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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Tree-planting event at Ashland Creek Park will celebrate Arbor Week Community meeting highlights solar issues in Oregon Poet laureate joins art lovers in Medford Lights, camera, action: Film fest underway Deputy Chief O'Meara named interim chief of APD Education Bracing for Common Core Ashland Kiwanis recognize Lillian Huang Chautauqua series brings author Jane Hamilton to Ashland Ashland Runs on Volunteers: OLLI classes pay dividends in joy of teaching, learning New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Environment Lots to celebrate at SOU Arbor Day rites Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. 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Enyart Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Hits just keep on coming Ashland readies for Pacific Rim Bowl Baldrica sets pace for AHS girls SOU women's hoops coach Kennedy leaves to take Portland State job Brent St. Germain: Baseball’s intriguing teams High school Hits just keep on coming Baldrica sets pace for AHS girls Ashland High events postponed to today Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia AHS softball team routs Churchill Southern Oregon University Baldrica sets pace for AHS girls SOU women's hoops coach Kennedy leaves to take Portland State job SOU-OIT softball games moved to Wednesday Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Voices Latest Stories Our View: Ashland is prepared, Firewise Jeffrey Gillespie: Ditching the Western burka Guest Opinion: Fremont cottonwood is not a hazard Arthur I. 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Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Kent Bush: Facebook isn’t going anywhere Editor's Notes: Ashland Community Hospital is on the mend — and then some Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Community blog: Submit a poem Best Bets, April 9-16 Rhythm is on tap at the Northwest Percussion Festival Community blog: Get a poem a day A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Theater Ticket Availability Ticket availability in Ashland theaters, April 7 Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Music The Farr Side: Is Kelly Clarkson’s weight truly news?  Rhythm is on tap at the Northwest Percussion Festival The Farr Side: No Zayn Malik? 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Community meeting highlights solar issues in Oregon ... Poet laureate joins art lovers in Medford ... Tree-planting event at Ashland Creek Park will celebrate Arbor Week ... Community meeting highlights solar issues in Oregon ... Poet laureate joins art lovers in Medford ... Cars We Remember: Car lover knows his 348/409 engines By Greg Zyla More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Greg Zyla More Content Now Posted Apr. 6, 2015 @ 8:15 am By Greg Zyla More Content Now Posted Apr. 6, 2015 @ 8:15 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Q: Hi, Greg, I’m very much enjoy with your Cars We Remember articles, so thanks for being a great, well-informed writer! I’m a 70-year-old “car nut” myself and paid close attention to cars since 1955 up through 1963. The reason I’m writing, other than to thank you for your columns and clearly being an “old car nut” yourself, is to comment about a partial error you made in your article titled “She’s Real Fine My 409 (until the 396).” Part of what you wrote says, “Originally intended for truck use, the 348 … .” However, Chevy’s 348 engine was in fact designed for both cars and trucks, right from the beginning. In Robert Genat’s excellent book “Chevrolet SS” dated 2000, he interviewed Dick Keinath, who was one of the Chevy engine engineers who designed the 348. Keinath makes it clear that the 348 engine was designed and produced as a bigger, more powerful engine than the 283, for use in passenger cars as well as in trucks. In fact, a design requirement was that the 348 had to fit within the same engine compartment as the 283 (which would not have mattered for big trucks, but sure did matter for passenger cars). Many automotive writers over the past decades have made the same statement — that the 348 was made for truck use — and too few writers ever state (and may not know) that the 348 was also intended for passenger car use from the beginning. Also, you probably know Chevy’s first 409-inch engine of mid-year 1961 started out for cars only. But many people don’t know that, starting in 1962, Chevy also made a detuned version — much lower compression, with a two-barrel carb — for the bigger trucks. Also, I recently read an article in which an automotive writer stated “all 409 engines came with chromed valve covers.” I’m sure you know he is wrong: Neither the ‘61 nor the ‘62 409s had chromed valve covers! Thanks again for being a great writer and keeping us all entertained! Sincerely, Phil Brown, Somersworth, N.H. A: Phil, you’ve made my week! Thank you very much for your letter and very kind words. I love what I do, and always do my best to make sure my facts are correct. As for that 348, they sure were intended for cars and trucks, and found fame and fortune for Chevrolet as it grew into the big 409 in 1961. The problem with checking and double checking all the “facts” are that many books and websites clearly state the engine “was originally intended for trucks,” which is incorrect. Thanks for the information, as it is now clear that the 348 indeed did have a “car use” DNA. I remember when I purchased a complete 1958 348 with tri-power from a junkyard for an unbelievable $25 back in 1985. The guy who sold it to me, Joey Borich, went on to become a big winner on the Central Pennsylvania “Posse” sprint car circuit. He and his dad had a wrecking yard between Shamokin and Sunbury, Pennsylvania, where we all went when we needed parts. I ended up selling the engine for $250 to drag racer/collector car enthusiast Lou Drayer, who raced a short wheelbase Chevette with a powerful small block at Beaver Springs Dragway in Pennsylvania. He still competes to this day in that same, very fast car. Today, just the tri-power carbs with intake manifold is worth over $1,000, but Lou told me he, too, sold the engine before it was worth so much money. In ending, you are also correct about those early 409 engines, and the fact the chrome valve covers were not standard by any means. From when I opened the hood on a red 1961 409 Impala, it did not have chrome covers. Neither did the 1962 409s, but in 1963 I did see 409 chrome valve covers. I also remember one of our school buses in Vineland, New Jersey, was powered by a 409 with a two-barrel carb. Thanks again for your excellent letter. Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader questions on auto nostalgia, collector cars and old-time racing at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, PA 18840 or at [email protected]. By Greg Zyla More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Greg Zyla More Content Now Posted Apr. 6, 2015 @ 8:15 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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