Can someone tell me the differecnces between a truck and passenger car 409? I seem to remember something about the blocks are different at the bellhousing. Thanks.
Trucks have a valve recess in the block that lowers the compression...Bellhousings configuration is the same...
Would it be worthwhile building a 409 truck engine for a rod project. I can get a pretty good deal on a truck 409 but don't want to end up with a lump. Thanks.
First find out what you REALLY have. Take the numbers and go check. www.348-409.com The lower compression wont make as hot an engine but WOULD make a good blower motor. FWIW, there is no blower intake on the market, they are usually fabricated out of a dual quad intake. There were some intakes back in the early 60s, they are rare. a pal has a Cragar for a 4-71, we are told theyu only made 8 of them. But I digress...........................
FYI... "Built" Truck blocks are used in some 10-11 second drag cars. Lower comp. is great for street!
Hey Trent, My father inlaw has a Weiand experimental Blower intake for a 409 with the big valves (425hp heads) he got it from an old drag racer (can't remember his name South Dakota guy though) Weiand pulled production cuz the 396 was coming out. It is really rare. I thought BDS was now making a 348-409 manifold...anyway I digress further.
Yes, but the fact of the matter is: it will still make a cool motor for a rod. Regardless of the level of build! Just run the numbers and see what it is, lots of us here run W's. They are cool engines, a tad more expensive than a SBC but not too bad.
Thats cool. Can you find the racers name for me? My dad ran Mn and SD strips in the 60s, they might know each other.
The biggest difference in the car and the truck engines is that the truck block and heads are relieved a little. It drops the compression somewhere around 3/4 of a point when car pistons are used. I think the compression ends up between 9 1/2 and 10 to 1 when good Ross pistons are used. You can make the heads work as well as standard passenger car heads. They will take bigger valves and you can grind a LOT of metal out of the ports if you want. It doesn't take much to port match them though. Everyone seems o think the factory relieved heads and block seem to breath better that the car stuff. If you don't want it, let me know. (G) Larry T BTW They use the same bellhousing, I don't think there are any external differences in the block and heads.
If you want a good source of info and chat with a hellavu guy call Terry @ Silent Knight Chassis (406) 248-1939. He has built several, he likes the 64 truck motor (check with him), he has sold lots of misc 348 and 409 parts to HAMBers as recently as last week. swdobbs.....
Intake or no intake, slap a couple of turbos or a centrifugal supercharger on it and use that low compression to your advantage.
The only thing I see wrong with that is that 409 truck pistons are cast and they weigh a ton. Even the car pistons are heavy. Around here, 409's had a reputation of spinning bearing if you wound them up and I think piston weight had a lot to do with it. I don't think the cast pistons would live with much boost either. If you are gonna "use and abuse" a 409, the light weight, forged pistons would be a good investment (even at $550.00 a set). If you're just gonna put around in it, Egge makes some cast pistons that would work fine. Come on now, no one's gonna build one of these and not beat it once in a while are they? LOL I think Ross or Lamar Walden sells 409 blower pistons too, but I'd have to look. Larry T
This is the same block I used...get a good set of the factory High performance heads, the factory dual quad intake and it looks just like a 425 HP 409 from the out side.... get a 454 crank ground to fit the 409 block and with the marriage of some SBC parts, current BBC parts you end with a 471 inch stroker motor. I put this motor in my '65 Biscayne backed by a Muncie 4 gear and a built 12 bolt and made a real sleeper (2 door, poverty caps and skinny tires) and this heavy car would pounce on anything and everything. Traction was the hard part. The valve reliefs do drop the compression but not by as much as you'd think (about 3/4 of a point) but they do a great job of unshrouding the intake valve along the cylinder wall side! This unshrouding is why people like these blocks because you can use a high compression piston design to bump the compression up and at the same time get a smoother flow into the cylinder. The other cool part is that many people don't realize that this is possible and sell the blocks cheap....I bought my complete truck motor for $75.00. and picked up a spare block for $50.00. The good heads on the other hand are getting quite pricey.
Just got back. According to the block number (3857655) on the engine it's a 62-65 Truck 348........... not a 409. The engine is complete..... exhaust manifolds, carter carb, distributor, valve covers etc, etc but is stuck from sitting. Has a big honkin manual transmission bolted to it with a brake on the rear yoke. It supposedly came out of an early 60's motorhome. I can pick it up for $250 cdn. Even though it's a 348, it would make a good lookin engine for a project. Is there any reason I should stay away from this becasue it's a 348? How's the price? Thanks for any advice. The trip wasn't a complete loss as I found a pretty good stash of old tin on an old homestead......... but I'll save that for another post.
This is mine, it is a 348, I wish you could step out front right now and take a spin in it, scary fast enough for a street car. Nothing wrong with 348s, I dont see an issue.
The 348 is a reliable motor. The 409 wont take the same abuse without breaking unless you build it from the ground up. In 64 I had put a deposit on a 425 HP 64 Impala SS ragtop. Luckily I saw enough blow up on the street and strip and waited a few more months and bought a 64 GTO ragtop. 409 knowledge has come a long way these days to correct its basic problems but Chevy was already getting tons of bad press by 63 and rushed the porcupine head 425 Daytona engine into March 65 production as the 396 after a handfull of 425's were sold as 64 Z-11's. My 68 Impala ragtop is a 396 and it's been indestructible.....so far!
Easy to fab. We have one for a nailhead sitting here. You do need to be able to weld aluminum and have access to a mill. A good scrounger can barter for those services. Lots of rodders have small mills in their shops these days.
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