Dennis could say was, “1964 was a very good year and we will be back for another visit soon!”

As always, Dennis and the crew had a great time in Ocala, Florida.  So until our next visit, “Honor the timeless classics.  Happy Motoring!”