maybe a 409 in my 59

[Bam59]

last night i went to a cruise in at the local wing house and got talking to a guy who told me about a man that has a 409 with in 12 miles of my house.
so this morning i went down to talk to him and "HE DOES"
he got the motor 25 years ago from a man that had the motor rebuilt and then a short time later the car was rear ended. motor not run sense, he was not sure if it is a 64 or 65 motor but he is getting the block #, head # and
the front code#. and i hope to hear from him soon. said it was a 1-4v carb
complete motor, but has a 2-4v alum. intake from a different 409 he will throw in.
now if i read the engine spec. wright and it is a 64 then it can be a
QA 400 hp. if it is a 65 then JF 340 hp.
QC 340 hp. JE 340 hp.
QG 340 hp. JD 400 hp.
QB 340 hp. JC 340 hp.
QQ 340 hp. JB 340 hp.
QR 340 hp. JA 400 hp.
now i know this has be ask a million times but i have to, if this motor is half of what he said. is it worth 3500.00 i know this is hard but most of you guys have been here before and i don't need to spend money if it is not a fare price. i have not seen the motor yet and hope to get the #'s soon i know this would help, anything i should look for when i see the motor? thanks all.

 

[mabeauchamp]

Bam59, I'm not an expert just an someone that watches E-bay religiously. Based on E-bay prices $3500 seems like a steal if everything is there and it turns out to be a 409, especially if it is a 400hp version. E-bay may or may not be overpriced, but I think it is setting the current fair market price. Keep us posted.

 

[Bam59]

well i get to call back from the man with the 409 and here are the #'s
block---3857656 340-400 hp. 1965
heads--3830817 340 hp. 1963-65
on the front pad all he could read was "JB" 1965 340hp.
on the two-4v alum intake was 3814881 1962-63 409-425 hp.
on the intake on the motor was 3844465 1964-65 340 hp.roch. carb.
i hope to look at the motor this week so is there anything i should keep my eye out for? i'm sure it has not been rolled over in years so it my be locked up.
if i get this motor how much work will it have to have to get 400-425 hp.
i know i'll have to rebuild after 20+ years of setting.
so "dumm ?" do you think it it worth 3500.00 this is a complete motor.
thanks for any help mike

 

[Fathead Racing]

409.

Block stock bore, 550.00-800.00.
Heads, LoPo 409 Stock fresh, 300.00
Heads, Hp. fresh, (ARP screw in studs, three angle valve job, teflon seals etc.) 450.00 650.00.
881 dual quad intake. 200.00- 230.00.
Four bbl. intake, 100.00 150.00
Rochester four bbl. carb, 100.00
409 crank. 150.00, 300.00.
Oil pan, timing cover, valve covers, etc. 450.00.

To get 400-425 HP, fairly easy build.

High end price 2680.00
IMHO.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Mike, I agree with Rays assessment. But I am sure you are aware that it will cost another $3,000 to rebuild with quality parts.

 

[jim_ss409]

Mike, If you ask me $3,500 would be a good price for the 400hp engine but seeing as it's "only" the 340hp version I would try to get the price down below $3,000. The big difference between the two engines is in the heads. The 340hp engine had small port heads like a 348 while the 400hp engine has #583 high performance heads. I've seen a set of rebuilt 583's go for more than $2,000 on E-bay. The dual quad intake is made to fit the big port 690/583 heads. It can be made to fit the 817 heads but the small ports on the heads don't match up very well with the bigger ports on the manifold. In 65 the 340hp engine did have the same exhaust manifolds as the high perf. engine. I don't think they'll fit in your El- Camino but they sell for about $500 or so on E-bay. I'm no expert but I think a complete 400hp that might be okay to run would be a pretty good deal at $3,500 The 340hp version is still a fine engine but just not quite as valuable.

 

[Bam59]

thanks Jim. i did plan on talking me down just because i do not know the insides of the motor. was hoping 2800.00 Will the 348 exhaust manifolds work? till Fred gets his headers going again? I'd like to keep this 6000.00 or less for the motor and rebuild. i can do lots of the work myself.
if not 400-425 then maybe 380 hp.thats still more then the 250 hp i have now.
is there anything more that may not fit the 59?
thanks again mike

 

[jim_ss409]

Everything else will fit. Your 348 exhaust manifolds will bolt right on. The 340hp engine will make lots of power with the right cam and headers. That's pretty much the same engine that Fatride was running in his 60 Impala and you know how well it went. And that was with a nice streetable cam. A 348 tri power manifold will fit too, or an Offy dual quad. The small head engines don't make as much peak horsepower as the high perf. versions do but they make great street engines, more than enough torque to send the back tires up in smoke.

 

[Bam59]

the words i want to hear
a cold day in h@$$ before i'd think about going after Fred,Ray or your ride
of course i now have a very good motor builder so i may have to try
thanks you all mike

 

[jim_ss409]

Mike, I just thought of something else... The 65 pan's different. It's got an extra step in it. Like this one... http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8031968096&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

[Fathead Racing]

Wow!

the words i want to hear
a cold day in h@$$ before i'd think about going after Fred,Ray or your ride
of course i now have a very good motor builder so i may have to try
thanks you all mike

Mike, that would be awesome. I would love to see that ElCo lined up with the Fatride, it would look tough with slicks under her!

 

[SteveD409]

The 409 lopo 817 heads are the same size ports as the hipo 348 heads and I could use a set of fresh ones for that $300. Fat, you live in the next state over, I think, and I can come pick them up if you know of a fresh set for that price.

SteveD

 

[droptop62]

I know this may not be a issue for an engine that is in florida, but to be safe, just in case the engine came from a colder climate area check to make sure the block is not cracked. The 348/409 blocks are notorious for cracking along the water jacket area below the cylinder heads. the crack usually will run front to back.

again probably not an issus in your part of the country but does not hurt to check.

 

[dq409]

One more thing to add is: Spend your money now and build the short block with as many top quality parts as you can afford. Then latter when you have more money and want to up-grade to the high horse heads you won`t have to respend any money on the lower end

A wise way to go on any engine build !!,dq

 

[Fathead Racing]

Steve, As far as I know the high performance 348 heads and the 409 low performance heads have the same port/runner size as the 59-61 379 head, the difference is the 2.06"/1.72" valve size. If I am right the 817 head would not be a high dollar head. I have the 379 head on my 409 with the 2.06"/1.72" valves installed. Am I wrong?

 

[MK IISS]

409/340 heads (817) have 2.06/1.72 valves. It would be interesting to know the runner size/volume of all the different W heads. Is such info available?

 

[SteveD409]

Don't know for sure about the 1147 hipo 348 heads, but the 817 lopo 409 heads DO have larger ports than the 379 lopo 348 heads. The ports are approximately 1/8th inch longer.

SteveD

 

[SteveD409]

Richard, I took measurements (port size only) of all the 348/409 heads except the 1147 heads and posted it here awhile back. But no runner volumn, which is of course more important.

SteveD