th other day i asked if a 440 that in my shop has a steel crank. i thought it was a 78 model. after runnin #s i found that it has J440T on the id pad. which is a 73 model. it has a steel crank. do these come with the industrial or 6 pack rods. or is that just a chance thing. how do id them

I have a'73 that came with 6 pack rods and steel crank..You'll know just by looking at 'em cuz they are the heavyest(?) rods I've ever seen. Even had a double row factory timing chain.

Not at all unusual to have internal balanced forged shafts with the heavy 6 pack type rods. Seen alot of them OEM.

MA MOPAR did some strange things, I had a 73 and a 76 truck engines, the 73 had 6pak rods and cast crank, the 76[which is the engine I am using in my DART]had a steel crank and LY rods,engine was untampered with, had only 21,000 miles so I know it was factory. I have seen steel cranked engines in several instances from 73 and on...strange but true

well to give an update. even though the engine is says 73. the heads say 3769902 which are made in 74. the engine only has 30 thousand on and im pretty sure its hasnt been tampered with. all original. now for the good part. it came out a 78 model RV. i think mopar just took what they had left and lyin around and made it work for the application. no assembly lines on motor builds. atleast for the last couple of years of the big blocks.
my dad bought a 440 from a guy one time that was supposedly never rebuilt. it look like an old motor so it was beliveable. just greasy u kno. we pulled it apart and i noticed the piston were heavy. the cast crank had added materilal and was internally balanced. i brought the pistons to a machinest and he told me they were forged. NOW i have heard that certain applications came with forged slugs. but i find it hard to belive. if its true or not, the engine was standard bore and my machinest said all the parts looked like factory work. like its never been to a machine shop. (not sure how he tells.) but everythign was standard. what i found weird is the motor had no numbers. the id pad had 440 and thats it. nothin on the side. no casting #s. are you ready to cry. my dad got pissed one day because of all the junk we brought to the house and halled it off for junk iron.

Forgot to mention: mine also has J440T on the pad.

Same here...... Motor home engine for my stroker project .
43000 miles .
block was stamped as a 73 , heads were 74 .
6 pack rods , steel crank , windage tray .
complete with tranny it had the normal car tailshaft on it also .

...a windage tray AND a "car type" tailshaft ? in a truck package ..

This is probably the best-case example of odd-ball combos that Ma Mopar has put together !

Yep, I have seen all these combos before, there's a 73 motorhome[van type-snub nose 1 1/2 ton] with a 440-steelcrank,reg tranny for car or trk, none of that funky waterpump/weird heads stuff,does have a thermoquad with 54,000 miles,needs fuel pump, went and checked it out,put gas in it, runs good, in good shape, guy wants 750 bucs for it, has good title,put a fuel pump on it and drive it home...in Missouri...think I will try to deal him out of it, also has a 3.54 dana rear...if I pass on it will post it.......

Hey guys ... To maybe do a better job at clarifing me-self ...

What I mean by a "motorhome" is the long-wheelbase truck chassis. NOT a van-front type.

Not to hi-jack but, is their a market for the motor home parts not used. I just picked on up. Complete 440.Industrial block. 40,xxx original miles. Goin in my 78 1ton. No need for the motor mounts,exhaust manifolds, A/C pump or P/S pump,Cruise control....Engine is out of a later 70's but TQ is closer to 73.

Vinny