Re: Boat Anchors

[Joe C.]

Joe:

As you know, the Chevy "W" (348)engines were introduced for 1958, as were the Ford 352 engines. These later grew to 409 and 390, respectively, in 1961. Even though the Ford 390 engine produced more horsepower than the 409, the Chevy engine would become legendary.
The 409 was really the engine that escalated the horsepower wars. Chevy really dressed it up with solid lifters and topped it with dual quads. It was marketed as a "SHP" motor. As a lad, I lusted after a 1962 Impala SS 409.....preferrably in "Honduras Maroon".

Joe

[Joe L.]

Re: Boat Anchors

Joe-----

The Ford "FE" series engines did begin life in the 1958 model year. However, it was only available in 332 cid displacement that year. The 352 cid engine was released for the 1959 model year.

The first year for the 409 Chevrolet and the 390 Ford was 1961 as you mentioned. For that year, the 390 Ford was rated higher than the 409. However, that was the only year that the highest rated 390 eclipsed the highest rated 409 in horsepower----thereafter the highest rated 409 was always of higher rated horsepower than the highest rated 390.

The 390 Ford and 409 Chevrolet engines were, of course, manufactured in a variety of horsepower ratings. At the low end, they were pretty much just a medium performance engine. The 390 Ford was really only a high performance engine for the 1961 model year. After that, it was relegated to pretty much medium performance status for passenger cars as the 406 and 427 Fords assumed the high performance role.

The "zenith" of 409 performance was the 1963 model year when it was available in the 425 hp version. No Ford "FE" engine ever exceeded this rating.

[Mike McKown]

Re: Boat Anchors

Joe:

The FE 352 was released in 1958 as a four barrel 300 hp engine, available in Ford and Thunderbird. I think there was a two barrel version also. The 332 was available in two barrel only. I think the 406 was available in late '61. 401 hp, 3 x 2 carbs.

The '64 427 high rise engines were much more powerful than the standard dual quad engine. I think they were up around 500-550 hp.

HP ratings didn't mean a whole lot back then, they all capped them somewhere around 425.

The one 409 not talked about here is the Z-11 W series engine. A 427 version of the 409 with different heads, cam, intake and carb. Much stouter engine than the 409.

The fastest drag car of the bunch not mentioned either was the '63 421 Super Duty Pontiac Tempest. It'd run circles around the rest of them. Even won a circle track 250 mile race at Daytona, outruning the Mystery Engine Corvettes.

Where is Verne Frantz when you need him?