Jim, could you give me some specs on that engine? Is it a late 70s 440? Cast crank? 452 heads? What power/ET?
When I calculated about $4500-$5000 for a mild 440 build above, I assumed cleaned up, ported 452 heads.
The 408 builds I have looked into would likely require aftermarket heads (meaning $$$$) due to the crack issue with stock Magnum heads and the fact that you'd have to get the Magnum heads machined for LA-style intakes anyway.
1970 stock 440 out of a wrecked New Yorker (replaced the cam with a stock 440 Magnum unit in the late 1990s and did rebuild the heads a few years ago). Backed by an 18-spline four speed and 3.23 Sure Grip 8-3/4. We've never put the car on the track so I have no idea what 1/4 mile times would be. It FEELS quite a bit faster than my 340/auto GTS. Both cars are convertibles.
I pulled the motor out of the Fresno Pick-A-Part in 1994. It was still running well when we pulled it out of Jeff's Dart last year so that he could try to work on the body finally. The short block appears to have never been apart.
