Hello all,
I have just bought my first Mopar a 1971 Doge Challenger and can’t stop smiling when I look at it.
I have been reading previous post to learn as much as I can; but not everything answers my concerns.
The car: 71 Challenger with a 318, power steering, AC, and power brakes with and front disks conversation already done, 741 rear not sure of the gears.
What I want to do with this car is to upgrade the overall performance not sure to what a 360 or the 440. Cost is defiantly a factor in this build. I have found some 360’s with a 727 and some 70’s RV 440’s with a 727 and their prices are comparable. I need to know what each one would need to work in my car and a guess on the cost of each build. My main goal is to make sure a stock mustang couldn't touch this car.
Thanks

well my heart says 440 (i'm a big block guy) but the 360 will still do it, far fewer headaches, readily available parts, and less $$$! i'm sure all the small block guys will agree.

You need to change your Mopatrs name to a more suitable one is the first thing you need to do.

Jonny Vette is a nick name my friends gave me. I have owned corvettes since I was 16 and I still love them. But when I decided I wanted a muscle car and after doing some research Mopar just seemed to be the epitome of muscle. So not sure of changing my name but I think the challenger will be getting more of my attention than the vetts that I have.

Sure will. I would drop a 340 or 360 in the car if you are on some what of a budget. Its alot of work changing over to a big block. My stroker 340 has over 525 HP and 550 Torque. Need anything more then that?

Jonny, is that car blue with a blue interior?

Build a big small block or Trick out a Mag motor with a 518 & a low set of gears
Your budget is your limit

Small block MoPars are nice for A bodies (Darts, pre-70 Barracudas, Dusters, Demons, Valiants, etc) and you can make them run real hard pretty cheap.

But you bought a MoPar for a reason and you didn't buy an A body. MoPar's legend isn't based in small blocks, no matter how many small block guys come on here and tell you how their 340 Duster cleaned up on the street. Build a 440 and you wont regret it.

Everyone always says its a lot of work/expensive to change to a big block, but in my opinion it really isn't. You need a big block tranny. SO WHAT? You need to do some type of performance build to your existing tranny anyway, and a core 727 isn't expensive (find an earlier 440 C body unit, it should have beefy internals). Or go the mail order complete tranny route. Either way you have a 904 which is great when you fill it with aftermarket parts for drag racing, but for a durable street/strip unit that can reuse mostly stock parts a 727 is where is at. So the tranny is a wash.

Alright, so now you need a radiator. You're probably purchasing headers and an aftermarket exhaust anyway, so no lost expense changing the exhaust. You MAY need to lengthen the coil wire. And you will need the alternator and power steering pump brackets for a big block as well as the pulleys.

So a radiator, pulleys, and alternator and power steering pump brackets are all that I see as being additional costs that you wouldn't have incurred otherwise. Its literally a bolt in deal with the correct engine brackets and the big block 727. Fidlerfingers power numbers are impressive, but its a stroker, and probably has aftermarket heads. How much $$$ does he have in it? You can reach similar numbers with a pretty basic 440 for probably cheaper. Also, on a small block, the distributor is in the wrong place (back of engine). The intake manifold on a big block doesn't flow antifreeze, which makes life easier. And on a small block and the water pump/timing cover setup is just stupid, and it angers me that both Chrysler and Ford managed to reached the same stupid consensus on how the front of an engine should come together. BUILD A BIG BLOCK.

Read this thread and keep in mind that low compression 440s can be found for between 500 and 750 bucks pretty easy as a starting foundation. Sometimes (but not often) quite a bit less, sometimes more.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...&PHPSESSID=

Depends on the goal,a "stock mustang" can mean most anything. I'd build a strong streetable 408ish cube small block,but for a few $$$ more you could get the same result or better with a big block. Your choice. How bout a stock iron headed pump gas 446" bb in a 3700lbs run mid 10's and drives everywhere on pump gas? http://www.jsiskphotos.com/Cars/Holly-Sp...8&k=bqrX4CH

For that a small block would be easy to do.A 4" stroker kit(no eagle cast crank!!) with either EQ or edelbrock heads mild ported,10 to 1 comp,edelbrock performer RPM intake,headers(any that fit),750 holley,3.73 gears,3000+ converter,camshaft(depends on if you want hyd,hyd roller ,flat tappet),but something 230@.050=240@.050 108-112 lsa .525-.560 is very mild and very easy to attain low 12's or BETTER.

The 360 platform will work great. I'd look for the 88-92 360 hyd roller block to start a build like this.

I prefer small blocks.http://www.jsiskphotos.com/Cars/Holly-Springs-2-Day-Brackets/22598004_SV3ngn#!i=1809247439&k=8gc7Bcq

Had a 340 in my 70,droped in a 440 very easily. my 440 has way more low end grunt for the street and looks awesome in my e body.