Unless its wounded i would just run the short block as is. Spend your money on the heads and any other odds and ends you need, like ignition, carb, etc. save your coins and next teardown you will have all the goods to hang on a well done short block. Otherwise you'll just end up with crap shoot used, mismatched, machine work not ideal for later, or stuff you wont want when you do it right at some point.

Agreed, get up & running within a reasonable length of time & you can build a better spot on eng in your liesure. easy to let a project drag on & that robs you of actual seat enjoyment time. I'd rather have a mediocre running car eng/build with a killer (stroker!) eng coming together on the stand

There is no way that you will be able to get into and back out of the short block, and do heads for your budget. The power is in the heads. Buy the smallest combustion chamber aluminum head (75 cc?) and a nice hydraulic cam and timing set. If there is money left over, put that into the heads too.

Do you need any of this stuff, and is this in your $2,000 budget?

Oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, fuel line, fuel clamps, anti freeze, radiator hoses, clamps, belts, fasteners, gaskets (timing, water pump, head, exhaust, intake, carb, valve cover…), gasket sealants, cleaners, paint, spark plugs, plug wires, oil pump, oil pump drive shaft.,,,,,,

$2000 is not alot of money to do a 440 the way theyre typically done nowadays. If you had a pre 1971 440 that runs good you could do the old fashioned rings gaskets bearings cam lifters and springs. Good carb and good factory intake or used aftermarket and some $140 headers. If you will be paying a shop to do the assemlby that will take a chunk of your 2k budget right there.

You need to confirm exactly what the core engines you have to choose from are.

In a perfect world one of those cores is from a 67 New Yorker with 915 heads and 40,000 miles on it. That one you could hit your goal by accident for $2K. Dingle ball hone it, good valve job, re-ring it, add camshaft to taste and done, stock intake and all. The only problem might be lack of longevity because the heads won't have hardened seats. Might be a problem might not.

Anything with 452 heads is going to have pistons .120"+ in the hole so the compression sux. 8:1ish advertised and closer to 7.5:1 when measured. Motorhome engine will be the same. They will also be externally balanced with cast cranks if that is a concern for you. Camshaft selection will be critical to make this package work and still make bottom end torque, but is doable.

906 heads were on 68 to 71 and all those engines had 10:1ish advertised compression and forged cranks so if you have an unmolested core with 906's, that's the one you should start with. (if you don't live in a perfect world) Same longevity issues apply to the 906's as the 915's, non hardened seats.

All that being said I think the only way you get out the door for $2K or less is a down and dirty no machine shop dingle ball hone re-ring of the short block using the best core of the ones you have to choose from. No fancy rings that require perfect cylinders either. Cheaper the better.

Summit has a rings, bearings and gasket kit for $300.

http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/fem-205632m-000/overview/make/dodge

I would then shop for a set of aluminum heads.

As was posted earlier, this is where all the power is and to rebuild a set of iron heads PROPERLY you are at or close to the price of several entry level aluminum offerings that will be as good OOTB as ported iron ones.

You will also have room to grow when you become bored with 400HP.

Kevin

At what power levels do stock rocker arms become risky?

Cam lift is the issue for rockers. Most of the stock style stamped rockers don't like lifts in excess of about .510-.520. Spring rates are greater and you end up with pushrods punching through the rockers.

I'd home port the iron heads, lap the valve on the cheap or do a vavle job, mill and run them. Stock iron will get you easily to 400 with the right other items. Step up later to an aluminum head if you want with another engine. For what you drop on a set of aluminums, you can get the iron done and a juice unit!

It's not so much a power level as valve lift and spring pressure that does in the stock rockers altho the 2 can go hand in hand.
I'm running an MP509 with OOTB Edelbrock RPM springs on a set of replacement stamped rockers with no problems. Yet...

From what I've seen from people that post here, they are good for hyd cams with valve lifts in the low-mid .500's and mid 300's for open spring pressure.

If you are considering a hydraulic MP purple cam like a .484 or a .509, you should be good. YMMV.

Kevin

I ran 12.60's with a 77 low compression 440 with stock 906 heads, TM7 intake, .509 DC juice cam, 2" headers in a 3800 lb car with slicks. If it had an auto it would have ET'd better.

For your budget, there are a variety of appropriately sized Vortech and Paxton centrifugal superchargers available on ebay. I would take a late 70's smogger 440, clean it up, fresh gaskets, summit k6401 cam with a new timing set. If you're crafty with fabrication, a bracket and pulleys could be setup with junkyard parts for cheap enough. 500hp would not be difficult to attain.

Plus good rings, bearings, oil pump and fresh heads.

X2 or 3..

440 compression was rated 8.2 the last 5 or 6 years of production. Any pre '70 pistons are an improvement. I did that swap to a '71 440, quick hone job and select fit pistons that were higher in the bore. 6pac's are the way to go

71 pistons still weren't low in the bore like the 72+ were. If you had any kind of a ridge in your cylinder on a 72+ 440, I'd be worried about the rings on the new pistons catching on it.

Compression of at least 9.5:1 and airflow will get you there.

906 heads flow a little better stock than most of the others if you have a choice. Use the thin .020 steel shim gaskets and mill them to keep compression up. 915's are nice too but harder to find.

An aftermarket intake, headers, cam and a Holley 3310 will also help.

Look for deals as $2k doesn't go very far. Lots of guys upgrading to aftermarket aluminum heads so good cast iron ones are pretty cheap right now.

I'm aware of that. I just wanted more. As far as a ridge goes, a ridge reamer used carefully will take of that.

Ive been looking for 68 to 70 motors so I can start off with higher compression, but most guys want $1000 for used short blocks.

Ive found a guy with a couple 440's from 73 Imperials. They are complete from pan to pulleys to carb, but they are out of the car. Not sure how to compression test these or if the compression test would do me any good without the engine warmed up. He says they all turn over. He wants $400 for a complete engine plus the tranny. As long as there is no internal water damage, spun bearings or bent valves I think this could be a good deal even if they need a rebuild.

Were 440s that went into imperials assembled any different than 440s that went into cheaper cars like furys or trucks? What compression ration and heads should I expect from this motor?

$400 sounds very reasonable for complete + trans.



Same, barring some hd applications.

8.2 was advertised, real life is 7.8:1.

452 or 346 heads.

Don't look for PRETTY look for CHEAP. Craigslist and Moparts sale ads are your Friend. Can't find it, post a wanted ad. Match your parts carefully. I'm betting I could make 400 HP on a 1000 dollar budget but I do my own work and buy deals whether I need them or not.

Sounds cheap.

There's a guy here selling a 440/727 for $1K. They're out of the car, he claims the motor is "good running," & needs a freeze plug.

Getting 400hp out of even a later model low compression 440 isn't that hard.