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Original Message
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| RE: FE versus 409 Chevy |
| By gerry - 12/22/2000 1:51:43 PM; IP 208.217.67.189 |
It’s an interesting analysis, P. But it’s mostly an emotional argument.
For those who don’t understand the engineering of the Chevrolet 409, it is not remarkably different from most engines of the day, but was comparatively unusual in that the “W” (or as we now say “Dubya”) engine’s combustion chamber was in the cylinder rather than the head. If you can imagine that rather than the block’s deck being machined at the usual 45-degree angle to the crank it was machined at, if I recollect, a 37-degree angle. The cylinder heads were completely flat. The engine was at least competitive with anyone else’s offering and it was far from a dog. . It should also be noted regarding the W series that these engines had very large bores and relatively short strokes even in the last 427 version the Z11, and it was a very stout performer. But that’s where it left off because GM was well into the development of the Mark series of engines with the Mark IV going into production cars in the 1965 model year. There was no real motivation to further develop the W engine since it had been superceded by the Mark IV engine with a better, more traditional combustion chamber design and better flowing ports. It would be similar to Ford continuing racing development of the FE with the Lima 385 series well into production. The Mark IV, not the FE, killed the W.
Yes, the FE was an engine of legend…no question about it, and it enjoyed a much longer production and racing life than the 409/427, but I remember a few Pontiacs in those early NASCAR days out there whompin’ butt too. That doesn’t make them king or necessarily diminish the FE or anyone else’s powerplant.
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