348-409

[casey]

Just curious if any one has put a 348 or 409 in a 67-72 love to see pics if anyone has some

[72 CustomCamper]

I thought about it, but I gave the engine to a buddy of mine instead...

Chuck

[Longhorn Man]

I know we have a 409 fan here...but I am unsure if he put one in his truck.

[bobs409]

There is someone here that has one in a red 72 4X4. (can't recall his name) He's bound to see this and chime in.

These engines have found their way into all kinds of vehicles over the years. I have mine in a 66 Chevelle SS.

I have a website devoted to the 348/409's if you need to learn more about them. Check that out here: http://www.348-409.com/

[casey]

bob409 do you have a pic of that chevelle with the 409 in it, those motors are cool

[Hutch]

The boardmembers name with that red truck is Chevy409.
I believe it is a 72 with a 69 grill and a 80's model step bed.
He is still posting (just yesterday about a radiator cap)
Mostly on the 4x4 board
Check his signature about the details on his truck.

Have fun

[bobs409]

Originally posted by casey
bob409 do you have a pic of that chevelle with the 409 in it, those motors are cool

I never turn down and opportunity to show it off! LOL Here it is:

[mikep]

How well does that 409 run? Ive never been in a car with one. Ive seen a few 348 motors torn down and was intrigued by the for lack of a better word "weird" combustion chamber and piston top design. Can they be built for decent power ? Any modern cam designs available?

[O'l Buck]

Dad never gets tired of telling me about his 58 Impala Convertible he had when he was in college. It had a tri-power 348 and a powerglide. He said it made pretty good power and the only things he ever complains about on it were the rear axle falling out from under it and the park brake let go once.........it rolled down a hill and crashed into a grove of trees........totaled the car......

[bobs409]

Originally posted by mikep
How well does that 409 run? Ive never been in a car with one. Ive seen a few 348 motors torn down and was intrigued by the for lack of a better word "weird" combustion chamber and piston top design. Can they be built for decent power ? Any modern cam designs available?

They are one of the most misunderstood engines in history I would say. Unless you've ever owned and driven one, you won't really know what they are like. They have a 74 degree deck angle so yep, they are a bit odd looking. The heads are flat and have no combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is actually the cylinder as they have slant top pistons.

There were many different 348 and 409's through the years and they are all different. Starting way down with the heavy duty truck versions all the way up to the 425hp dual 4 barrel produced in '63-64. The 427 Z-11 Impala was at the top of the food chain! LOL

Mine is the factory high performance '63 400hp 409. It's all stock (except bored .030 over). Factory hi-po solid lifter cam, 11:0:1 compression, alminum 4 bbl and of course, the chrome is factory.

How does it run? LOL Like a raped ape! I spanked a Mustang with it about a week ago. The guy wouldn't even look at me at the next light. :p

I left all the SS 396 emblems on my Chevelle so unless you get a look under the hood, you won't even know it's there.

[Longhorn4x4]

Originally posted by bobs409


They are one of the most misunderstood engines in history I would say. Unless you've ever owned and driven one, you won't really know what they are like. They have a 74 degree deck angle so yep, they are a bit odd looking. The heads are flat and have no combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is actually the cylinder as they have slant top pistons.

There were many different 348 and 409's through the years and they are all different. Starting way down with the heavy duty truck versions all the way up to the 425hp dual 4 barrel produced in '63-64. The 427 Z-11 Impala was at the top of the food chain! LOL

Mine is the factory high performance '63 400hp 409. It's all stock (except bored .030 over). Factory hi-po solid lifter cam, 11:0:1 compression, alminum 4 bbl and of course, the chrome is factory.

How does it run? LOL Like a raped ape! I spanked a Mustang with it about a week ago. The guy wouldn't even look at me at the next light. :p

I left all the SS 396 emblems on my Chevelle so unless you get a look under the hood, you won't even know it's there.

Mine was incredible. I had a '63 409 425HP in a '64 Impala SS. The engine was a dealer take out from '63. It had eaten two cams and two 1/2 sets of rocker arms. It would not oil on one side. I bought it from my cousin for $250. It had 30 miles on it. I worked on it for a couple of weeks before I suddenly remembered something I'd read about early small blocks and early big blocks. The rear cam bearing was in wrong. I drove it out, and put it back in right. New cam, new lifters, and a 1/2 set of rockers and I was good to go.

I kept the car a year. It was a holy terror. It ran low sevens in the 1/8 mile once I got some help on the clutch linkage. But it ate Muncies, and it tore the rearend housing open from tire hop. Eventually, I put a second upper control arm on it, and added NMW ladder bars. But I was in high school and it got 6MPG. I had the baddest car around, except for an older friend who had a 65 Vette with a 427 L-88 swapped in. But I couldn't afford to keep driving it, I sold it to my brother, and he missed 2nd gear and broke a rod. He junked the car, and Barber John Stefanik's son bought the engine. It's supposedly in the replica of Barber John's car in Garlits' museum.

I've got a 64 shortbed stepside I'd love to have another 409-425HP for, but I can't afford one now. I'd love to build an SS409 pickup based on my 64.

[Longhorn4x4]

Originally posted by mikep
How well does that 409 run? Ive never been in a car with one. Ive seen a few 348 motors torn down and was intrigued by the for lack of a better word "weird" combustion chamber and piston top design. Can they be built for decent power ? Any modern cam designs available?

They scream. Mine was stock, and one of the fastest street cars around. And a 64 Impala SS is close to 2 tons. I ran a 7.04 in the 1/8 mile. When I say stock, I mean stock. It still had the manifolds on it. The car had a gear, a posi, two upper control arms in the back, and NMW ladder bars. I did have a Lakewood blow proof, a Mr. Gasket V Gate, a 3400# Borg and Beck paddle clutch setup, and the clutch linkage had heim joints and a stop bolt under the pedal. I put a turnbuckle on the firewall to stop the flex. The last Muncie was pro shifted.

You can get forged pistons from Arias and Ross. Several cam grinders make cams for them. You can buy most anything for them if you look around. The best heads and intaks are hard to find. They say my old 409-425HP is worth at least $10K now, and I gave $250 for it around 1980. Complete. They also say a 409-425HP actually made about 500HP stock. Offy makes intakes but I don't think they make any that fit the really good heads. You really need light aftermarket pistons and ARP bolts, because around 6800 they come apart quick. I turned mine 6500 for a year. Sold it to my brother and he missed 2nd gear and it went well over 6500. It broke a rod, and split a cylinder. Didn't hurt anything else. It would have been easily fixed in 1982 for $100 or so, but he sold it instead. I should have bought it back.

Longhorn 4x4

[Eddie H.]

Back in High school, ( 30 years ago), Me and my cousin stuffed a 425 horse dual quad 409 with a muncie 4 speed in a 57 chevy 2 door post. Talk about a sleeper. it looked bone stock except for the cheater slicks and chrome reverse wheels. It would pull the front wheels off the ground in the first 2 gears. We "spanked " more than a few of the so called "muscle cars" back then. The only problem was that it was such a torque monster, that it kept scattering trannys and rear ends. I'd love to put one in a 67-72 truck someday if I ever get the chance.

[dinnut]

i had neve really heard of these engines before.... now im interested

[weasel29gm]

At the Bristol Super Chevy last year there was 3 409 S/S cars. They put on a awesome show. I enjoy that kind of racin'!!!

[Class of 69]

Incredible pic bobs409...I haven't seen one of those in many years... and to be so clean !! I always loved the shape of the valve covers !! Just set the imagination on fire wondering how the hell they worked the valve geometry. What really caught my eye is the headers... who the heck bent those snakes to go around the steering shaft ?? I've never seen headers like that in a Chevelle...and I can imagine the pain in the butt they must be to install. Can I indulge your opportunistic picture ego to post a pic of the whole car ?? My dad bought a 66 new, and it is still one of the top two favorite body styles of mine.

[casey]

Originally posted by bobs409


I never turn down and opportunity to show it off! LOL Here it is:

those motors always give me a woody thanks bob409, it looks like you had to do some custom header work on that baby to get them to fit, are they custom made? I think those motors would complement our trucks real nice

[Class of 69]

Casey...I still want your avatar, but I want it sitting in my driveway !! I can't wait to see my truck looking that good.

[casey]

it will, I see you got lots of good parts there, and a little elbow grease, your set, keep us posted on the progress pics,thanks for the complements

[O'l Buck]

I found this pic on the Allis board. The guy that posted the pic said it's a 409. Seems like a little much power for a tractor with VERY weak final drives.

[bobs409]

A woody! LOL

Yep, custom built to fit the car/engine. Because of the difference in frame crossmembers between the full size cars and the Chevelle, the original manifolds would not work. I also had to notch out part of the oil pan and switch to manual steering but other than that, it bolted right in. (after greasing the fenderwells a bit) LOL (actually, I had the front end off then)

The headers are made in 4 parts for each side so they come apart for easy removal. I've had them out a few times already.

I should have mentioned that the pic I posted shows this engine at it's dirtiest! Normally, it looks better but it's like a magnet for dust and grime!

Originally posted by casey
those motors always give me a woody thanks bob409, it looks like you had to do some custom header work on that baby to get them to fit, are they custom made? I think those motors would complement our trucks real nice

[bobs409]

Originally posted by Class of 69
Can I indulge your opportunistic picture ego to post a pic of the whole car ?? My dad bought a 66 new, and it is still one of the top two favorite body styles of mine.

Can't seem to find one of the whole car. Here's one shortly after the first fire up. Hood still to go on.

[lpaine]

Gidde up, 409! I love those old engines, I've only seen 1 in all my years of looking at cars; they are a rare item around these parts.Gotta love those "scalloped" rocker covers. And I believe they were a solid lifter set-up. Thanks for sharing that bobs409.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

In high school I had a 55 chevy 2 door wagon with a 348 and
3-2's. Man that thing moved. Nobody could beat me. Then along came a Hemi Cuda and well almost no one could beat me. Man I miss that car, there were a LOT of first's in that one, if you know what I mean.

[dinnut]

anyone seen any 409s for sale recently?