Pre-planning the 440 engine install in my Challenger this winter. Curious if anyone has installed a 440 in one with the hood on? Motor only, no trans. . .or does the hood NEED to come off?

Never done an E body myself, But A bodies several times

You'll need a load leveler and time. Also you might have to use something to get the hood up all the way. There's usually some sloppininess that lets it droop enough to interfere.

Good luck!

Oh yeah, be sure you can roll your hoist. Gravel or dirt makes the job tougher, if not impossible.

I install the engine from the bottom with the K frame like the factory, but if you are doing it from the top with the engine only it would be near impossible to do it without taking the hood off.

Factory installed engine and k frame from bottom. Hood was on and painted already. So yes it can be done. But not from the top. I don't think there is enough clearance to get engine dropped into position with hood on. You need some way of hanging the engine from engine crane (cherry picker). That alone will add a few inches.

I don't know about a big block, but my buddy and I just did a small block pull out-and-back in with the hood on my Challenger. I removed the "brain hook" from the hood for added clearance. Used a regular cherry picker with no leveler. Lifted the engine slightly, slid the picker back a little, and repeated the process til the engine was out. Took about 10-15 minutes for removal, and the same for the re-install.

Thanks for the input guys. I would have liked to have done the install by lowering the body over the engine with K frame assembled together but went ahead and left the K frame in. Car is painted now and the hood was a bear to get lined up. Guess I will just have to take some good measurements, makes some marks and remove the hood and touch up the bolt heads after motor is in.

I know it's possible with small block in an A body. Done that one a couple times.

I thought maybe without the intake on, just the heads you could keep the chain tight and things low enough to do the motor without removing the hood. But all in all it may be better to just take the hood off and do motor and tranny all one shot deal.

The only way I would install a motor now days is from the bottom.

It's so much easier

Last E body big block install that I did was with the hood on. The lift chain has to be as close to the intake manifold as possible and it will just clear the hood.

Just put in the bare block in and build the engine in the frame like a diesel truck.

Removing the k member sounds like the safest way to avoid damage to the paint.