By the early 1960s, the horsepower wars were in full swing among American automakers. As we discussed earlier this week, Ford’s FE big-block V8 was evolving, Pontiac’s Super Duty 421 was tearing up the strip, and Chrysler’s “Max Wedge” 413 was on the horizon. The 409, famously enshrined in song, was Chevrolet’s ace from 1961 to 1965, when it was phased out by the mighty 3-9-6 porcupine-headed Mark IV V8.
First, a brief background on where the 409 came from. This was the final evolution of the “W-Series” engine family, which began with the venerable 348 introduced in 1958 and took its name from the shape of its unique cylinder head design. Instead of a conventional-style combustion chamber recessed into the head, the 348’s heads were milled flat, and the block deck was milled at 74 degrees. Domed pistons resembling a gabled roof were used to cre …
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Author: bringatrailer
