Block ID Help

[rcurrier44]

Can anyone ID this block. I am going to have a hard time getting to the block casting #'s because its in a LCF truck and the rear 1/3 of the engine is under the firewall. The heads look about the size of BBC heads but they have a pair of funny dips in the outside of the valve cover. Every BBC valve cover I

remember seeing had been a rectangle. It is in a 1960 2.5 ton with a SM420 behind it. It is a V8 and the valve covers have chevy stampings on them. Here are a couple pics.

Thanks
ROB

 

[rcamacho]

http://www.mortec.com/wmotor.htm

Looks like an old 348 or 409

 

[rcurrier44]

Now I'm thinking its eather a 348 or a 409. Anyone got some info on these engines.

EDIT: Thats funny...I found that site and posted the same exact time as you.

 

[darkshadow]

cool site *book mark*

its a nice truck cool tow rig

 

[diesel4me]

She's so fine my 409!!

Its definately a 348 or a 409!!--no mistaking the "W" shaped valve covers!--I scored a 348 out of a 1958 GMC oil delivery truck at a local boneyard for 150 bucks about 8 years ago!--it was a two ton(or bigger)truck too,had a clark 5 speed coupled to it,and a 2 speed axle...it had a real wierd water pump,it looked like a windmill tower,the fan was about I foot higher than the crank!..

A friend of mine bought a 1963 GMC fire engine from another junkyard in my area,he was going to make a ramp truck out of it--It was a nice truck with all chrome grill,bumpers,etc,and it had a 409 in it(the main reason he loved the truck!)--but after he started getting prices for parts for the 409, he decided to sell it to a guy who was restoring an old Impala and needed a date correct block(and he sold it for more than the entire truck had cost him!)--he ended up using a 366 motor from another box truck he got for peanuts--he usec it two months and another guy bought it for 3500 bucks!--he made out pretty well,but admits he wished he'd kept it,and fixed the 409 up...

 

[rcurrier44]

Hey thanks for the info and stories. I found this site http://www.348-409.com lots of good info there.

Yep I'm getting a pretty sweet deal on it. I pull everything I want (body/engine/tranny) and he runs it to my shop on his trailer....all for the price of an 18 pack of bud light.

I just wish I could find a deal like that on a d60 for my wheeling rig.

 

[stano]

Check also, some of those trucks had a 6 quart pan??????

 

[3 on the tree]

a friend of mine back in Oklahoma took a 409 block, turned down a 454 crank and dropped it in, gave him like a 468. Pistons are high cause they have a slanted top on them, kinda like a diesel-if I remember right almost no combustion chamber in the heads, its in the piston top

 

[diesel4me]

I hope its not cracked.....

The 348 and 409 motors had a lot of problems with cracks in the sides of the blocks near the freeze plugs--almost all of the ones I have seen had theese cracks,they were external cracks that didnt allow any anti-freeze into the crancase,it just leaked out of the outside of the block,some didnt leak at all but you could see the hairline cracks--most of the guys I saw with them just used some radiator sealer to seal them up,and had no further problems...not trying to piss on your wheaties,those are good motors,just wanted to let you know they sometimes have this dilema--I wish I could trade a case of beer for one!--I sold the 348 I had after it sat under my workbench for 4 years,a guy restorting a 59 Impala gave me 400 bucks for it,and itdid run,but needed to be rebuilt after sitting that long.I almost put it in my 82 Cabalaro,but decided it was too much work...

 

[rcurrier44]

Thanks for the tip. I'll look for cracks in those places.

I've always wanted a dual carb setup in this project truck so if the engine checks out alright I think I will use it with an OFFENHAUSER intake.

But first I'll see if I can get it running. Will probubly soak the cylinders in ATF; then drain the oil, pull the distributer and pump some desil thru it to try and clean it out. Probubly pull the carb and soak it in carb cleaner for a bit to clean/devarnish it. Then drop it into an extra rolling chassis I have out back and see if it will fire. The truck was bought at an auction and driven about 70 miles back to ware it sits before the rear end was pulled out to be used in another rig. My budy says it ran great and had lots of power when he drove it there years ago.