409 headers for dragster

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
Picked up 409 short block from machine shop, Venolia Pistons are zero deck, have .184 I and .206 E valve to piston clearance, degreed the cam with 4* regard, I don't want any more horse power off the line, the tires are going to burn anyway, in 1500 lb dragster, used windage tray, and welded oil pick up to oil pump. I had the head done else where, but this machinist showed me the valve guides should have been replaced , He is doing pocket porting and now will replace valve guides, so don't have heads. I have some great pictures of the pistons on big block rods. Will try and show pistons later.
Still looking for blower manifold for 409.
 

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Howard Hull

Well Known Member
I found the pictures of the pistons, first is the block, with painted oil valley, the Venolia pistons, on BBC rods, this rusty rod is what the machinist started with, by time Art Davidson of Puyallup, Wa. got done with them they were a work of art, no pun intended. then on to the crank, that is standard standard, it was hard finding standard bearing. Also adding BBC windage tray, he checked all the rods for straightness. When putting the timing chain on I had brought star washers, but he would not use them, I had to go buy camshaft lock plate, and he still put Loctite on the bolts. He uses 6 different assembly lubes for different parts, I have never seen such attention to detail. anyone looking for a local machinst, in Pacific NW, to work on 409s, He would be one.
 

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Howard Hull

Well Known Member
First hit the pipe with a hammer while pipe is on a anvil, and sort of make it square, look at the pictures, I made a small cut in each corner of the now squarish pipe, the cut made the corners be square very easily. I did grind a tapering 1 3/4" guide ,(out of and old left spring)to help massage the square corners. Then again like in the pictures used a punch to finish molding the pipe to the header flange.
I hope the is helpful
 

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
Have some pictures of heads, , pocket porting on exhaust ports, and you can see the new bronze guides., These 333 heads are sweet. I'll show the pro stock valve seals after we break in the cam and lifters, and add the inner springs. This build is getting down to the wire. will be at Toulte, Wash, 8-23-14, at Billetproof -Eruption. See ya there. Will have some start up and running pictures soon. It should sound good.
 

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Howard Hull

Well Known Member
This the last picture of these gem like pistons, hate to cover them up. Hard to see the pocket porting. Using a drill to turn my old truck distributor to prime engine until all the rockers drip oil, adjusting lifters, because of the over lap will adjust the exhaust valve when the intake valve starts to close, and adjust the intake valve when the exhaust valve starts to open. this a clever trick I just learned from my machinist, See the black marker by the lifter bore, then put a black line on lifter and rotate the crank, and watch the lifters rotate, If you find fast rotators switch them with slower rotators, this can save the cam.
Putting motor in dragster, more to follow...
 

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Howard Hull

Well Known Member
409 finally resting in dragster, putting six 97's on. hooking all the little parts up, then had major gas leak, and need a new radiator hose, so done for today. Maybe fire tomorrow.
 

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benchseat4speed

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
If I was Bill Gates I'd hook a brotha up with some Hilborn injection. That's gotta be a nightmare dialing six carbs. Sure looks cool tho, curious to hear the sound it makes with those weed burners...
 

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
Looks pretty,but everything that can leaks, does. And I can't blame my wife , the dog or UPS man.
And I must have a vacuum leak, because I can not get it to idle below 2000 rpm, It wants to shoot to 4000 rpm or die.
So Miller time is coming early today. Will do more tomorrow.
 

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63 dream'n

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 4
Picked up 409 short block from machine shop, Venolia Pistons are zero deck, have .184 I and .206 E valve to piston clearance, degreed the cam with 4* regard, I don't want any more horse power off the line, the tires are going to burn anyway, in 1500 lb dragster, used windage tray, and welded oil pick up to oil pump. I had the head done else where, but this machinist showed me the valve guides should have been replaced , He is doing pocket porting and now will replace valve guides, so don't have heads. I have some great pictures of the pistons on big block rods. Will try and show pistons later.
Still looking for blower manifold for 409.

EBay item#261564967209 one of our members just listed this elsewhere blower manifold
 

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
.Found the vacuum leak, some one ground out the upper intake ports, and the gaskets could not seal, I bought it on Ebay, last year. So a friend is going to weld it up. another friend is letting me barrow a set of carbs, linkage, bell crank, and neat scope. It should be running tonight.
 

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
well made it to Toutle, but disaster struck once again and the pressure plate fingers broke and never made a single run, motor sounded good. will show some pictures later of the broken pressure plate. have a new one, but missed the great day of Billetproof racing.
 

benchseat4speed

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
That sucks man:( I've gone home with a broken car on the trailer behind me, twice. I know the feeling. This old junk has a way of lettin you down sometimes.
 

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
One of the fingers of the pressure plate are broke clean off, and look at the close up, the other two are cracked, now look at the back side, the fingers must have been hitting the springs in the clutch disc, the fingers have been greatly weakened . The 409 sitting side ways on the dragster frame. I plan to have it back together for the Arlington Reunion, which is 9-13. See ya there.
 

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