Was investigating buying a turn-key motor from Carolina Machine Engines. I'm sure there are hundreds of pluses and minuses, but anyone have advice on which engine to go with for a street cruiser with a bit more power than pure stock?

Will be in a 1970 Challenger convertible

Comments on:
- fuel consumption between the 440 and 522?
- worth the extra money for the 522 stroker - really an improvement on torque?
- enough vacuum for brake booster?
- Would you run stock exhaust, or must run headers to get the power increase? What tube size?
- Other suggestions?

Thanks

522 will make more torque and at a lower rpm. If you can swing it I would go for it.

Fuel consumption, all else being equal (cam, heads, intake) mpg will be close, maybe 2mpg difference. But usually with a stroker comes a bigger cam, quite possibly better flowing heads and more fuel being blown out the tail pipe.

For a given cam, a 522 will make more vacuum than a 440.

I would run headers, they make more power, size would be dictated by your cam/head choices. For a 440 I would probably do 1-7/8 tubes and 2" for the 522. You can run manifolds but you will give up some power and cam choices to run best with manifolds are much more sensitive.

For a street cruiser rag top challenger, a stock stroke 440 will make all the power you want, but if the cost difference is close why not spring for the extra cubes!

You really do not give enough information for a valid comment on either engine.

But I will say this, fuel consumption and an RB are like water and oil, it'll suck regardless of which one you chose.

Carolina Machine Engines lists 5 different 440's and 4 different 522's.

how much are they wanting for em? I've thought about the 440source 543 rotating assy but not sure if 100 extra cubes is worth $2250 (definitely not at the moment).

Which one?

http://www.cmengines.com/Engines/DynoTes...17/Default.aspx

My first question would be what are your intentions and do you really need a 522 ?

You have a convertible so I doubt you are building a drag strip terror and even with subframe connectors you have to think about tearing up the body. A 440 incher can easily get your car into the 11's at the track. The 522 will use more fuel unless you baby cam it and gear it really high, that's the reality of it. I also see stock exhaust as a cork in a stroker.
The 440 is really a great package in stock or lightly modified form. If you stroke it you will also want to buy aftermarket heads etc. to match everything up.
I've run 426 Hemis for years and with their huge heads the stroker is the missing link in making them a great package, 440 doesn't need the extra inches to be a balanced package, it is already.

Go big now and you won't regret it later.

THIS ^^^^

I can tell you this and that is my 493 eats alot more fuel then my old 440 did. Course it has a bigger cam and better heads but I do use the same carb on it. I had to jet up the carb alot also. Ron

To be more specific, was looking at their 440 Lopey or 522 Lopey to be sure I have enough vacuum for the brakes....please keep the recommendations coming......

I don't really "NEED" a 522, but since it's been off the road for 30 years, I don't want to be disappointed with "just" 420 HP +/-. Don't want to tear the convertible in half though.

Is 500 HP in an E-body convertible overkill for street cruising and flooring it occasionally, or is it too much?

Car came stock with 440, 4-speed and Dana rear (3.54 ratio)

Thanks

It will be a BLAST!!!

there's no such thing as overkill! Go big right now. EDIT you can build up or detune as needed later but get the cubes in there right now to have that potential at your disposal.

Sounds like what you want is a nice street cruiser. Build the 522. It doesn't need to be a Max effort build. What the additional stroke is going to do is give you a broad flat torque curve. This is what you're after in a ballsy street cruiser. I built a 512 just a couple months ago and kept it mild, but it pulls like a freight train all the way through. Go big now. You won't regret it.