409 truck moters

[hrlykngt]

Hello all,

I just joined up to the sight and am enjoying all this info on the 409s. I have a question for you all. Recently I found a cache of 409s in some old trucks sitting in a junkyard. I found not one but 3 moters in three different big trucks I know for sure 2 are 409s but one is a GMC and even has GMC stamped on the valve covers.I think it is a 64 or 65 model. Is this moter comon what are they worth? I can probably pick them up for a couple hundred bucks apiece. Thanks for any input.

I have one 63 QB moter 4 truck moters and a 348 just cant get enough. somebody has to love them.

I have a 61 bubbletop.
62 belair sedan
62 biscayne sedan
2 62 impala 2dr hdtp
62 belair 4dr
all works in progress some need a lotttt of work
but one day hmmm

 

[bobs409]

I would snatch them up for that price. Sure wish I'd stumble upon a few. Truck motors are low on the totum pole of value but are quite common these days and can be built up nice. With different heads, pistons and intake, you can get some nice performance from it.

I would love to see pics of that GMC engine. Don't believe I ever heard of one before. :

 

[FYN409]

GMC Engine

Did the GMC engine look like the attached engine? This would be a GMC V-6 some refer to it as the Big Block V-6. The one I attached is a 305 cu in V-6, they made the all the way up to a 478 and I believe even one in the 500 range, all V-6's. If you can get the numbers off of the block I can try to find out which it is. This is what I had in my 60 GMC pickup before I pulled it out to put in the '09. They are excellent motors; most out there will go 200,000 miles or more without any problems (not bad for 60's technology). They are a lower RPM motor (stock) with plenty of torque. There is a guy in a GMC club that I belong to that has several of these V-6's that he has build to turn 6500 RPM with no problem. So, if you can get me the numbers, I can find out what motor it is.

-Ryan(FYN409)

 

[bobs409]

Ryan,

There's one of these in a junkyard in my area. I did a double take when I first popped the hood! :eek: It's in a 68-72 GMC truck (not sure what year)

 

[FYN409]

GMC V-6

Yea, they were available from 60-68/69 I believe. I know that were put in the 67-72 body style trucks, although not as common as they were in the 60's. Most 60-66 GMC had a V-6 installed in them. It was only available for the GMC, not the Chevy. They even had a 702 V-12 available for the big trucks and buses. It was essentially 2 V-6 blocks bolted together. Here is a picture of one:

-Ryan(FYN409)

 

[FYN409]

GMC V-6

Bob, many people do a double take when they look under the hood. When I had the V-6 in it several people tried to convince me that it was a W-motor. The only way I could convince them was to have them count the spark plugs .

-Ryan(FNY409)

 

[Fabric Master]

Very interesting,was a V-8 available for those years?

 

[FYN409]

GMC V-6

V-8's were not available in the GMC, but I believe they were an option on the Chevy’s. The only engine options you had were V-6, or the Chevy I-6 in the GMC. Back then the Chevy and GMC lines were quite different trucks, a lot more than what they are today. They had similar appearance, but underneath the body they were quite different.

-Ryan(FYN409)

 

[Fabric Master]

V6

How would the size and weight compare to a V8 of comparable cubes? Your picture appears to show little difference in size. If there were a size, weight advantage, how well would it work in a street rod? Thank you.

 

[crawler]

I recall the first time I saw one of those V6's, I could see It wasn't a W, but thought that GM engineers of the day may have 'reconfigured' a W block by basically lopping off two cylinders (I believe Chevy or Buick did this in the 1980's to create a new V6 for their car line). After a bit of study, I found that this was not the case, but the shape of those valve covers has probably fooled (at least momentarily) more than a few people. Anybody ever seen those WILD looking Scottish plaid valve covers that GMC offered for those V6's? Hard to believe the factory would have offered such a thing.
FYN409 - you got any pics of those?

crawler

 

[FYN409]

GMC V-6

The V-6 is a lot heavier than a comparable V-8. In fact, going from the V-6 to my 409 shed about 200 lbs. If I remember right the W is about 600 lbs and the V-6 is close to 800 lbs. The front end of my truck was almost 1 1/2 higher with the W in it.

Here is a picture of the plaid covers, and yes this was from the factory. I was told it went along with the marketing slogan something like "Thrifty as a Scott" (Scottish plaid valve covers) but I do not know if that is true.

-Ryan (FYN409)

 

[TomO]

I have spotted several of these engines in old busses and heavy trucks. I had no clue as to what they were until now!!!! I was talking with a friend from western Kansas and he told me of a v12 that was the craziest thing that he ever saw. Now I know what he was talking about. The engine went for $10.00

 

[Fabric Master]

V-6

FYN409 Thanks for the interesting information. I have never been aware of this history on the GMC's.

 

[SS425HP]

Truck stuff

A lot don't know, and I would guess you would have to be old o know it, in the fifties, The GMC trucks, pickups, that is, had Pontiac motors and Hydramatic auto trans in them. Except for a short time in 53, when they had a Dynaflow . That was due to the Hydramatic plant burning down. Olds, Buick, and Cadillac got Dynaflow, the others got Powerglides. A little trivia, maybe!

Fred

 

[CDNpontiac409guy]

Fred.... Fortunately... VERY FORTUNATELY.... our Canadian GMC's were always Chevy power.
I mean really....
Try to get some work done with a PONTIAC engine ?:

I'll take my Chevy, thanks

 

[JokersBel]

I like those plaid valve covers. Try and get those NOS or re-done!
haha

Oh, I saw one of those 702 V-12's on ebay about a year ago. Went for cheap, and I could understand, they weigh a ton! Try and get one home in the back of your old Chevy! haha

 

[jester]

covers

OK, so here is the stupid question of the day, are you ready?

Do the six banger truck covers fit the w- block heads? :?

 

[62BillT]

jester, They won't fit. They are quite a bit different.