Chevrolets 409
The predecessor to the famous Chevrolet “409” engine was the "Turbo-Thrust 348” cubic inch “W” engine. A look at this unique Chevrolet engine is important to understand how the famous “409” evolved! The innovative ”W” engine line was launched in 1958 and was being utilized in Chevrolet trucks and the all-new third generation Chevrolet Belair with its radical new appearance. Along with the new “W” engine in 1958, a halo model known as the first generation “Impala” was introduced into the Belair line. Some folks tout the 1958 top of line Belair Impala as the first muscle car because of the large “348” cubic inch displacement engine in a family style sedan. The unique “348” high performance “W” had its premier run from 1958 through 1961. Mid-year 1961, Chevrolet’s engine wizards debuted the next incarnation of the “W” engine! The monster mill that would become a legend in its own time, songs were sung, and tales were told of the “Mighty 409” bowtie powerhouse!The 1961 Chevrolet “409” was a remarkable engine; the stock version was rated at 360 horsepower with a single Carter AFB carburetor. Along with this expanded version of the “W” engine, Chevrolet also introduced the Impala SSpackage option.The “Super Sport” option was a dealer-installed package consisting of various high performance enhancements. Items such as heavy duty suspension, including special springs and shocks, power steering, power brakes, sintered metallic brake linings, a tachometer, special 8 inch wide x 14 inch tires, spinner hubcaps, chrome shifter and shift housing for the four-speed gearbox. Also included were the all-important SS badges and just for effect a dash grab bar for those hang on tight moments.There was an array of engine options available for the Impala SS option; they included several “Turbo Thrust” “348” engines, ranging in horsepower from the 340-hp single Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor and a 350-hp option with the three Rochester two-barrel carburetor versions.These were the mild versions of the “SS” powerplants, enter the mighty “409” the top engine option for the 1961 “SS” package. The “409”cubic inch engine was rated at 360 horsepower with a single Carter AFB carburetor. This engine option was for the more audacious driver that liked the idea of the grab bar for his anxious passengers. Motor Trend’s 1961 quarter-mile statistics for the “409” 360 horsepower “Impala SS” model were [email protected] seconds. In 1961, Chevrolet built 491,000 Impalas; just 456 Impalas were outfitted with the "SS" package, this included 142 Impalas sporting the mighty “409” cubic inch monster engines.In 1962, the stock single four barrel “409” engine’s horsepower increased to 380 horsepower up 20 horsepower from the 1961 version! There was also the dual quad four-barrel model with dual Carter AFB’s mounted on a special aluminum intake and sporting a more aggressive camshaft. This combination pushed the “409” to an amazing one horsepower for every cubic inch, hence the mighty “409” had four hundred and nine horsepower to make that “Impala SS” perform like its namesake!In 1962, many bowtie folks considered “Chevrolet’s Bel Air 409” the king of the street! The reason being that it was a street racer’s dream come true! The plain Jane Bel Air shared the same body as the Impala but hit the scale a few hundred pounds lighter than the fancy Impala and it could be had with the mighty “409” coupled to a four-speed transmission and a positraction rearend, all this for about three hundred dollars less than the Impala.The Chevrolet engineers weren’t done yet, in 1963 the “409” engine became even more mighty. There were three “409” versions available. The “409 stock version” engine which was more streetable, had a hydraulic cam, a single Rochester Quadrajet carburetor and put out 340 horsepower with a low 10.0:1 compression ratio for those folks that wanted the mighty “409” but not the issues that went with the more muscular solid lifter high performance engine. Next in line was the “409 high compression” engine, which had an 11.0:1 compression ratio and a single Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetor; it produced 400 horsepower and 425 foot-pounds of torque. The third “409” engine option, also had 11.0:1 compression ratio and two Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetors, which produced 425 horsepower and had 425 foot-pounds of torque.Another special drag racing version of the 409 was also available in very limited supply in 1963. The Z11 unit had a special aluminum block, aluminum heads, and a longer stroke, which pushed the 409 to 427 cubic inches with a 13.5:1 compression ratio that produced 430 horsepower and 435 foot pounds of torque but purportedly produced much more horsepower than the rated output. This engine was dubbed the “Mystery Motor.” This race engine was produced for special order 1963 RPO {Regular Production Order} Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupes.These special order RPO factory drag race ready models touted special aluminum body parts, including aluminum hoods, fenders, bumpers, brackets, and other various lightweight components to lighten the load. A special cowl induction air intake system to provide more air to the dual Carter AFB carburetors was also installed on the RPO Sport Coupes!A controversy still exists as to the exact number of the RPO race ready Impala Sport coupes produced; the accepted numbers are between 50 and 57 of these lightweight street monsters being produced. The car was capable of mid to high ten second jaunts in the quarter mile.These factory racecars were popular with famous A/FX drag race masters such as the team of engine builder “Grumpy” Bill Jenkins and driver Dave Strickler. The famous A/FX team of Sox and Martin campaigned a Z11 Impala as their matchrace car, which they billed as the “World's Fastest Z-11,” which regularly tripped the quarter mile lights with ET’s in the low 11.20s. The 1964 “409” models offered the same options as the 1963 units.The 1965 “409” only offered two options, the low compression 340 horsepower model with the single four barrel Rochester Quadrajet, and the high compression 400 horsepower unit with a single Carter AFB carburetor. Gone was the monster “409” 425 horsepower engine.The “409 Era” ended in 1965 when the next generation big block engine was announced in the form of the Mark IV big block “Turbo-Jet 396” cubic inch engine, which was first available in the 1965 Corvette.The Beach Boys famous song sums up the great run Chevrolet’s famous “409” experienced as well as anyone could in their tribute tune to the tire scorching street beast with some of their memorable lyrics which are included here!She’s real fine my 409When I take her to the track she really shines(Giddy up giddy up 409)She always turns in the fastest times(Giddy up giddy up 409)My four speed dual quad posi-traction 409Nothing can catch herNothing can touch my 409!
