Hi, new to the forms here but got a very important question to start. got a decent budget to build myself a 500 stroker but wondering whats the best era block to build it with. Ive been told go with the mid to last 70s blocks and stay with the "B" for more strength but is that correct or is their anything wrong with going with a early late 60s model block that is "RB". any help here is greatly appreciated

You're fine with a 440 block or a 400 block. Year doesn't make terribly much difference. There were some small changes but guys have built strokers out of all of them so I wouldn't sweat it. How much power are you aiming for?

id really like to pull off 6-700hp

sorry should specify, never built a 440 before so this is new to me so the hp range is obviously large from a lack of experience on 440s, looking to build a 440 stroked to a 500 hopefully able to run on pump gas with a budget of 15-17k I'm hoping this is on the every high end and i can build it for more like 10 able to put more into the rest of the vehicle

Check out this write-up. Some good info on blocks

http://www.440source.com/blockinfo.htm

My son is currently running a 400 block stroked to 499 with indy heads and tunnel ram

There is a lot of information on here in the tech archives. Just look in the big block section and you'll find a ton of stroker articles.

You can also pick up a copy of my big block book by clicking on the link off the Moparts main page. That book should answer a bunch of your questions.

I also have a 505 inch stroker motor that is for sale at the moment. It makes 650 hp and is ready to go right off the dyno. The cost on it is well within your price range. If you're interested in that just drop me a PM.

After you look through the Tech Archive here, teh next thing to do is get a copy of Andy Finkbeiner's Bib Black Mopar book; amazon.com & others have it, or PM AndyF here.
There are a lot of things to consider, and Andy's book is a great guide.
Welcome to the board, by the way.

Im running a 500 stkr. used a 70s 440 block eddy victor max heads a crower solid cam 10 1/2 -1 pistons max wedge top end and 2 holleys, as soon as i finish the body ill try to get to a dyno ,but i think its running about 550-600 hp.

got a few pms that were very helpful as well thanks guys, another quick question, whats the easiest way to identify between a rb and b block style 440?

All 440's are RB. RB's have a machined pad with some numbers stamped on it right beside the distributor, B blocks do not have this machined pad.

The 440 based 505 is probably the easiest combo. 4.250 stroke, good rods, shelf pistons, etc. Add Edelbrock heads and pick the right cam and you'll easily make 600+ HP.

Here is a shot of my 505 on the dyno. I'm running a M1 intake manifold, 1000 HP carb, and a Comp solid flat tappet. This engine makes about 650 hp in this setup.

Well good luck with the build look around talk to others and look at the stroker kits out there.! I would be very careful of 440 source stuff i know i am going to caught alot of grief from my fellow mopar guys but i had very bad time with them and they where very rude and nasty about what i had to say acted like i was nothing so i took my money else where.!! Look at Mancini Racing, Hughes Engines, Speed-O-Motive. That is just my suggestion.!

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Hi, new to the forms here but got a very important question to start. got a decent budget to build myself a 500 stroker but wondering whats the best era block to build it with. Ive been told go with the mid to last 70s blocks and stay with the "B" for more strength but is that correct or is their anything wrong with going with a early late 60s model block that is "RB". any help here is greatly appreciated

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What application for the engine?
What vehicle?
In my Street/Strip '71 Charger, I built a 500" stroked 400 block using the 440 source kit with 4.15" stroke crank, 6.76" rods, and 4.375" flat top pistons (499.10 cid) I used the 4.380" bore 0.040" MLS head gaskets (9.9cc) and Edelbrock Victor MaxWedge heads (about 75cc after polishing the chambers.) The block was milled so the piston sits 0.003" below deck so my compression is 12.41:1 which may be borderline for pump gas at lower altitude, but here at 6,000 ft I can run on pump gas. The block was fitted with the BCR aluminum main caps and girdle, but the water jackets are not filled. The block is the 1971 casting so it has the thicker main webbing.

Here is some of what I learned from this build:
The stroker kit only needed about 1/8" removed of the oil boss where the pickup tube screws in. No clearencing of the bores was needed.
The BCR mains and girdle are really nice. They do require boring/honing of the mains, and milling the oil pan rails so that's extra $$$ machine work. I am running the Milodon low profile oil pan, but used the pickup for the deep pan, and had to heatup and custom bent the oickup to clear the girdle. I then had to cut the windage tray to clear the oil pickup. I am running a custom Comp roller with the HXL lobes, 264/264 @ 0.050", and 0.714"/0.714" lift with 1.6:1 ratio T@D rocker arms. I was going to use a cam with more duration, but the piston/valve clearance was getting close, so lesson learned is you would want to have deeper valve notches in the pistons if using something like a 270@0.050" or larger cam.
One issue with running the low deck "B" block compared to a "RB" (440) block is the number of intake manifolds avaliable. The 440 (RB) block had a larger selection of intake manifolds. With my MaxWedge heads, I have the Indy 400-2 intake for the 4150 base Holley carb. I am running a 1,000 cfn HP Holley, but if I had more hood clearance, I would use an adaptor and run a larger Dominator carb.
On the victor heads, I had to make several changes. After messing with the heads, The Indy heads may have been easier to setup.
If you plan to run a big cam with the Victor heads, buy them bare, and use longer intake valves so you can fit a 2.00" install height valve spring. To correct the rocker geometry with the linger valve, mill off the rocker stands and use maxwedge style stands.
I did not have the engine on an engine dyno, just a chasis dyno, but it made 561 RWHP through a full 3" TTI exhaust system with the Super turbo mufflers, and with all the accessories (fan, water pump, power steering, alternator.)

Hemi would be tough to do at that budget because the blocks are so expensive.

The 505 in the picture that I posted cost almost exactly $11,000 for parts and labor. That price included one day of tuning on the engine dyno. It made 650 hp with a solid flat tappet cam. Stepping up to bigger heads and a roller cam would take the motor up past 700 hp, but it would also add a couple of grand to the tab.