348/409: Why don't you see them

used in traditional hot rods, much?

they look great! and, they're from the era.....

is there much vintage styled speed equipment for them....i've seen offy valve covers (beautiful styling) and tri-powers for them.....

boat anchor? truck motor? what? prices high?

pics in a model A coupe would be cool....


*******
I've been thinking ahead to my next build- long time but you must start gathering. I've always wanted to use a SBC with traditional styling- I love them just about as much as my flatty. BUT, yesterday at a swap/car show.....I don't think I saw a single one except parts on the groud from guys that specialize in them. THEN I saw a set of offy finned covers for a 348/409.....uh, hum.....need I say more? With my skull shifter from Chromedrat and a set of those valve covers, I think I need to build a car around them! I'm dead serious. It didn't really hit me until today, so I didn't look to see how high the parts are.....much of the reason for SBC in the next build.....cheap to build....

 

They're ****ing expensive!

 

I have a 409 i'd like to use in my 32 5 window. So far, i still have intentions on using it, but the biggest issue i see is price. I can build the 283 or 327 i have sitting here much cheeper than the 409, and the saved money can be put to use elsewhere in the car.
Plus the simple fact that buying one thats good ( no cracks etc) isn't a cheep buy in either.. More so for the 409 than the 348..
Hell, a set of high performance casting heads used on the high horse '09s can fetch upwards of 2000 for a done set, if not more.. I've seen bare casting's sell for 800 plus in the last year..not just one set either..
An original dual quad intake with matching carbs can bring stupid money as well from the restorer's. I have just about a complete set from a 62 and have been offered close to a grand for it..

Seem's, at least around here anyway, when you mention 348 or 409 to a machine shop the first response is "ya know those aren't cheep to build".
Just finding a shop to bore one because of the funky deck angle could be an issue in some places.
The nice thing about them though, is there are many parts that interchange from both small block and big block mills.

I think as long as the builder has a realistic goal as to what he (or the owner for that matter ) wants, one can be built for a fair amount of cash. Providing you don't start going nut's with stroking etc with the BBC crank......which or course is what i'd like to do.

I have a friend who has 8000 invested in a very nice dual quad 348. But, it's not a race mill, just a warmed over W motor..
For a little over 8 grand, i can have most of my car built.....

This is just my 2 cents...

Hopefully my deuce will be powered by my boat anchor 409..haha

Tony

 

all I have ever heard about a 348 is they fly apart easy. But if I had one I would build it, as I think they are great looking in 30's open hood cars. If I had finned valve covers then I would Find one to build.

 

yea they're almost hemi status for pricing, but hemi's have more support for aftermarket hipo parts. IF you find a 409 expect to pay BIG $$$$$

 

I found a 348 in a bus and a 409 in a ....bus. The 409 numbers out to be a 62 p***enger car and I forget the 348. Should I try and get both? The 409 will be a split between my swap meet buddy and I since he found it but its gonna take two of us to get it.I,m going to take that 401 nailhead I found also. If anything I,ll stick them in my ba*****t.....

 

Just like everything else, they are out their, this one is a 1965 409 out of a wagon, we pulled it out of the original wagon, well what was left of it.....At a cost of 750.00 bucks.............pulled the valve cover....unbelievable clean......their are aluminum four barrel intakes out their along w/ 6x2 stuff to duel quad set-ups to be had, they make everything for them and cost no more than to build a warmed over Hemi, not a serious one.....................Littleman

 

i saw a 6X2 intake smothered in 97's (prob needing rebuilds)yesterday at swap meet ,asking price$1300.00,,he said he didnt care if he sold it or not

 

YOU DONT SEE THEM CUS ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO RUN ANYTHING OTHER THAN A S/B CHEVY... SISSYS !!!!

GROW SOME HAIR AND PLUG ONE IN YER ROD !! 348/409 CHEVYS ARE VERY COOL BUT NOT AS COOL AS A HEMI !!

 

Cost too much,can only bore most 348,.030 ,valvetrain nightmare ,have to adapt waterpump or buy an expensive obsolete one.

 

As others have said. One word, Price! This guy had what seemed to be a hundred of them at an auction I went to last weekend. All the 409's that had paint and chrome valve covers went for over $3000 a pop and one for just under $4000 with no gaurentee they were'nt grenaded. Here's some pics, Very cool stuff.

 

Can I say damn here? Cause,well...DAMN! Nice collection...

 

I decided to install a 348 in my dad's '58 Apache truck last year, and I did not have a clue where to find one. I put the word out that I was looking for one, and in less than a I had two of them for free including a '59 three two engine. The machine work is not anymore expensive as the cranks and rods are just like any other engine as far as machine work goes. The heads are no different from a conventional engine a far as machine work prices go either.The machine shop that bored the engine didn't charge any more than they would for a 90 degree engine, though they did need the special plates. The rings are regular 4.125" bore just like a 400 small block. The pistons are about $300.00 a set for Hypers, the main bearings cost about $100.00 a set, and the gaskets cost more than a small block. Other than those items, I don't think there is any reason to say that they cost a whole heck of alot more. The 348's have a 3.25" stroke, but you can modify any big block crankshaft to fit the 348 block to make a nice stroker out of them. I found another 348 yesterday for $200.00, and this one is complete and running out of a '65 Chevy truck.

 

I bought some rusty dented chrome W valve coveres at a swap meet to hang on my wall. That's the only 348/409 part I can afford.

 

I have a 348 w/2 4's in my 55 Chevy with a 4 speed. I am making into sort of a g***er/stocker looking thing. It will be done next week. I also just installed a 348 in my 61 bubbletop and it cost me about 1000 for the engine. These are my favorite looking engines especially with the Offy valvle covers. Both of mine have them.

 

Oh yeah, I had the original water pump rebuilt for $40.00, I modified a Weber small block tach drive distributor to fit, and I am going to use Autolite 2100 two barels instead of the Rochesters. I see the 348 three two cast iron intakes on Ebay all the time for a couple of hundred bucks, sometimes cheaper . The bellhousing bolt pattern is the same as any big or small block Chevy engine, as are the motor mount bosses. I agree that a big reason for not using these engines is because it is not a SBC!!

 

T man has a 348 in his bucket.

 

saw this car at back to the fifties this year. was a really nice car.

 

Start looking around, you will see rods running them. There are 2 in my little burg.

 

And there are several more on the HAMB.

 

j bird has one in his wagon.

 

over-all, how much larger are they than a typical SBC?

 

My '53 Ford has a '61 348 from a Wisconsin State Patrol '61 Impala that was wrecked in the 70's. Has a 4 speed behind it and it's a handful to drive. I had it rebuilt and I don't think it cost me much more than any other motor to rebuild.



I was at that same auction that MP33 was at, and yeah, those went for some pretty decent coin. There were also at least 10 409 powered cars that sold at the same auction. But since it was a well advertised auction, the prices were expected, all the 409 guys came to buy. The other stuff at the auction went pretty reasonable, some **** was super cheap.

I think the reason that they aren't used all that often is because hot rodders have a tendancy to use what they have lying around, or whatever's easiest to get. There aren't GM Goodwrench crate 409's, and they don't come standard in every clapped out '78 Chevy wagon parts car that the backyard guy has access to.

I wouldn't have gotten mine either if it hadn't been in the backroom of the resto shop I used to work at. When my flathead came out, this was availible, so I went for it. More fun that way because it's something you don't see every day.

 

OK I try pic Well it took a few years but here she is. the 348 tripower sounds awesome real deep throat and pulls very nice indeed. I got maybe 300 hp turbo 350 3.55 9 ich posi.

 

The only real cost in building one is your machine shop ripping you off. Oh and if you want a set of Ross pistons at $800. If you have a good machinist then he can tell you of other bearings and stuff that will work. Yea a cam can be a little exspensive if you want some lift or a solid stick but, remember that you are not building a run of the mill, mill. I'm still tracking down parts to put together a full roller blown early Olds. And no I will not be in it $10,000 I did my homework and was patient for parts. Just to let you guys in on a deal we struck a couple of years ago. 2 complete 348's with some finned aluminum valve covers and a blower manifold for $500 at the time it seemed stupid but I'm glad we have them now. If you want it you will find away to get it.

 

You can get a lot of info on the 348/409.com everything you need to know about these engines. With a bit of home work and searching I was able to put one together with a tripower and 348 for $6,000.00. Crane sells cams and so does Comp. But check the 409 site there is a ton of good info there.

 

This is mine, what I can add is this, it is more $$$. The tins are expensive to find in decent condition, and only fit 348/409. The only aluminum four barrel intake is from the factory-$$$. The iron intake is dirt cheap and doesn't flow well, also requires an adapter to run a Holley carb. Dizzy is also one off. Water pump casting is in demand because I think the Hemi guys use it as an alternitive to the factory. But the good news is it takes the standard SBC rebuid kit. Other notes are, all cranks are steel. All internally balanced chevy flywheels/flexplates work. Base 348 is rated at 250 HP. And more torque. Overall though, If you don't run a hood, give em something to look at...

 

43,755 409's were produced from 61-65. in an original car the value has to go up 25 - 50% if it has one in it. so the prices for these motors and parts has risen accordingly.

how many SBC's were produced in tht time? 3 million? even if it were 2 million....

 

Here's mine as I found it, well ok, it still looks like this but I'm collecting parts to hook the tri-power back up...

 

Main bearings and pistons are $$$$$$$$$$$$.

Some "older" machine shops without a boring bar, that lines up off of the crank centerline, might have trouble boring the blocks. The cylinders are not parallel to the deck and take a wedge plate, if you use an older machine.

Larry T