409 engine

[blkblk63ss]

What would a 409 truck motor be worth . It has 6,000 mile's on it and it run's, has been maintained and it is still in the truck and all original. All opinion's welcome. Also what would it take to be equivalent to a 340 hp 409 in term's of torque and horse power.

 

[Don Jacks]

That'x so easy even I can awnser it! Pistons,bigger valves and bowl work,modern camshaft[small,maybe 218 @.050,224 @.050 exaust
],,modern intake,600-650 carb.will get you there,and then some.I might pay 2000 for a running engine as described above.

 

[tripower]

I would try to buy the whole truck 2000.00 or less.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Well i offered a little more than that, but i could sell the rust free cab by itself and door's and hood and recoup money on that. Would eddy head's , intake and single carb and that cam get me there with the existing piston's in there?????

 

[boxerdog]

The pistons would be one of the first things I would change, JMO.

 

[yellow wagon]

pistons have to go

 

[Phil Reed]

JUST BUY IT DON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sell off the truck and start your engine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Probably heard that at Talladega yesterday!!!!!

 

[Jeff Olson]

I agree, pistons have to go. Will be lacking compression.

 

[tripower]

Start fresh. If you try the cheap route it will cost you more in the end.

 

[1961BelAir427]

6,000 miles? It is time for it's second oil change, so don't forget to factor the cost of that into your figures. I thought a GOOD truck block was worth about $1500?? I'd think it would be worth more than 2 grand, but that sounds like a great place to start.
I've still yet to see an old truck with one in it around here. Maybe they were more common in other parts of the country?

 

[1961BelAir427]

Start fresh. If you try the cheap route it will cost you more in the end.

Dan is right......or you could just give it a spray can rebuild and run it as is for a few years.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Actually it is in a fire truck, and yes only 6,000 miles. The truck look's like new, so as i said earlier i could resell cab ,door's and hood. If i get this engine i will have to put on a front tag on my car stating '' WHERE'S THE FIRE'' He has seen my offer ,but has to talk to another contact guy doing the posting, to see if anyone else had offer's and interest. Thank's for all reply's.

 

[Jeff Olson]

Hell, pull the 409 out and throw in an old 366 and resell the whole truck! If it is old enough to have a 409 in it you can probably keep the motor and still make money on the deal.

 

[blkblk63ss]

I think i would be better to sell what i could. I had a guy tell me he paid $1100.00 for a truck cab rust free .What concern's me is what do i do with the chassis and fire bed???? Sell it for iron????

 

[tripower]

You can easily get 1200.00 for a rust free cab and another 400.00 each for the doors in the same condition. Scrap the rest and proably make money.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Yeah it's a 1963 so those era year guy's are looking for those . Even grill's they are sticking on c10's

 

[benchseat4speed]

Do like Jeff Olson says man, throw a cheap SB or BB back in it, I'd have a hard time junking a nice fire truck. The truck I found mine in was a total POS so it was an easy decision, but man 6k, I know that thing is mint...

With only 6k on the engine, I might just put a hotter cam in it (not too much for the doggy compression of course) and headers and just run it as is. Maybe put the correct chrome tin on it for your 63 and dress it like a 340 engine With 6k, prolly still has lots of crosshatch in the bores, mint bearings, tight valve guides....yeah, cam, springs, 1 piece valves, and headers. Maybe an intake too.

 

[Jeff Olson]

6,000 miles? It is time for it's second oil change, so don't forget to factor the cost of that into your figures. I thought a GOOD truck block was worth about $1500?? I'd think it would be worth more than 2 grand, but that sounds like a great place to start.
I've still yet to see an old truck with one in it around here. Maybe they were more common in other parts of the country?

I paid $2000 for a 63 passenger car block, two sets of 340 HP heads, crank, rods, and all in very good shape, oil pump shaft, breather, fan and a few other odds and ends. Not saying its a good deal or a bad deal, just what I found.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Yes it would be a shame to trash it , but!!!!!!!!! Who want's a fire truck with a ordinary engine????

 

[dakota tom]

Take the bed off and make a ramp truck out of it. I have been looking for one to ramp truck. I have 340hp stuff I might trade