New idea for a car project--

[Greg Reimer]

While liking 409's for most of the last 40 years, having raced and enjoyed them, running the 409 Chevy Club of America 20 years or so ago, etc.etc. i have always wondered what it would be like to put a 409 in a '64-65 Chevelle and build the car Chevy never built. I don't mean a gutted shell like too many low dollar bracket racers do, I mean a car with an interior, stock sheet metal, inner fenders, etc. I have raced several Chevelles in NHRA Stock Eliminator over the last two decades, and am thinking of something like that. A 12 bolt, an open drive line, a turbo 400 and a decent 409 with a pair of headers would just about do it. Of course,409 emblems on both front fenders is mandatory standard equipment. With a pair of nine inch slicks and 4:88's,this would be an 11 second car. Somehow, this combination sounds like it would make sense. Any opinions?

 

[oldskydog]

I suspect Bob might have a few ideas.
I have a 67 Nova sometimes under construction and I've been toying with the idea of a W up front.
BTW, welcome aboard.

 

[Barry Taylor]

I would like a red one with black interior.

 

[chevymusclecars]

Bob has one in his 66 Chevelle and it looks like a nice installation. I have a 65 Chevelle 300 Deluxe that I planned on putting a 409 in and have the exhaust manifolds but need the oil pan. Then again I have a 65 396 in the engine stand that is out to 468 cubic inch and ready to drop in the car, so who knows?

 

[jim_ss409]

I think it's a great idea. They could have, and probably should have put a Z11 engine into the 64 and 65 Chevelle to compete with the Ford Thunderbolts. Dick Harrell did it on his own and kicked a lot of Ford and Mopar butt.
It would be cool to do a Z16 style setup that looks like a car GM might have built.
Insert Z16, 396 Chevelle picture here...

Here's another one I'd like to see... A 63, 64 or 65 Corvette with a 409 that looked exactly the way it would have looked if GM had made one.

 

[yellow wagon]

sounds like an awesome project and would be a very capable car to boot!

 

[Phil Reed]

I've always wanted a 56 Nash Metropolitan with a 425HP 409 in it!!!!:eek:eek Figured the chrome valve covers would do double duty as front fenders!!!!

 

[bobs409]

Here's a sneak peek at mine:

You'll run into the same problems I had when doing mine. (mine is a 63 400hp in a 66 Chevelle SS)

First, NO 409 manifolds fit so hand built on the car headers are the way. Secondly, the oil pan needs to be notched out to clear the crossmember. Third, I don't think the PS pump clears the steering box. I converted to manual steering because I wanted to keep the idler pulley anyway.

Other than that, it's a bolt in. I think I still have the big shoe horn you'll need to get it in there. Oh, and a little grease on the inner fenderwells never hurts.

A few more pics of the car can be seen here: http://www.348-409.com/photopost/sh...assword=080a53aa7bd0b07aeef29646cbfc6b3e&page=

 

[Last 60]

Phil, you just MIGHT have to have wheeeeeeelie bars on that one!!!

Lonnie

 

[chevymusclecars]

Bob

Did you try 65 exhaust manifolds, to me it looks like they should fit?

Bill

 

[k9hotrodder409]

Hey Phil, You & Candy would be the only ones that would fit in a ride like that !!!!!! A'56 NASH METROPOLITAN ???????????

 

[58 Apache]

I am getting stuff together to put a stroked 348 in My 64 El Camino so I will take alot of pics as I go. I want to put a rack and pinion in and a 700r4 with 3.73 ratio. 15x1o wheels in the back and the rest stock as posible.

 

[bobs409]

Bob

Did you try 65 exhaust manifolds, to me it looks like they should fit?

Bill

Yep, I bought a pair from the "Old Gold" section of Late great Chevy years ago hoping they might work but no good. I was able to sell them shortly after.

 

[No409]

While liking 409's for most of the last 40 years, having raced and enjoyed them, running the 409 Chevy Club of America 20 years or so ago, etc.etc. i have always wondered what it would be like to put a 409 in a '64-65 Chevelle and build the car Chevy never built. I don't mean a gutted shell like too many low dollar bracket racers do, I mean a car with an interior, stock sheet metal, inner fenders, etc. I have raced several Chevelles in NHRA Stock Eliminator over the last two decades, and am thinking of something like that. A 12 bolt, an open drive line, a turbo 400 and a decent 409 with a pair of headers would just about do it. Of course,409 emblems on both front fenders is mandatory standard equipment. With a pair of nine inch slicks and 4:88's,this would be an 11 second car. Somehow, this combination sounds like it would make sense. Any opinions?

Greg, Great idea, but i must say, the car must have a man pedal( im a stick shift guy) in it!

 

[dynoray]

Greg, Great idea, but i must say, the car must have a man pedal( im a stick shift guy) in it!

yeah,great idea. i'm building one now.(64 Malibu hardtop 409) it's going to be a nostalgia racer. Bob,i sent you a pm with some questions about fit and so on. GM really should have done it. i have a great article 64 or early 65 super stock mag with Malcolm Durhams white 64 malibu. really cool.

 

[dynoray]

yeah,great idea. i'm building one now.(64 Malibu hardtop 409) it's going to be a nostalgia racer. Bob,i sent you a pm with some questions about fit and so on. GM really should have done it. i have a great article 64 or early 65 super stock mag with Malcolm Durhams white 64 malibu. really cool.

oh yeah,it's going to be stick for sure! tried to post a couple of pics,but too large for here.

 

[plumcrazy]

I think in a 66, it would be excellent...... Plenty of room to work and in my opinion, the best body...

 

[jim_ss409]

oh yeah,it's going to be stick for sure! tried to post a couple of pics,but too large for here.

We'd love to see that project come together. I hope you can figure out how to resize the pictures.

 

[409newby]

I read somewhere that Chevrolet did in fact build a handful of 64 chevelle's with 340hp 409's and powerglide for salesmen at various dealerships! where they went afterwards who knows?

 

[raymar58409]

We did the Vette 409 back in the late 60's. All the parts came new from the dealer he worked at. Seems about a 65? Roadster. Stingray, flip headlights, goofy lookin roof, 3 round taillights. Never got a hood on it cuz alternator bracket stuck up. He passed a couple years ago. If I ever run into his son or x wife I'll see if there are any pics of it, he had a lot but his garage burned so I don't know if any pics survived. It may have been a z-11 but I don't remember. It was scarry fast.