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Planning out the build for a stock stroke 440 and need some input
Car is primarily a have fun all steel NSS 67 Belvedere sedan, 727, no converter selection yet, 8 ¾ w/ 4.30 gears and spool. Racing is the primary thing, not a cruiser. Has 6 pt bar and sub frame connectors currently going in, 2x3 .125 wall welded to/through the floors and to the subs. Engine parts we have Edelbrock 84cc RPM heads will do mild porting, 1.5 roller rocker arms (440 Source) Victor 440 intake, (may go with RPM dual plane though), 1.75” hooker headers, stock 440 block, will bore to .030 for build, and a stock stroke forged crank.
Looking for a simple mid to low 11 second car for now. Do not want to sink a ton of money in 440 for now, that will happen in a few years when the hemi goes in it.
Questions:
1. Pistons, prefer to get around 11:1 compression something around $500?
2. Rods, prefer K1 as they hold tighter side clearances but what about SCAT or Eagle?
3. .990 pin size?
4. Rings?
5. Main studs I imagine I should use, but a girdle too?
6. Cam selection; non roller thinking about .550 lift 290° duration or maybe a bit more.
7. Carb?
8. Converter?
9. Tires? Prefer streetable, no tubs.

TIA

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#1 Look at KB forged ICON sereis #2 your call #3 Good choice, as lightweight as possible #4 file to fit moly set with satndard tension oil rings.#5 Good choice on main studs, not mandatory I don't like or use a girdle on B,RB or 426 Hemi blocks #6 get the biggest grind you can, .600+ lift with close to 270 degrees or a liitle more at .050 lifter opening, have it ground on a 104 to 108 lobe seperation angle Isky has a grind that is not in thier catalogs anymore that I use to use a lot, it is the 616/590 grind with 104 LSA, it works really well for a solid lifter flat tappet #7 850+ CFM, every time I used a bigger CFM carb. on stock stroke 440 drag motor it went faster, no matter what equiptment or car #8 Buy a custom built EXCELLENT QUALITY NAME BRAND 8 inch race converter, no cheap off the wall brand ones #9 Buy the biggest M/T ET Street bias ply tire you can fit on your car Probally not going to be real big due to the wheel wells on those cars I hope this helps BTW, are you going to move the rear leaf springs in at all? If so wait until all that work is done to buy rims and tires Buy the widest rear rims you can run safely on your car

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is this a race car or strip / street?

assuming its race use the victor manifold.

i don't know about those rockers, find out what kind of success people have been having with them.

pistons probably cost you a little more than $500 and i wouldn't use the replacement ones i'd use a race piston. Ross can usually be had for a reasonable price but i doubt you're gonna find a shelf piston that will hit your 11:1 mark. FT will probably fall far below that and dome above. it all depends on chamber volume, deck height, piston selection and head gasket thickness.

i have no experience with K1 but get the impression they're better than the other imports.

use the .990 wrist pin size.

i would use a standard speed pro moly file fit. make sure the bores are properly finished.

studs definitely, aluminum caps would be better. personally i wouldn't get involved in a girdle i'd use aluminum caps before a girdle. at the power level this engine should make you should be OK with stock caps but YMMV

cam selection...well can open worms everywhere. i usually buy shelf cams for stuff like this. i like the cam in my sig car. comp .585/.585-275°/275° @ .050"

carb- HP950

converter- quality 8"

tires- race cars (if that's what it is) use slicks

now someone else is going to tell you something completely different

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is this a race car or strip / street?

assuming its race use the victor manifold.

i don't know about those rockers, find out what kind of success people have been having with them.

pistons probably cost you a little more than $500 and i wouldn't use the replacement ones i'd use a race piston. Ross can usually be had for a reasonable price but i doubt you're gonna find a shelf piston that will hit your 11:1 mark. FT will probably fall far below that and dome above. it all depends on chamber volume, deck height, piston selection and head gasket thickness.

i have no experience with K1 but get the impression they're better than the other imports.

use the .990 wrist pin size.

i would use a standard speed pro moly file fit. make sure the bores are properly finished.

studs definitely, aluminum caps would be better. personally i wouldn't get involved in a girdle i'd use aluminum caps before a girdle. at the power level this engine should make you should be OK with stock caps but YMMV

cam selection...well can open worms everywhere. i usually buy shelf cams for stuff like this. i like the cam in my sig car. comp .585/.585-275°/275° @ .050"

carb- HP950

converter- quality 8"

tires- race cars (if that's what it is) use slicks

now someone else is going to tell you something completely different

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Good advice, no arguments here, but will add some.
Bigger headers (1 7/8 to 2" x 36+), size of cam and stall may allow a bit bigger carb if stall is high enough. Set the deck to .000 and cut the heads for the best compression you can get with a flat top. Size the valve pockets for as big a roller and as big a valves (2.25 intake, 1.81 exhaust?) as you ever figure you may run. Makes the short block compatible with more serious heads, like SRs or 440-1 should you ever decide to change the combo. See if there is a shelf piston and rod combo that would allow you to use the same rods in the Hemi build down the road. You will benefit from a longer rod in either combo, (weight) and just off the top of my head a 7.10 long rod would need a 1.725 compression height piston to get .000 deck at 10.7 deck height.

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The car is primarily strip but it would be nice to thrash on the street once and awhile.

Primary focus is the bottom end as I can always swap heads and induction but want a good short block to get a few years of fun. Will stick with the Victor 440 as recommended.
The 440 Source roller rockers are one of those impulse purchases China okay quality I have a new set of crane iron adjustable rocker arms, maybe should just use them?
Eagle rods sound okay.
Pistons? Will these work with the Eddy heads?
Brand ICON Performance Pistons
Manufacturer's Part Number IC836-030
Part Type Pistons
Product Line ICON Premium Forged Pistons
Summit Racing Part Number UEM-IC836-030

Bore (in) 4.350 in.
Bore (mm) 110.490mm
Piston Style Step head, with two valve reliefs
Piston Material Forged aluminum
Compression Distance (in) 2.067 in.
Piston Head Volume (cc) +12.00cc
Wrist Pin Style Press-fit or floating
Pin Diameter (in) 0.990 in.
Piston Ring Thickness 1/16 in. x 1/16 in. x 3/16 in.
Quantity Sold as a set of 8.
Notes Step dish design. Piston weight 709g, pin weight 141g.

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i think i remember that car (i was kinda eyeballing it), wasn't it originally being sold complete with an engine? really nice looking car.

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