I'd think if World Products has enough faith in the 409 market to design and build new blocks it wouldn't be a mistake to **** it up. You can always stick a cheap SBC in the truck and sell it running again. I'm sure you thought of that already though, right? If not a SBC then some of those high deck BBCs pop up cheap pretty often. Any 409 is worth having. I'd love to live in the 3 figure fantasy world and have my pick of of em. I'd quickly bring them back to reality and retire! Is this a turn n burn deal or do you want a 409?
Geesh, I may be wrong here, but if you are wanting a 409, buy it. Break Even at best??? So what. What is the "I want a 409" factor worth...and they aint gonna get any cheaper. Over the years I have often paid more that supposed "Value" for a lot of car and Harley parts, and never regretted one buy......(well maybe one..... ) after it was in my garage, or in use..... Buy it !!
I just arrived at this post, but I have same question as CTFuzz...when were 409s installed in trucks? I'm just not a W-engine dude. tnx dwj
The truck engine is also desirable as a base for a blower motor. If you want to go in that direction it is a good starting place. Lower compression from the factory, lower initial investment. With forced induction you can get away with the wimpy heads and a little time with the die grinder. Never the less I wouldn't give a ton for the truck. The idea behind useing the truck motor is the lower intial investment. You may be able to peddle the grain truck so someone but it won't be worth much not running and hauling.
65 is supposedly the last year for the W truck engine.66 is the first year for the 366 rat motor and also offered were the big GMC V-6's that look similar to a 409 at a quick glance in a greasy engine compartment at midnight.Maybe it has a 409 swapped in,or not.
If your not paying cash, What are you swapping for it? What value are you putting on your stuff? May or may not be too much, but the care and feeding of a "W" motor is not for the faint hearted. Parts are expensive whether they be original or repoped, machine work is also and not every shop is set up to do these motors, so is any labor you can't do yourself. What ever you pay for the truck figure a MINIMUM of 4 grand additional by the time you get it rebuilt with induction and exhaust and don't kid yourself, your not going to be happy with a used single quad sitting up there. You will spend more than you intended once you get into it. My 2 cents. Terry Terry
My buddy answered an add, 409 truck motor, ended up paying 500 bucks was 900, but told him truck motors aren`t as desirable. When they tore it down, it was a car block with truck parts on it. Must of blown it up along the way. Farm trucks are usually lower milage too. 66 farm trucks not worth much.
The first day the add came out, he was the only one to call him that day. Bought it that night. The next day his phone rang off the hook. He was contacted by one of the callers and was offered 2500 sight un seen. No sale. Goin in a 62 Hardtop.
I plan to pick the motor up in the spring. I have not seen it but a mutual friend told the owner it was a 409 (or at least a 348) and I know this guy knows his engines. In a roundabout way I will end up with too much money in it but that seems to be the general way I do these things. Not cheap to rebuild one of these things to say 400 horse but still cheaper than a lot of crate motors.
The Jalopy Journal
