409 Build Cost

[m1928]

I have a '64 Chevy PU with a 292 L6, I want to put a Big block in it and the W engines apeal to me for there year correctness and also the fact that few people have one.
What is the cost to build a mild 409 (say 350-400 horse) if i have a block, compared to a similar build on a BBC?
Im afraid to ask this but I was told a 348 be bored to 4.3125" is this true?
Thank you very much.:)

[Bungy]

What ever it would cost to build a 396 or 454 you can double that and that's about what it will cost to do a 409. Some 348 blocks can be bored to the 409 bore size but only after sonic checking the block and even then I would not do it. That will be the last bore job for that block and you'll end up with thin walls. If you're looking for cubic inches, you can install a 396 or 454 crank in a 348 block.

[dq409]

Depends on how many times you have too do it !!! Eh,,,OZ ??? LOL !!!
I got about 8 grand in mine HEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEE OUCH !!! long story,,,VERY long,,, ,,,,dq

[CDNpontiac409guy]

I dunno, DQ.... No matter HOW MANY times you built yours, I don't think it would cost what these guys doing the 4 bolt converted "stroker" engines are spending ! ( or my Stocker for that matter ! )

[jim_ss409]

Ya, I keep checking the Hotrod magazines to see if GM is going to put out a 409 crate engine:D :D :D I'm doing one of those 474ci strokers and I don't even want to add up the costs. It's been an adventure but next time I'll probably get Aubrey to build one for me. You can build one for a reasonable cost though if you don't go high end on everything like roller cams H beam rods and stroker cranks etc.

[TomO]

By looking thru the Kits prices for a standard 409 it looks like the parts are about $1,500. The kits look fairly complete. Ok add a set of roller rockers $200. Machine work to the block and heads $1200. You are at $2900. Then add in the cost of the cores. I know that one thing leads into another but would $4,500 cover it?
TomO

[jim_ss409]

I think you're in the ballpark on all the costs but the cores are the wildcards. The best bet is to track down a rebuildable engine and go from there. Most of the parts needed are reasonably priced but the costs can start to climb pretty quick if you want everything "correct",especially on a high performance 409. Stuff like proper carbs, pulleys, fuel lines and exhaust manifolds get costly. There seems to be no problem getting one horsepower per cube out of the regular 348's and 409's and they can be found at a reasonable cost. Besides these engines just look cool they never fail to gather a crowd. :D
Just out of curiosity, I was wondering if anybody had opinions on cast pistons for a W motor. They are of course much cheaper and while they may not be suitable for high performance applications I wonder if they are okay for milder engines. The reason I ask is that I notice CH Enterprizes doesn't sell them Curt thinks they are poor quality.:evil

[bbqcruising]

jim, cast pistons for street use are fine. plus they dont cluck like a chicken when they are cold like forged.

[64ss409]

Jim
The 340hp 409's came with 10:1 cast pistons. I am sure many of these were not babied and I did not hear of a piston failure. Mine was raced with them, 5000 rpm shifts, no piston problems.
Ron

[dq409]

I have a set of 13:1 Jahns I`ll sell :deal ,,,,dq

[SS425HP]

If I remember right, the ORIGINAL cast pistons from the General had a steel band cast in them around the wrist pin hole. This made them stronger. The 409 piston is very heavy. That was always the knock on them. Take that weight and shove it up the cylinder, then snap it to a stop, and jerk it back down. The heavier the piston, the more the chance of jerking the pin out of it. Hence, the metal band was to strengthen it. I don't think the cast pistons you get today have the metal in them.
Now, I would assume that when this car hits the road, you will have insurance on it. Just in case something happens. That's the way I feel about forged pistons. They are my insurance against blowing my motor up. So I wind mine a little farther than 5 grand. I will say I never thought I would take it over 6 grand, but it has been to 7000. Missed shift. Didn't intend to, though.
What is the difference in cost of forged pistons over cast? Enough to take a chance? Not for me. CASTINGS, like blocks and heads are too expensive to take a chance. Cast pistons are the same. They are too expensive to take a chance. I'll take forged every day.

My 2 cents worth.

Fred

[Tom Kochtanek]

At least a few of us were working on "spreadsheet" mockups of the costs associated with building a "W" engine. I have a draft one put together for a 348 stoker and have modifed that to create a second one for a "standard" hiperf 409. Those are at home on my personal PC, and I am 1000 miles away right now.
If you are interested I can send them to you personally.

They are pretty much "draft form", and the variables (as mentioned) are the cost of cores, the degree of "correctness" and of course the machine shop work needed to get everything in line (so to speak). Just like a paint job, there are huge variations. I'm beginning to feel that doing it right the first time is the best approach for me, so I'm taking things a bit slower than most...

Aubrey has been a great source of info for the machine work (and costs) involved. "Fourspeed409" had provided the initial spreadsheet for his build (I promised I wouldn't share that info, but I bet if you slipped him a used pair of 690 cores, he would gladly reciprocate :) ). Then I modified for my own personal stuff.
More on this later if you want to see it. I bet I left lots of stuff out :) Once you sweat the details it's amazing to see how fast the dollars fly...

Cold and calculating,

Tom K

[SteveD409]

Ditto on what Fred said. Curt Harvey told me cast pistons today don't have the metal reenforcement that the originals had.

SteveD

[fourspeed409]

Tom
My spreadsheet had errors as I suspected. That is why I didn't want to share it for fear of giving bad advice. When I get it done I will post it here for everybody to see and give me some feedback.
As for the cost. I have been pimping myself out on the street corner for 3 years now and I still can't aford to build my 409!

[Tom Kochtanek]

Shane (Fourspeed409):

I think I was able to catch a few of those. Please do consider sharing that, and putting it up for comment. Collectively there's so much experience here that it will provide a good start to a "conversation".

My particular problem is that my QB will likely require several sleeves, perhaps 8, and we don't have a cost on that as yet. Maybe when I get home tomorrow I will find out more from the machine shop!

Best,
Tom K