I can get my hands multiple complete non running stock 440's for cheap. Some from c-bodies, others from motor homes. I think they all have 452 heads.

My car is a 71 B, and it has a PTC 3000 stall, 1 7/8" headers, and 4.10 gears. 727 auto.

If I disassemble and take the parts to the machine shop, is it possible to achieve 400+ hp and similar torque though block machining, mild head work and different cam on a $2000 budget? I would also be paying for the short block assembly

I know the flat top stocker pistons are limiting factor on cam lift, so if the block is zero decked, whats the most lift I can use?

All I can contribute is I was so impressed with Dulcichs 452 porting article that I am going to duplicate it (as best I can/no flowbench) as I have a set of bare 452's. It does take new 2.14/1.81 valves/new guides & checking/milling them flat (intake side also). I have a valve grinder. pushing me in that direction is I have some plateau pistons already, oh & you need to mill the open chambers flat/equal. I will (likely) sell my 915's (2.08/1.74 with new valves/guides, I need to finish the valve job) to recoup some money. Stealths might be the way to go, the alum saves weight, iirc there was an extensive thread on alum vs iron & the concensus was that there is no magic in alum but it does wick away heat faster & that lets you run a higher SCR/DCR tho heat is power so I'm wondering does the power bennie from the higher psi get negated from the heat loss ??? and is alum just a way to deal with a too high of psi that iron heads cant handle. reportedly stealths need the retainers/locks replaced and the guide clearance checked. maybe the big bennie of the stealths is a better bowl/port shape & I have no doubt it is significantly better, how much I dont know but I do have a set of bare super stealths on the shelf (plus their valves/required offsett (intake) rocker assys with the dreaded needle roller rockers. Just thinking out loud here and a BTT for ya since you werent getting any love on this Q

You won't get near zero deck with stock pistons. Stock rebuild with an approximately .500 lift hydraulic cam, your headers, decent ignition, and a swap meet intake and carb should easily get you past your target. If you already have a decent Holley or thermoquad then just buy a used Holley SD intake. With your converter and gear it will work great and still fit under your hood.

People are going to tell you how to build an engine that you can't afford. Remember, you don't need to build a 500hp engine if your target is 400hp.

400hp from a 440, thats kid stuff, BUT doing it for $2K is a biscuit...

Figure it this way..
$600 for a set of heads http://www.indyheads.com/images/laxmaxtaprice.pdf

then the block work, I pay $650 for cleaned, magged, bored, honed, cam bearings and brass freeze plugs installed, and they mount my pistons on the rods...

Cam and lifters are going to be $190ish (voodoo 2 or 3)

Call Falcon for the rest of the parts, tell them you are ordering a kit and want their best pricing, make it sound like you are shopping around...

Sealed power / speed pro pistons should be close to the weight of your stocks and with rings they will be around $350-$390

next is main and rod bearings $120

timing set $45

gasket set with valley pan $58

oil pump $70

now, you need to try and make sure you can reuse all of your bolts, your push rods, dizzy drive, fuel pump rod, etc because to replace that stuff can add a good amount to the build, I would at minimum replace the rod bolts for $45...

So that will total around $2150ish and you havent actually assembled the motor yet!!! PLUS if your crank needs to be turned, or or your dizzy drive is trashed, fuel pump rod is mushroomed, etc etc etc it is all going to add up, not to mention, if you cant find pistons to "about" match the ones that come out its costs $250-350 to balance a rotating assembly...


I don't think it is possible to build a fresh 440 for $2000, MAYBE if you get the machine work done SUPER cheap, score some parts, and have some good luck its possible, but you would be much better equipped if you saved another $1000-1500, I know its almost doubling the budget, but its probably not going to happen any other way...


PS: If you are interested my father has a machined 440 block, all ready to go for $700, but since we are on opposite sides of the country, it would probably not make much sense for you...

2K after you buy the engine? Put Stealths, Edelbrocks, or Trick Flows on it and a 240ish@.050 hydraulic that works with stock rockers, Eddy RPM intake, headers. It'll make 400 horse. 3000 stall and decent gears and it will haul.

If you can find stock pistons out of an early engine cheap just swing them in and go. They pop up from time to time.

There is a 400 with a 440 crank in it in the classifieds here for $1200 bucks, looks like a good motor, seller advises going through it. Check it out.

I'd go with that engine that ran 12.16 for 2K. Really, you're not going to build a fresh engine that will run anywhere near that fast for less than 4K if you include purchase of a core (unless you get a lot of good deals on used parts).

If you're not too used to tricked out big blocks that 12.16 will really impress you IMO.

Home port the heads. Simple and doesn't cost anything except time and a grinder. Someone posted the old porting templates recently, maybe in the tech section. Mill them if you can with a good valve job.

Old school 284/484 108 LSA cam installed at 100-102 with a new timing chain using the stock low comp piston. Get an cam you like cut on a tighter LSA and install it a bunch advanced, isky 230/480 would be another. The 284/484 can use stock style rockers, bonus!

Find a torker/street dominator/rpm intake and a 750-850dp.

Curve a stock electronic distributor and give it a lot of initial timing, total in the 36-42 range.

Hone the cylinders, new rings and oil pump.

Go beat the snot out of it!

Buy a running 440, a nitrous kit, and a helmet. Done! next question...

just kidding, lol... or am I?

Of course you can.. Anybody that says you cant....is....well...

The caveat is you will need to take ur time and buy good used parts when you have the chance...

Buying all new (off the shelf) stuff, no. Prob not gonna happen, but might.

My old racecar (in 1986) with a JY .030 440 with 6 pack rods & pistons (factory balance) stock port & valve 906 heads, .557 solid cam, Torker with Holley 850, 727 with a 340 converter, Dana 60 with 4.88s ran 12.0s NA and with a 125 NO2 shot 11.50s. The car weighed 3,800# with driver. I will do better with the new ride

Thanks for replies. I know there are tons of aftermarket and stock rods, pistons and cranks that are better than a stock 70's 440, my main question is can I re-use my stock rotating assembled and get my hp from machine work, head porting and cam. I don't want to buy parts that are more expensive than reusing my own.

YES
Come to a meeting of Mopars Unlimited Tacoma Chapter and ask a few questions.

Decent thread here

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/113561/1.html

Yep.

It's not going to have perfect ring seal, valve seal, or last lots of miles. but you just build for a little more HP to account for the little losses.

I ran a 9.82 in my Duster (440) with a .030 over TRW pistons, 906 heads, stock reworked rods, and a stock forged crank so YES 400 horsepower on a 2000 dollar budget is possible. And this was around 35 years ago.

I got it done for $2500 with what you have, BUT, my heads were already done and just needed a good cleaning, mag, cc and reassembly. I bought my carb and intake (RPM) used. I did mine with LY rods and stock forged crank and damper. H-Beams are overkill so I was told. I used KB pistons @ 9.5:1 and the Comp Cams XE274HD cam. Be careful on the intake choice. The RPM has clearance issues on most B bodies. I really had to work at getting it to fit, including losing the choke horn on my Holley. From what I have read, you can get there if you port your heads at home using the MP porting templates and have them machined for bigger valves and hardened seats. I've done the porting before. It's time consuming but not that bad.

A late 70's 440 is going to have pistons almost .150 , or maybe .170 , in the hole , you do not want to zero deck those pistons , it's going to cost more in machining the block that much , then heads and of intake to make it all fit together after hacking that much off the block , than it would to buy a set of 6pk pistons that are only .020 in the hole and have valve reliefs.

I'd look for something used that needs to be freshened maybe .

You could do it as Von suggests , buy used parts when you can ... but it sounds like you don't want to take a year to do this build , or do you ?

Plus it's a crap shoot buying someone else's used up junk ... and there is a lot of that out there .... being passed off as good and ready to go ...

Some good points here. I'll look for some pistons that are inexpensive. What piston height do I want to avoid milling too much off the block?

I've gotten 520 hp from a 9.5 late 440, if you use the templates the heads work good untill .560 lift.

I should have clarified....not necessarily used, but new, never used parts, at usually half of new.

I just saw a set of std 6pak pistons on either the BB parts for sale or the race parts For $100 + the ride. Not sure if used pistons are worth the risk (wait for guys to chime in on that) or what kind of shape thse are in but I wanted to toss it out there. iirc those pistons are very heavy but you can trim the pad on the rod small end (HF has a gram scale for less than ten dollars & it is just as accurate as my buddy's high dollar scale) & you need to get the rod C to C holes horizontally level for a legitimate reading and BB pins can be safely shortened 1/4" off each end with no issues (ex for lathe time) as the pins are bigger than needed even for a racing app so you might be able to get away WO rebalancing. Not sure if any of this is helpfull. Holler how it turns out for you/what plan you decide to go with/how it performs.