327, 468 ()454 .060 0ver), to 409 stroker 446.
Nuts,
My '55' Belair was first completed on Christmas Eve 1999, and professionally appraised for $30,000 back then. It had an all-out '327, lots of billet and chrome, and revved to high heaven, and was very quick, even with a TH350.
But, after about 6 months, I blew a head-gasket, and with the engine so completley pristime, I decided to remove the engine for the repair. Meanwhile, a guy I knew who had a pro-street 69 Camero showcar, that was once featured on HOTROD mag's cover, was looking to sell his 468, with the one-year run 396-427 Corvette cast-iron oval-port heads... I bought it lock, stock and barrel, and rebuilt it.
It ran for all of 45 minutes... the wrong valve springs were installed and it suffered from coil bind and killed the cam. It was a tough and expensive job installing the 468, while retaining the show-car status of the car. The shop built out a second 468 and GAVE it to me to make up for the hassle, but, it took months for me to recover the mindset to dig-in and remove the other 468 and install the other one. IT was a torque monster.. a nice 468 roller motor, and I did NOT baby it at all. The '55' was much better received by the cruise crowds too!
About 2 years later, the roller 468 lost significant power, which was later found to be because of cracked rings. I brought it back to the shop for another rebuild with the intention to anty up the power another notch, but, I had a friend who had a "spare" 409/425 he had stored for 30 years, as insurance for his original '63' 409. It took me over 18 months to talk him into selling it to me.., but, he did finally cave it. I bought it for $2,500 (plus other incentives), complete with a standard bore block, 583 heads and 2x4 intake, stock crank and pistons, etc.
It took 2 years from that point to thoroughly research and rebuild the engine (409/446), and to completely redo the '55' from the cowl forward. It took 9 installs of the engine before I got things precisely correct, and blistering the firewall and lead-soldering the finish work on it... The 10th and final install as like installing a factory engine -- everything fit perfectly.
I got the 409 engine back from the shop in early Augist 05, and had the car running before Thanksgiving 05.. and won 2 first prizes in the February 06 Super Chevy Show (best modified and best overall tri-5).
But, my initial research paid off... after proper prepping (pre-oiling, etc) the 446 fired right off, and actually -- no lie here -- idled nicely immediately following the initial 20 minute cam break-in at 2,500 rpm!
I was pleasantly surprised to say the least! Shakedown runs surfaced only minor problems that were readily fixed. And, let me tell you, this 409/446 runs just as strong as my 468 roller motor ever did, and it was FAST! And, I'm using the very same 700R4 and rear-end as I did with the 468!
But, as far as eye-candy goes, nothing GM makes/made comes even close to a dressed-up 409 sitting in an engine bay (other than maybe an old Hemi). And, the cruise crowds love it! It never fails to attract people and gain countless cudos.
All I can say to you is that once you get it right, you will never regret all the work and frustration you put into it.
Keep at it... do not give up!
Denis
:
John
. Works for me.
bang 
no1: 
