First hello to all mopar gys! New member here longtime mopar nut.

Needing some help picking some parts for my race truck. Rules in my class allow me to run a big block. It must have OEM heads(they check for casting numbers) any mod to heads. Hydraulic cam must pull 14" of vacum at 1000 rpm. Stoke can be no more than 3.915. No nitrous or forced induction. Single carb. Other than those restrictions its open to mods.

I have a 440 with factory steel crank. Have some 906 and 452 heads. Want to stay with this crank because of budget. Also thinkin about some 915 closed chamber heads. Plan to keep it under 6700 rpm. Help me put these chebbys and fords on the trailer!!!!!! So what would you guys build?????

Also need a recommendation on a good mopar engine shop near AR.

Yep that name rings a bell! I forgot about them. They are at the other end of the state from me. The 3.91 stroke 7.100 rod and KB pistons is the same I've been thinking. Haven't seen any other shelf pistons for that combo. I'm lost on camshaft! Maybe cheat a lil and go solid lift?? But the duration to get 14" of vacum at 1000 has got me. As for intake probably go with the performer rpm and 850 mighty demon.

The racing is horseshoe mud racing. Track shaped like a horseshoe about 900' long. Truck is a 2002 dodge ram 1/2 ton 4x4. Trans is full manual 727 stall yet to be determined. Tire height of 35" and 9.65 gearing. Not a typo we run in low range!

Offset grind factory crank to 3.915. 915 closed chamber heads. Dunno how small of cam that takes but I know a roller has tons more vacuum.

The following is what I would try and build if budget is wide open. Obviously you will have to pick and choose what will fit on a $$ to hp basis for your budget. If the rules don't say what the lash setting has to be, my idea is go with a bigger race lobe roller than you figure will give you the required vacuum. Then run a large amount of lash for the vacuum test, if you have time to get back to your pit spot to reset it and don't get checked again. On the lash idea, if you never have to go beyond say 1500 to 2,000 rpm to get to the testing area, you should be able to get away with as much as .050 to .060 lash? If you will be checked, you can still get away with some extra lash, depending on rpm. I read that Paul Rossi used to run as much as .040 on his SS motors back in the day. This will allow some serious duration and lift numbers when reset for the race, or as is on the lash setting. A set of high ratio rockers on the intakes should help as well.
On heads, it depends on whether they allow Mopar replacement heads or not. There are some good heads sold as replacements for SS drag classes, may be the hot ticket. Which ever head you go with, get the piston to chamber clearance down to .040 for best results. Whether you choose the large or small port heads is going to be a factor in what final size bore you can run with the 3.91 stroke.
If you can get a megablock approved, then the cubes go up significantly and you can go as big as a 512 cubic inch motor at 4.560 bore. The more cubes you run, the more head you can use, and the more ultimate hp you will have. If you stick with stock production heads, the 906 heads are crack prone. Go with another number. 1971 and later heads are all good choices once you get into porting them.
The first step is to figure exactly how big of a motor you can build with what you want to spend. Next I would call at least three cam companys to see what they say about cam selection, and don't forget to address the lash idea, and have a good idea of the max rpm you think you will run at.
Will you be allowed E85? You can run a lot of compression if you can run it.
There are so many Super stock type tricks you can employ to get better performance out of the best combo, way beyond my knowledge. If you can find a good SS or stock class engine builder, that will be a big help.
You can obviously spend a big chunk of $$ if you want to, just a matter of how far you want to go with it. The best competitors may have some high $$ stuff, and it is no fun to bring a knife toa gun fight. So very careful planning is priority one.

Budget is a lil tight, but building this for next year so a piece at a time and maybe I can get some choice parts. I can run E85. Can run any cast iron block but limited to 477 CI. I had thought about the Mopar max wedge replacements as they have casting numbers. Would the large ports be too much for a 470ish motor?? Are there any other Mopar heads that have casting numbers? A lot of racers are running hydraulic cams with the rhoads V-max bleed down lifters. They do help with vacum. Vacum is checked before race and the top 5 trucks are checked as they come off the track, so you can not readjust your valves. There is also a tear down-protest rule.

A wide LSA gives a better vac reading but that same
cam is softer on the low end...VS a tighter LSA cam

Stroke to 3.91 and run a 2.200 X 7.100 rod to get the piston as light as possible, zero deck and I'd definately go to the 67' 915 closed chamber heads over a 906 or 452 if you have to run a production casting.

What about the aluminum 452 head mopar sells, basically a straight plug ede head.

Doesn't that head have a casting number in it?

Heads can not be aluminum.

Ok I guess I should have done this to start with! But here is the engine rules

Camshaft Swaps permitted. Only Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft and Lifters Are permitted. Camshaft and Lifters Must Be Hydraulic. Hydraulic Lifters Cannot Be Altered. Hydraulic Rollers prohibited. Ceramic Lifters Allowed.

Must Pull no less than 14" of Vacuum at 1,000 RPMs. Vacuum Devices prohibited.

Maximum Cubic Inch Small Block = 412 CID.

Maximum Cubic Inch Big Block Cubic = 477 CID.

Maximum Over Bore permitted from OEM specifications  0.100”

CRANKSHAFT STROKE:

Small Block Motors: May Be Stroked or De-Stroked from factory specifications.

Big Blocks Motors: Stroking or De-Stroking from factory crankshaft stroke specifications more than Plus or Minus (+/-) 0.015” prohibited. The only exception to the above rules is Big Block Chry 440 engines. Chry 440 engines – maximum stroke = 3.915”.

CRANKSHAFT: Aftermarket Crankshaft Permitted.

PISTONS: Any Aftermarket Pistons Permitted.

BLOCK: Any Cast Iron Block Including Aftermarket Block permitted.

RODS: Any Aftermarket Rods permitted. Aftermarket Rod Bolts permitted.

CYLINDER HEADS: Any OEM Production Cast Iron Heads permitted. Any Modifications permitted. GT40 & Chevy Vortec Heads permitted. Aftermarket Heads (Ex: Dart, Brodix, World Product, Mopar Performance, Bowtie, SVO, etc.) Prohibited.

   NOTE:

Must Have Identifying Casting Numbers Located on Cylinder Head.

ROCKER ARMS: Any Aftermarket permitted. Screw-In Studs & Guide Plates permitted.

INTAKE: Any Aftermarket Intake permitted, except Tunnel Ram Types & Sheet Metal Intakes. Grinding, Porting, Polishing, or Port Matching permitted.

ALLOWABLE PARTS: Double Roller Timing Chains, High Velocity Oil Pumps, Racing Oil Pans, and Pick-Up Screens, Up-Graded Fasteners. Oil Coolers Are Allowed.

No Aftermarket On-Board Computer and/or Analysis Equipment Allowed at Any Time.

 
Carburetor:

Any Single, Small base Carburetor Permitted. Maximum throttle bore size 1.750”. Multiple Carburetors Prohibited

Short of a max-wedge head a 915 should be the best one for your deal. Run right up to the 477 limit with a 7.1 rod. Run a real tight quench and flat top piston then mill the heads to get as much compression as you can and run e-85. If you have to run a flat tappet look at the Comp XE HL lobes and some 1.7 rockers. Get a real good quality lifter and not a rhodes as they will still be colapsing at higher RPM with the spring preasure the mopar rate cam and 1.7 lifters. A SS type lifter desighned with the C-clip in the top and lash set to zero or mabey .005 lash should be able to keep the valves under control and do a good imitation of a solid.

Comp cam to think about
http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=632&sb=2

I have looked at that cam. XE285HL 285/297 545/545 110lsa. Think it will get me 14" of vacum at 1000 rpm????? Any opinions on a gapless second ring set??? Also opinions on hughes roller rockers??

I would not bother with a gapless second, however, a gapless top seems to be good for a little more vaccume @ idle.

I don't know about the rocker arms.

Ok here is what I have in mind.
440 block 40 over
Icon pistons 1.66 CH aprox 11.3
3.915 stroke
7.100 H beam rod
915 ported stainless valves 2.14 1.81
Comp cams XE285HL 285/297 545/545 110LSA
1.6 roller rockers
Performer rpm intake
850 cfm carb prob on E85

This would be legal in the class I will be racing.
Anybody care to guess a HP number???????

All depends on the quality of head porting.I would hazard a guess of 550hp.

More thoughts on heads. The stage V mopar cast iron heads will be your best starting point for a small port head. The other option is what cast iron replacement heads does ma mopar offer in large port. The good engine builders on this sight will know what is better, but I lean to the small port for best torque and the ability to set the port window to a little larger size if it will help. These heads meet the cast iron, factory numbers rules.
A lot of the build will revolve around the final rpm the valve train will allow, combined with cam selection. Good luck on the build, hope you can dyno it and post it here.

following Gregs thoughts, If the the Stage V cast iron is legal it is an open chamber but can be milled to nearly a closed chamber (or use a quench step piston) and the ports have a bit higher roof and a better short turn so (in the right hands) with a 2.19" intake valve they probably have a bit more flow potential than a 915/906/452, mildly ported (se the tech archives) they flow a little better than OOTB edelbrocks, so going full tilt they could possibly flow in the 300+ range with less work/$$$ than a 40 yr old production casting.

Take some hints from the FAST guys, there's a few mid-high 11 cars running production manifolds, I don't know if they still police idle vaccuum but I'd go agressive on the lobe profiles and put the duration, centers and ICL where you need them to get the idle vac. A dual plane like the big indy will give you as much or more flow than you need (more potential than the RPM) and will naturally pull more idle vac than a single plane.

The heads must have production casting numbers. Does anyone know if the stage V have production casting numbers???? I can't find any info on this. I was thinking the indy dual plane was max wedge port???

Answered my question bout the indy intake. It is standard port. Still havent found anything on the stage V having casting numbers or not.

So I'm back with more ideas! Please give your input on this combo.
470 400 block 33 over
3.91 stroke
6.700 rod
Ross 14cc dome comp 13.5
518 max wedge heads
1.6 rockers
Cam 245/251 @50
570/576 110 lsa
Indy 400-2 4150 intake

I would go with the comp pro magnum lifters, they are designed to act like a solid- giving you more rpm capability.
Too bad you're far from here, my brother and I were talking about selling his 63 max heads, they made 750 horse, ran low 9s-8? in a tube daytona.
The ports on them make my -1 ports look like 516s.
And, IIRC, they have 64 cc chambers