The Fabulous "409"
'409" by the Beach Boys ('62)
She's real fine, my 409 . . .
She's real fine, my 409 . . .
Saved my pennies and I saved my dimes,
Before I knew there would be a time
When I would buy me a brand new 409 . . .
giddi-up, giddi-up, giddi-up 409 . . .
giddi-up, giddi-up, giddi-up 409 . . .
When I take her to the track, she really shines,
She always turns in the fastest time,
My 4-speed, dual-quad, pos-traction 409 . . .
giddi-up, giddi-up, giddi-up 409 . . .
giddi-up, giddi-up, giddi-up 409 . . .
Nothing can catch her, nothing can touch her . . .
409, 409, 409� . . .
The 409 CID Chevy Engine
What Was the "409?"
The 409 was basically an engine.� It was the 1958 348 CID (cubic inch displacement) bored and stroked to 409 CID.� The engine was built and was available from '62 through about '64.� It could be bought in the Impala or the Bel Air chassis.� The Impala looked better, but moonlight dragsters preferred the Bel Air because it had a lighter body.�
On dragstrips around the country, in stock class, the 409 was turning times of under 13 seconds, very good times for those days.�
The Beach Boys song describes a "dual-quad" 409, which would have been two 4-barrel Holly carborators.� A 409 with that kind of carboration would have really taken off.��
Fifty-seven 409 engines were further stroked by Chevy to a 427 configuration.� Shortly after manufacturing started, the model was cancelled.� The 57 cars built were sold to competitive dragsters, who really made hay with that kind of power.� However, the issue was so few, they are really not very significant.
"My 4-speed, dual-quad, pos-traction 409 . . . "
--------------------------------------------Beach Boys
