truck 409? is it worth getting

I know a guy that has a truck 409, I think it was running motor before he took it apart, and has a duel quad intake that will go with it for i think 800 bucks. Are truck motors just boat anchors or can i just put car heads on a 409 block and have a decent engine, any big differences between car and truck motors, i just know the heads and water pump

 

You are right about the water pumps but a car pump will swap without any problem.

The truck blocks ARE different in the way they are machined....they have a nice pocket around the valve that will reduce compression by about a 1/2 a point...ie 12:1 pistons for a 409 car now become 11.5:1 in a truck block. No big deal when you buy high compression pistons for your rebuild....and get this...with the valve relief on the truck block it unshrouds the valve for a better fill/swirl in the combustion chamber!!!

I had a truck block 409 that was reworked and it was a stump puller! I picked it up cheap because it was "a truck block" and with they right heads, intake, carbs it was a real sleeper. I sold it to a guy in Michigan who was going to stick a reworked 454 crank in it and make a stroker 472 motor for his Impala.

A complete 409 that has been torn down for $800 with the dual carb intake sounds a little pricey to me but then it has been at least 10 years since I had my motor and I'm known to be a cheap *******.

As a side note....pop the hood on those old chevy school buses...before they started using 366's in 'em some were 348's and then later 409's Saw two 409's in school buses this past week while driving through N. Carolina. Bothe were '65 Chevy buses, the suposed last year for the 409 but I have seen them in '66 and '67 big trucks.

 

For what I've seen 409s going for lately, if it's not cracked or rusted, buy it. Either you'll use it, or it will lay around in your garage for a few years and you'll make better interest on it that any CDs are doing right now.

 

Hey Curly, I'd like to know the whereabouts of those school busses!

The notch drops the CR at least a point or more, but the truck block is absolutely worth getting. That price seems pretty good to me...409 stuff has gone through the roof.

-Brad

 

If it says 409 and not ****, buy it.

 

It's worth getting.
If the dual quad intake is an original unit, i've seen just the intake alone go for upward's of 300 in very nice shape.
I bought my 409 truck motor about 6 years ago for 600..
I think 800 is pretty fair now day's.

 

Buy it. You can always sell it again later and get at least that out of it.

 

Check out www.348-409.com lots of good info.

 

That's not a bad price.

 

Alrite thanks, i plan on putting it in a 58 chevy delray... just looking to have a nice cruiser with and maybe have a lil pep to it if i wanted to get on it...

 

Yes!!!

 

409 truck blocks have an extra valve relief cut in the top of the combustion chamber. Truck blocks actually make better blower motors, e****ally if you find a nice pair of heads. $800 is a deal....