HP Reduction Request

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Mike Jones

Thanks, Mark
I thought two 4 barrel`s made it 425HP
Mike

Good friend of mine bought a new 1962 409 hp 409" 4 speed, Biscayne 2 Dr sedan. The '63 425 hp cars were no faster. Same carbs, etc. His '62 came with two head gaskets on each side. Little book that came with it telling you to remove the extra gaskets to race it.
Single head gaskets, nice fenderwell headers, Hurst shifter, 4.56 gears, slicks, he never did get that car into the 12s. But, he drove it like he was afraid we would tear it up. We street raced a lot then, I don't remember a 425 hp car outrunning him. I think the '62 was lighter?
The 409 409" came out in 1961. You had to "be somebody" to buy one. Local guy Jerry Weiderman had the only one around here. Jerry's claim to fame was winning the 1957 NHRA Nationals, which was held at Oklahoma City for a couple of years. Jerry won that with a red & white 1957 210 2dr sedan with the 283 hp fuel injected 283" engine, column shifted 3 speed. 4 speeds were not actually available in anything but a Corvette then.