A few years back when I still had my 61 wagon, a fellow business acquaintance told me he had this 409 motor he's had since the early 70's. He asked if I wanted it and I told him yea maybe...I figured it was bullshit as he has the art perfected. The story I got was the guy that gave him this motor pulled it from a 64 SS and installed a 283 because his wife was scared to drive the car and this was also around the time of the fuel crunch...sounded like a b.s. story to me. Well years later he brings this story back up and I call him on it, "I got it out there in the shed full of shit.. go check it out". So after beating the hell out of the door to get it open and jumping over piles of old tires,broken mowers,dried up paint cans and rat shit I find it..I'm thinking HOLY SHIT I CANT BELIEVE THIS!!!! Its pretty much complete, It appears to have the wrong front carb and is missing the manifolds$$. I don't know what action I'm going to take here as I don't have a project for it, I was thinking of sticking it in the 37 but I like my little blown mouse, then I thought about giving it to dad for his 64 Vette or maybe selling it...who knows. It goes to show you that sometimes their not bullshitting!
well i got something it go in. the bed of my truck so i can bring it home, i dont care if dude said i had to carry it out on my back i would get it outta there
damm it man !!!! i'd drag it home and hold onto it for a future project. i love those 409's...i'd have a hard time selling it if it was mine. i'd have to re-build it and stick it in something...preferably a 62 biscayne with a 4 speed.
First there is a find of Hemi's here on the Hamb, now a real to goodness 409! There is sweet iron still out there! Congrats!
I'd find a 64 to put it in. Although if I had my druthers I'd build a 61 409 SS clone. I remember about one (maybe the one) of those going to England to play with the Brit cars in 61 for grins and giggles. Info here http://musclecars.howstuffworks.com/classic-muscle-cars/1961-chevrolet-impala-ss-409.htm I know one thing, the concussion from that engine will bounce a Nash Metropolitan around like a Quarter on a boom box when you pull up next to it. I was driving the damned Metro though. Just keep it and put in something that it belongs in.
lucky bastard.... 409's go for a pretty penny, so ya better jump on it now cuz that old man might shut the doors again... my pops is runnin a 409 dual carb, 4 speed muncie in his 55 chevy. damn thing kicks ass. get it... get it... get it now...
Neat score, but karma says you can't flip it unless you paid for it. If it's been squirrelled away for decades, then given free of charge, your duty is to squirrell it away for a while longer or use it. I didn't make these rules. That engine needs to be combined with a tattered old racecar.
X--GASSER,,,, New member here. Had to join just to throw my two cents in. Noticed your location and description. 26 years with Farmers Branch Fire Dept.,,,, so I understand your description. Couldn't take that big city anymore so moved to a tiny little town 100 mi. NE of Dallas. Got something now that I never had in the Dallas area----- Freedom. Am a proud member of www.348-409.com Your barn find is something I dream of, but never happens to me. Congratulations on your find. I guess you are aware of what you have found. If you can use any advice or help with rebuild, let me know, I have some experience in that area. BTW. #814 block is regarded as 1963,,, but we have learned casting number overlap is quite possible. Once again, congratulations, you are a lucky man.
Shifty, Times two! I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this way. X--Gasser, I see you checked the numbers on the ID pad, so.................??? Larry T
I have a good running '98 Vortek 454 I will trade for it. I can pull it out of my '62 Biscayne I just drove from St Louis to Indy and back, it runs excellent and got 16 mpg. My '62 needs a W-head big motor to be right . Marty McFly You can even keep the 409 air cleaner !
Wow, that IS a GREAT find!! Based on the numbers, is it a street motor or something from the racing program?? Anyone here have a rough idea how many of the 2x4 '09 engines were installed in cars?
I answered my own question by doing a little digging...here's the production breakdown in case anyone else is interested... Production of 409 equipped cars: 1961-142 1962-15,019 1963-16,902 1964-8,864 1965-2,828-(2,086 340hp/742 400hp) credit: this came from the 348-409.com site
And I think the 409 was one of the first over the counter "crate engines" that was popular (along with 327s), so this might add to the numbers.
X--Gasser, I see you checked the numbers on the ID pad, so.................??? Larry T[/QUOTE] I'm still working on this deal... I wrote them down on a Dickeys BBQ reciept and have lost it so I'll have to get back there and get it. This guy also has been watching Barret Jackson re-runs lately...SHIT!!$$
Gasser, If you look around a bit in that junk pile, I bet you find those exhaust manifolds as well. Just a thought. Nice find!!
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