WHICH ENGINE IS THE CHEAPEST AND EASIEST TO BUILD TO 500PLUS HP?

Hands down it's the 440 w it's 3/4 taller decks for more stroke potential or stock stroke/good heads. Even if you (commonly) stroke a 360 to 408, cubewise it's still a small BB & will take more radical (way less streetable) mods to get what you want. Build a killer long block then you can play w the cam/intake/ign etc & I've never heard anyone say they've built an eng w too much power, on the contrary...EDIT If you're not going to stroke it then a 400 w 440 crank (451) may b better (smaller/lighter) & is a better fit in an body & 470 (offset ground 440 3.750" crank) cubes is a practical limit in a B block

cheapest? spray it.

what's your stock engine making now? 250 hp? what's a 250 spray kit cost? couple hundred bucks?


oh...did you want longevity too?

I have a stroked 360 and being MOPAR we all know cheap or low cost is non existent in our world. I could have built a badasss Chevy big block for less than the cost of my 410. It depends what kind of vehicle that you are putting it into and what you are doing with it. No matter what you build, you will just love the power of a stroked motor, it's worth the cost. I know a guy that can get you some good info and cost on a complete long or short block. If you need his name send me a message.

I am a small block guy but at the 500+ HP range The big block would be cheaper.

Mainly b/c you are going to need a fairly heavily ported small block head to make that kind of power.

Big block choices are far and wide and a lot more used heads pop up then small blocks.

If you're trying to squeeze the Big Block into an A body your cost savings just went out the window.

In stock form the heads flow about the same, a little well though out port and either can be made to flow enough, good pistons and rebuld kits are similar in price, a reground roller cam in a 360 mag is just as cheap as a flat tappet for a BB and combine it with some KB 167 pistons will get you 10.5 compression and tight quench ( a lot more money to get good quench with a BB 915 heads are hard to find and not normally cheap and with a cheap piston like a KB 237 you will need block milling to get a tight quench). TTI headers are gonna run similar $$$ or if you like to keep it super low budget you can get some summit brand headers real cheap for a SB. After all is said and done I think the SB could save you a few bucks (not much)but you are not gonna have the TQ of a similarly built BB, on the other hand an automatic SB car can run a 904 that costs less HP and weighs a lot less than a 727 that is required with a BB, also the engine would weigh a lot less, all added together you can save at least 150 LBS over an iron headed 440 plus a drive train soaking up less of the HP. 500 hp SB with the car set up right will be faster than a 500 HP 440, the 440 car would be more docile on the street from stop light to stop light but the SB car will handle better.

If you are really on a budget and have a car set up one way or the other then that is probably the cheapest way to go. Changin a BB car to SB costs money and vise versa.

I love BB A bodies, but to just stuff "stock" vs. "stock", i'd go 360 magnum, why, well unless you get an earlier 383/440 which are getting scarce, the later 440s are pigs in stock form IMO, no compression, crappy heads that flow around 215/160, I've done this a few times & in stock bottom end form wasn't too impressed, got beatin up from plenty of SB chevy novas, My last build was with a junkyard 360 magnum out of a 95 truck, i purchased a set of RHS heads, stock they flow 240s/170s, a "small" re-ground roller cam & bolt-ons, with a 650dp, summit headers 2800 11" stall, stock 904 with RMVB, 3.73 gears, i would drive too & from the track & click off many 12.5 passes shifting at 5100, with a better cam, a good converter & a 4.30 gear, i'd be in the 11s still running on pump 91.

I ran my fastest pass on a (400.00) plate system with 125 pills, Not even sorted out for max power, it pulled off a 7.4 pass @ 95 & i lifted abruptly do to drifting, there was more in it, tuned for max on a 150 shot i'll garuantee it would have pulled off a 7.0 @ 98-99.

Just stuff a junkyard 360 magnum shortblock in it with RHS or EQ heads, a nice roller cam, RPM intake, 750 carb, a 9.5" converter & at least a 4.11 gear & have a blast, then collect a couple more 360 magnums for spares.

I only had 1800.00 in the "whole" engine, includeing the 350.00 i paid for it , My old 451 cost me a good 4500.00+ & ran 6.9/7.0s NA

The question (as stated) has only one correct answer: Big Block (specifically a 440)


Dave

I'M LOOKING FOR AN E-BODY CAR AS WE SPEAK SO I'M LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR AN ENGI NE BUILD.I WOULD LIKE A STREETABLE ENGINE ON PUMP GAS THAT WOULD RUN 500HP OR SO.WHAT ARE YOR THOUGHTS ON A 383 BUILD? MANY OF THE 71 CHALLENGERS COME WITH A 383 OR 340,SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IF I END UP WITH A 383 I SHOULD REPLACE WITH A 440 TO ACCOMPLISH MY GOALS THE EASIEST?

Personally I would build the 440 over the 383 as the costs are the same. Actually have done that with one motor...440 stroked and bored to 498...comp cam...10 to 1 KB pistons...Running over 450 hp on pump gas and is very streetable....and the Big block sound is so much nicer than the small blocks....not that a small block can't break a heart....lol

as the costs to build a 383 or 440 are identical, I refraimed from the saying "no replacement for displacement" 383 can be fun but when people compare a 383 to a 440 it's like a 440 to a hemi...Hemi's always get the nod overall and a 440 would be the same compared to a 383

OK!!!!!

THIS IS WHY I ASKED.......NO REAL DEFINATE ANSWERS ON A 383VS440
I HAVE READ THAT THE 383 HAS THINNER CYLINDER WALLS AND WILL FAIL SOONER IF BORED.

AS FAR AS THE 440 I'VE READ THE 67-68 BLOCKS ARE BETTER,SO I GUESS ALL BIG BLOCKS ARE NOT THE SAME!

SO IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS BUILT SEVERAL BIG BLOCKS AND PERSONALLY KNOWS THE DIFF. SPECS OF BIG BLOCKS?

THANKS FOR THE INPUT GUYS.......STILL UP IN THE AIR WHAT IS THE BEST BUILD I GUESS?

Depends on what you want out of it. If you never plan on racing it, but DO want it to fry the tires on occasion and sound great always, I would build a basic 440 or possibly 500 inch if you have the dough. A nice cam and a little converter will work well w/out crazy gear.

YA I'M LOOKIN TO BUILD A CAR TO DRIVE,SOMETHING FAST,RELIABLE,PUMP GAS,STREETABLE AND IS JUST BAD ASS THAT CAN SMOKE THE TIRES OFF!!!