409 Corvette?

[impalamike.com]

Its always puzzled me why there was never a factory 348 or 409 Corvette (or Chevelle). I collect old car mags and saw a how to (348 3x2 in a '58 Vette), a Z11 Stingray and Z11 Chevelle. The factory put a 396 in the '65 Vette, how different would it have been to install a 409/425 in '64? Thoughts?

[oldskydog]

Everything I've read on the subject said Zora Duntov was totally against putting any big block in a Corvette. He wanted to keep it as light and maneuverable as possible. He lost the argument in 65.

[MK IISS]

General Mortors Corp. office placed a maximum engine size if 330 cubic inches on the 1964 Chevelle and it's other division siblings when the cars were released. John DeLorean took advantage of a loophole in the rule to build 389 GTOs and GM changed the rule to a 400 cube max but by that time the 409 engine was due to be cancelled. Actually the decision to phase out the W engine was made as far back as 1962 or even earlier.

[Dick MacKenzie]

I remember a 62 Corvette that belonged to a fellow I worked with in Newark (Dela) back around 1966. He put a 409 in it. I don't know anything about the install but I remember the dual quads sticking through the hood. I guess that by using stock GM mounts available at the time it sat too high for the hood to close without modification. :dunno

As I remember he spent a lot of time smoking tires.

[Tom Kochtanek]

One of the vehicles on my wish list is a 1963 Corvette Grand Sport. No, not one of the five originals, that would take millions. A clone would do. There are several suppliers out there for the components, and I've seen a few clones first person before. The possibility of finding a 377 with multiple Webers would be slim as well, so the question is "which engine to stuff in there"? Perhaps a 1963 409 QB build would find it's way in there?

As mentioned, Zora would turn in his grave, but it sure would be a hoot to propel that rocket with a "W" :).

Cheers!
TomK

[jim_ss409]

A 63 Corvette with a Z11 engine would have been a monster.:beerbang

[dq409]

I too have thought that the 409 in a Vette would have been the ultimate car !!!

I`ve posted these pictures before so i`ll show the link to my picture site.
This is how it should have been,,,

So DANG pretty ,,,EH?

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=13470581&uid=1590826&members=1

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL847/1590826/13470581/200334338.jpg

[impalamike.com]

Thanks for clearing up the mystery fellows. Please build that car Jim_SS409 and Tom!!

[raymar58454]

I had a friend put one in a 63 stingray roadster, after his aluminum fendered 64 dodge max wedge got beat by a 64 Impala Convert with a factory 425 hp. That vet was a scary ride and mostly smoked the tires. Good part was i got the cams and intakes he didn't like for free to stuff in my 58 Impala conv. Bad part was he sold to a kid who got in a fight with his girl and totaled the vet and himself. They estimated by the distance he was going in excess of 140 mph.:cry
Ray