![]() The overwhelming majority of the USA’s best drag racers ran a 409 in 1962-’63. (Imagine eight two- pound piston assemblies revving 6,400 rpm for many hours.) Short tracks-no problem. Despite heavy pistons due to cylinder head and combustion chamber design, this engine was highly competitive in everything except NASCAR long-track competition. The 1961-’65 high-performance 409 was a bored and stroked 348 with larger head ports and valves. The 315, 320, 335, and 350hp 348s in 1960-’61 continually put Chevys in the winner’s circle from coast-to-coast. But with more compression, a high-lift camshaft, tri-power induction, manual transmission and gearing, it became a certified high-performance torque monster capable of making over 300 horsepower to about 5,500 rpm- through factory stock exhaust. Yet when stuffed into a ’58 Impala with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, it wasn’t so great. The 348 was originally designed to be a heavy-duty truck engine capable of pulling tons of weight.
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