C1 Corvette with 348/409

fourzeronine

Well Known Member
My brother has a '62 Corvette that's done up in a 1960's hot rod style. He's gotten the idea of ditching the belly-button small block and going with a 409. I'm assuming a non-'65 passenger car oil pan works, but what about exhaust manifolds? Anyone know what folks have used on the swaps currently out in the wild?
 

Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
Can't answer your questions but a guy in central MO put a 425HP engine in his 60 Corvette. I saw it!! Believe it was in Jeff City, MO.
 

1964SuperStocker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Only combo like that I have seen in person was a gasser vette which was nose high with leaf springs and straight axle up front.
 

W Head

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
Hot Rod mag. years ago had a article named the car that GM should have built. A 409 in a 1962 Vett. It looked like it belonged there.

W Head

59 Impala 409-2,4s
 

fourzeronine

Well Known Member
That C2 is pretty wild. Interesting mix of old and new tech with the 409 and tubular chassis.

The engine in the black '60 is more what I think he'd be after.
 

425/409ER

Well Known Member
From what I read, Duntov didn't want the 348 "W" engine in the Corvette. It weighed about 150 lbs. more then the small block and he was afraid that it wouldn't be worth it, henceforth, it never appeared in any factory Corvette. Just sayin', Carmine.

But the 396/427 was ok I guess.
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Yeah I guess. I think he was looking at the bang for the buck. Didn't think back then that the added horsepower from the 348 would have been worth the added weight of the motor. One cancelling out the other. This is my own opinion, but I think the "W" engine got a very unfair reputation as being a truck engine. Anyone buying an expensive Corvette, didn't want a truck engine in it. Would have been nice in '62, to see a 409/409 engine in a Corvette. Don't know how you can go wrong with that. But, the sb 327 made it's preview that year and I think you could get upwards of 360 hp, so why bother with anything else. I'm sure there had to be alot of discussion about the Corvette and 'W" engine, Carmine.
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Probably James :laugh4. Is that a pic of him?? I don't recall ever seeing him before, Carmine.
 
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