409 Chevy Engine Build -- Part 1

From www.horsepowerm...
This Chevrolet 409 build is meant to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. We stroked the rotating assembly to up the displacement from 409 to 440 cubic inches and then replaced the stock heads with much more capable units from Edelbrock--but painted them to disguise the modern aluminum castings. The end result is 505 horsepower and 507 ft/lbs of torque.
Watch the video here but for more information, including dyno sheets and the rest of the series, check out www.horsepowerm...
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[@thehappyinfidel]

Had one of these when I was in high school in the seventies. Cruising, doing wheelies and drag racing every weekend.

[@JohnW1711stock]

I race, N/SS, with a few 409 powered big Chevies. Some of these car weigh 3500 LBS, or more, and run low 10's. Not as good as a 454, but, still a cool looking engine, and a piece of history. Any 58 to 64, Chevrolet, looks better with a 409/348, under the hood. Thanks for posting. RIP Allen George, a long time 409 racer.

[@kevinhabener1279]

Regardless of how some of those 409s broke after a few races it made me feel good to read about them winning many races, and others holding together like a charm and still managing to destroy some big block Fords and some Mopars. And even a couple of those that successfully did that were '63 4-doors with the 409/425 and made do with a 3.36 highway ratio. I feel like saying "up yours" to the anti W-motor/anti-GM crowd, just like some of those people out there driving pre-'65 Corvairs, enjoying them, and putting stuff on them like license plate frames saying stuff like "up your Ralph Nader".

[@boston7704]

Thanks for posting this, beautiful build. Nice to make it look stock, but I don't think anyone thinks a w motor with two four barrel carbs is a sleeper. Would love to see the rest of the car. Looks like your customer did it right.

[@bugbomb8048]

Those anchors were scarce in the late 70’ early 80’s when I had one in a 57..... I found a 327 that put that full framed car to the test

[@jamesglavich1426]

I always thought Chevy should have put the 409 in the Chevelle, they knew that the 396 and 427 were just a year or so away and were not willing to sort and fine tune the drive train to make it competitive. A "Z-11 Chevelle" with the light metal front clip probably wouldn't have the flex issues that the X-frame cars had to address. The Z-16 with the L-78 in the Chevelle did a good job when they finally released it, just in time for 200 for the year. But the 1964 model year had to make do with small block power with the 409 at arms length.

[@alleyoop1234]

It is EASY to install pistons in a 348/409 without any compressor

[@25vrd48]

I've never heard of a 348 being safely bored .1875 . Not saying he's wrong but I'd have to hear more solid information to back up his statement .

[@Boredout454]

Decent engine when it came out but honestly it had to many issues when it came to racing and modifications which is why the First Gen Hemi (331,351,392) continued to be the main engine of choice for drag racing and then the Max Wedges before the infamous 426 Hemi in 64. Really the only reason it is famous today is because it was Chevy's first Bigblock, but then GM decided to restrict all cars but the corvette to 400ci starting in 64 until 1970.

[@timswift2]

I have learned that the 348 & 409 engine was also used in larger dump trucks , huge school buses , & flat bed trucks, even fire engines (!) as well as cars. what little history I am able to find indicates the 348 engine was manufactured and used in trucks clear until 1966 (!) though the 409 was discontinued in 1965 (.) and that was the year of the Watts riots,..... though I do not feel that the riots were the cause of the 409's discontinuance, I have been blamed for the Watts riots , and I admit responsibility for them , even though I was eleven years old in 1965 (!)

[@jeffrykopis5468]

Would a 4" or 4.25" crank fit in the 348/409 block?

[@Ls3guy]

i don't think i ever want to build one of those. and did you say you was goin to help me with ls 408 stroker lol

[@johnwoodworth248]

I always torque the H beam rods with ARP bolts to 70 lbs

[@johnbehneman1546]

Great video, great education!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@TheHorsepowerMonster]

Thanks and thanks for watching!

[@jimbower9938]

Can you put 409 heads on a 70 454 BBC?

[@TheHorsepowerMonster]

I don't think so, the deck angles are different.

[@manyamile410]

348 blocks can NOT be reliably bored to 409 bore size.

[@Samsgarden]

Great HP for its day

[@frankmckellen8000]

I found out that i can put a 440 engine in a impala ss?one question how much does it cost to have it installed? Also have it checked on the dyno? Im given u a idea of what type of car u can create something fun to do

[@ozarksfarmerhansen8782]

To Bad they dont do as others and list the part makers and numbers good PR for their vendors.

[@arthurdombroskie3083]

All those fancy parts, but still using stock main cap bolts....y?

[@Alwayscheerfulx]

not many exist any more due to they would tear the wrist pin out with so much power and rpm

[@kimmorrison9169]

do you weight match the end caps, bolts, rods and pistons to balance out all 8?

[@TheHorsepowerMonster]

Absolutely

[@winko807]

Hey grngs1...what are you driving?....a a Gremlin?

[@rollingstopp]

what does the Engine weigh in at.??? like to know

[@da26920]

+james marshall should run around 550 to 650 pounds depending on what you use as a intake heads and manifolds ect.

[@rollingstopp]

da26920 Thee originals had iron im pretty sure.... thanks

[@87Wayne]

da, that would be about right for a small block, BBC engines were closer to 700 to 750 pounds.

[@ericheine2414]

Great Video, I was unfamiliar with the 409. It's a trick block, with trick heads, and pistons. Iron American Dream on KZbin Share it. Take a ride across the promised land. Burn Rubber.

[@Samsgarden]

...Presented by Marlon Brando

[@da26920]

cool old school motor but didn't hold up good. Bad about spinning bearings cooling problems and other issues. Even more so when used for drag racing. And it was not Chevy's first big Block. the 348 was. Which is how the 409 was born. All though smaller bore the 348 is still a BBC.

[@jdrok5026]

you can build these to monsters now i want one

[@georgeschmidt3530]

Dont know where you got your info from but i had one in 1961 and raced every sucker i could find never a a dimes worth of trouble.sold it with 75000 miles on it Chevy rules

[@dufus2273]

And they were heavy

[@ZacLowing]

I see two bolt mains and pass...

[@johncholmes643]

You've clearly never built an engine, you're probably some Jabba the Hut guy.

[@zeroonezerozero5397]

Why you running 8 grand then engine braking up on the corner ?

[@grngs1]

Boat anchor today

[@jdrok5026]

shush shes actually not a boat anchor

[@skylinefever]

Many people like to keep the look of their classic car unchanged, and that means keeping engines that are less than ideal for performance.

[@chrismc.4437]

In good tune, a 409 will rip your head off! Hardly a boat anchor. You can't compare it to a modern v8 with any degree of sense.

[@zeroonezerozero5397]

See you bought ford's propaganda .