I will be building my 440 soon and am in the process of finding and buying parts for it. So how does this sound, I am looking to make a little over 400hp.
What I have
-1976 Block .030" over
-Cast Crank .010" Under
-LY Rods
-Sealed power Cast 350P Pistons with a 1.990" comp. height, sold as 9.4:1
-Performer RPM intake
-HV oil pump
-Carter Fuel Pump
-Stock Rockers
What I plan to buy
-440 Source Heads
-ARP Main Bolts
-VooDoo 60303 Cam
-850cfm Holley Carb
-Maybe a steel shim head gasket to get slightly higher compression?
So how does this sound, should I be able to get over 400hp with this? Any advice?
Thanks

Sounds like a nice torque monster of a build, but are you staying with manifolds or going to headers?

I think you could get by a 750 or 800 cfm carb though, just my

Whats gears are in the rear? Stall converter or stock??

It will have headers and a 2.5" exhaust. Currently I have an 8-1/4" with 2.45 gear. When that blows I will probably go to 3.23 or 3.55. The converter is stock and I will probably replace that and rebuild the trans when the rear blows.

We build dozens like that but . consider stock heads for econo..use the cheapo Summit cam the 465 488 lift it is a BEAUTIFUL street cam and makes tons of torque --sounds bigger than it is and at $62 hard to beat--it will work good with those pistons and CR--we use the KB237 that gives more compression so you have to get your distributor curved JUST right and run premium pump swill--stock rockers are cool and trouble free--get NEW ones from Mopar Perf ( Marsh usually has some ) --a stock intake if you have one is great with that combo and will save some $$ and the hood will still close with any air cleaner--the Holley fuel pump is hard to beat --the Carters usually let the spring and lever pin fall into your oilpan before your first oil change-they USED to be good but now they %$#@! No need for a HV pump at all on that combo---750 Holley Vacuum or the Eddy Thunder series 800 is GREAT! It has 1 3/4 blades like everything else--the 800 is a WAG on their part--it is NOT too much for a mild 440 and they are cool right out of the box STAY AWAY from the Eddy 750's they %&#@ also! That thing will smoke tires and make over 400 HP easy as pie!! If you go with the Stealth heads a little bigger cam is fine and you will be amazed at the power for a streeter---my vote is 3.23's Ma Mopar put them in about...well near all of the big blocks because it is such a good combo--3.23 and you will drive and enjoy it more--3.55's and you will drive it less miles per year and you can always Bulb the other guy the diff the gear makes --right? Too many folks want a zillion HP on paper before they build--forget that --do a econo build and have a FUN cheap driver that will still MELT tires and with that extra $$ in your jeans you will be a happy camper in the long run--too many dragsters out there and not enough DRIVERS IMO-- Good luck!

Thanks, it came with the HV oil pump and the Carter fuel pump came with my car when I bought it three years ago. I might run my 670cfm street avenger on it for awhile until I save up for a 750. I also plan on taking the rockers and shafts off my 400 that is currently in my car.

Everything looks fine except for those el cheapo pistons with the low compression. You need to get up around 10.0 to 1 to make that 440 really run. Trust me on this one because I've had those exact same pistons and I burnt two of them with a little excessive timing. Again, the compression provided by these pistons and the low quality cast is not for the performance orientated build up.

Shoot for 10.5:1 or even 11:1 with those alumimun heads. They can handle more compression because they absord more heat.

I run 11:1 with a similar combo on pump gas. A TRW .140 dome piston and #60304 voodoo cam. Its a monster with a 2800 stall, 3.23 gears and a built 750dp. Run around 34 or 35 total timing.

Scrap those cast pistons and get yourself a set of KB237's and spring the $ for having your assy balanced and deck the block so the pistons are sitting at exactly zero deck so you can build for quench and have a bit more resistance to detonation.

I ran the 60303 with stealth heads, stock mid 70's low compression pistons and stock rockers/pushrods. Some claim the mid 70's rockers to be the same as the HD ones MP sells not the junkers the 60's motors came with. It actually ran quite well for what it was. The 60303 drives very tame on the street. Daily driveability was no worse than when I had the stock cam/heads on it in terms of idle quality, smoothness and throttle response. If I was doing it again, I would do the same but do the KB237's and mill the stealth heads a little to get up to the 11:1 compression mark and run the 60304 cam like old nasty is doing. I figure if the 60303 runs decent in my 7.8 compression 440, the 60304 should run awesome in a 10.5-11 compression 440.

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The 60303 drives very tame on the street. Daily driveability was no worse than when I had the stock cam/heads on it in terms of idle quality, smoothness and throttle response.

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What kind of vacuum do you have running the 60303?

I ran 12.90's in a 67 coronet with a 9:1 440 and the summit 488 cam. Good cam and cheap. your build sounds good. I'd get some gears at least 3.55's. A holley 750DP will work too. Buy one used and rebuild it. They are super easy to work on but run like a MoFo when you're done tuning.

Thanks for the advice.
I am most likely keeping the pistons, new ones aren't in my budget. I bought the block,crank, pistons, and rods already machined for $300 so I am trying to do this whole build on a budget. To raise the CR I think I am going to run the steel shim head gasket. The car will see the track maybe once a year.
Is there any good literature on assembling big-blocks out there?

I have this one by Don Taylor that seems pretty good.


http://www.amazon.com/Big-block-mopar-engines-Don-Taylor/dp/1557881901

The pistons will be fine.I used cast pistons in a few engines with no problems.My last 440 had cast pistons and ran 11.30's all day long.

If you go with the aluminum heads,you cannot use the steel shim head gasket.Use the Fel Pro gasket instead.

Thanks guy, the motor just needs new cam bearings put in then I will begin the build.
I can't use the steel shim gasket because of dissimilar metals. Is this correct?

Expansion rates are different between the two metals.Use the regular Fel Pro PT 8519 and it will be fine.

Factory uses a MLS type of gasket because of the same deal.

Several guys on here have reported success using the steel shim gasket with aluminum heads, if you give the gasket a good coating of permatex copper spray.

Thanks, I think I'll stick with a normal head gasket for now.
Does anybody know if the stock Stealth springs will work with the 60303 cam?