Technical Hot 409s: Who has them or has built them in the past?

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261740&highlight=lamar+rpm

 

Another good thread

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40038&highlight=proffit+rpm&showall=1

 

I have a dremel, ear plugs and a willingness to learn, but for damn sure NOT on 409 heads!!!

 

thanks for the links, Tman!!!

 

I am helping a pal sell of some of his extra parts if there is something you may need. I built a fun bored out 348 for my old T. Any questions feel free to ask.

 

Look how rusty the head I posted is. I pulled a cracked one out of the junk pile and ground on it first. After I figured out it would work, I threw it back in the junk and started on the good ones.

As far as porting heads goes, I figure blending in the machining, matching the ports, and knocking out the casting trash is as far as I'll go. I'm sure not gonna try to outguess the factory guys on flow. And everyone is right, you'll never get a set of old heads to flow like the new ones. The casting on them is so much better they don't give you anything to clean up.

Kinda brings a tear to my doctors eye to know he'll never have to dig any more metal outta mine. (G)
Larry T

 

Thanks!! Right now I need everything.

I'm going to try and score a useable block first, then go from there.

 

Good thread!

 

Joined group.

 

Until yesterday I had a forsale ad in my sig about W motor parts

 

Bill-

2 years back I sold a 409 block and crank. 1963 passenger car. Standard bore and standard crank and got $1800 for both. I sold them on the cheap side as I have seen just bare blocks that need to go .060 for $2,500. Stick with a truck block and it will make the initial cost go way down. If you are serious about the 409 deal... I'll check around I know a lot of guys in the area who deal in 409 stuff.

-Matt

 

Yep, that's my luck.

 

Thanks, Matt. I am serious, I just need to first know what kind of money I'll need for a useable block, then I need to get the money. The car need a couple other things first (primarily, a new rear), but I will want to do this eventually. I'd be fine with a truck block since I can make the compression back up with pistons, or if I put a blower on it.

 

I had a 55 210 2 door sedan in the late 70's it came out of a 64 chevy 2dr hardtop. I went through lots of problems installing it in the 55. If you don't have now you will have to build side engine mounts on the frame. The stock 55 engine has front mounts. The stock fuel pump would not clear the frame I had to use an electric . I had to modify the 409 engine oil pan. A real serious problem was the engine clearing the firewall I was a very young kid at the time and drove the firewall back with a sledgehammer... When I got it together that 55 was a beast I had 373 gears in the rear end and a warner t 10 4 speed . I used to get a lot of tickets because I used to love lighting up the tires...I drove that car daily for almost ten years I had an Avs Carter 4 barrel on it and if I drove it nice I very easily made 18-19 miles per gallon

 

No my friend and mentor STILL has a ton of stuff, PM me. Had no takers for a few weeks. He still has parts and engines.

 

Just a thought - if you you're going to
use custom pistons - ie - Ross or similar
- to lower the reciprocating weight and
get the compression ratio you need for
a blown motor anyway, for about the
same money, you might want to consider
building a stroker 409. A 4-inch stroke
454 crank will fit if you turn the main
journals down to the stock 409 journal
size and will give you about 484 cubic
inches.

Mart3406
=====================

 

We're putting this in a 32 Tudor. It's going to be built at Street Toys in Juarez, Mexico. Same guys that built the Mura Bros. Willys P/U. Same guys that are gonna rebuild the Tom McMullen Dodge A-100. www.streettoysmx.com

 

Between Bobwop and Max Gearhead I'd have the know how and the parts to build a Killer 409!

 

My brother runs a 409 FED. Cast heads, twin 4's, hi comp pistons, good cam etc. Best time so far 9.2 but easy capable of running in the 8's once everything is sorted.

 

Thanks for all the posts guys, I think I need to get one now ............

 

Back around 1972 I was working at a machine shop and driving a '62 Impala with a well used up 283. The shop owner bought a trailer load of 348's and 09's from a cousin of his. There were two complete 2-4 motors in the mix and I made a deal with him for one of them. I picked the best looking one out and tore it down and it was toast. He told me to go ahead and take the other one. Tore it down and found a 1/4" stroker crank and bored .060. There was no wear on the block or crank so I threw it back together with new rings and bearings and a 290 total duration crower solid lifter cam. It was one wicked beast. It regularly saw 5800 rpm and saw 5 grand in forth gear with 308 gears a few times. Didn't know how fast I was going at the time since the needle on the speedo was way out of sight. It turned out to be one of those cars that I am lucky to have lived through to tell about. Oh and it ran on pump gas, of course you could still buy 100+ octane at the pump back then! factory big horse 09's came from the factory with 12 to 1 compression. Had to pull it out a few years later when gas prices went up and the octane rating went down.

 

Wow, thanks for all the responses, folks!!! This is why I love this site!!!

 

Yea baby....."W" Motors RULE !!

 

great thread...i too want one someday, the sooner the better!

 

Here, this setup would look great on the W block..
Duane.

 

yeah, it sure would.

 

As you will see in one of those links you can use a ton of SBC and BBC parts, bearings and gaskets. My usual parts guy just dug out the numbers I gave him, cost for the rebuild was not bad. I used a local racecar engine guy, he had fun with something different from his usual 360 sprint motors.

 

I'm seeing that. I knew about the BB crank and pistons, but not the rest. Looks like scoring the block and heads will be the most expensive part, unless a bunch of machining is necessary. I like the idea of the stroked 484, n/a, dual quads, edelbrock heads, decent cam........

 

You need to talk to my pal Art. He can walk you through the parts selection on a stroker. He is the one with stuff for sale.

 

Use the Edelbrock heads for sure. For what a set of USED big port 690 or 583 heads for sell these days (even the good smaller 817 and 1147's), the Edelbrock heads are a sure thing for the money.