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Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: RobG] #232976 02/23/09 09:13 PM 02/23/09 09:13 PM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA B Bill MeLater mopar
Bill MeLater mopar B Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA	Almost all of these "problems" are easily solved without throwing bags of cash at them. What you need to do is find someone local (There's always a "guy") that has a stash of motors/parts etc. Do your homework and put some tme and effort into it and you can absolutely build a 440 on the cheap. Here's a pic of a typical RV 440. Notice the water outlet under the alt. Most aftermarket housings are on the other side. You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish for under 3K. 5048060-stand105s.jpg (194 downloads)

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: Bill MeLater] #232977 02/23/09 09:50 PM 02/23/09 09:50 PM
Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 982 W. Sacto CA. USA P phantomx super stock
phantomx super stock P Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 982 W. Sacto CA. USA	If it were me, I'd build a stroker small block. Unless you have a lot of misc parts hanging around (sounds like you don't), it will be really expensive by the time you have a big block installed and running. You can re-use most of your current equipment if you stay small block. Travis.. 70 GTX project, orig 440-4, 4 spd, track pack, FC7, stripper/street racer special.

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: RobG] #232978 02/23/09 10:08 PM 02/23/09 10:08 PM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA B Bill MeLater mopar
Bill MeLater mopar B Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA	It could potetially be done for free if you re-use your existing combo as it currently exists. Think of the savings and lack of effort involved and it starts to sound like the sweetest deal ever......

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: Bill MeLater] #232979 02/23/09 10:29 PM 02/23/09 10:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md 3 383man Too Many Posts
383man Too Many Posts 3 Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md	If you stroke the smallblock it will run very good and of course a mild build on the 440 will run very good also. If it were me I would make a list of parts for both the smallblock and 440 build and see what the cost of both are. Then you can decide if one is much cheaper. It really is not a big deal to put a 440 in your car and depending on how fast you want to go will decide the money you spend. My 440 in my 63 is actually a very mild build as it has factory 906 heads I ported and I run 10.0 comp using KB pistons with quench so it runs fine on 92 pump. Other then the MP .557 cam I use the rest of the eng is stock parts. I get most of my et using the right gears and converter to get the most out of my mild combo as it has run 11.50's. Good luck whichever way you decide to go. Ron

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: RobG] #232980 02/23/09 10:46 PM 02/23/09 10:46 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,675 Columbia, CT M moper I Live Here
moper I Live Here M Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,675 Columbia, CT	Quote: I see 360 blocks are easily available - have you ever stroked a 360? What power output can you get with one? If I can get a '74 440 out of a B-van motor home with the 727 tans for $600 - is it a good starting point for a 500 hp setup? What do you think my total cost into this project may run ($3500 for machining and parts)? I've built more than a few 4" LAs, all based on 340s, but same same really. The biggest difference are the heads. Get heads to feed them, and you can make any level you want. I'm not sure what the rest of your drivetrain is, but if you have a 727 and an 8 3/4, you have what you need. You'd need a convertor, but that's true with both paths. With a budget 4" build, keep the redline under 5500, and you can run mildly ported iron heads, a hydraulic cam, and make 450hp pretty easy. With OOTB ports RPMs, you can make a little more because you can build with quench in mind. A realistic budget would be $5500 depending on what you have for the 340. Headers and intake will probably get reused, same with rockers, tin, and heads. The 440 from a van should be fine. Check the tailshaft of the trans for a steel cover screwed on the passenger side of the tailhousing. If it has one, you'll need to replace it to fit in an A body trans tunnel. A good rebuild with bolt ons can reach 500hp, but a good rebuild with good parts is more than $3500. Closer to $5000 depending on parts. However, add to the cost rebuilding the B727, shortening the driveshaft, preplacing the mounts, oil pan, headers and radiator, and modifying the wiring. So add another $2-3K after that. Well, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know.

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: JohnRR] #232981 02/23/09 11:00 PM 02/23/09 11:00 PM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 8,716 Baltimore/Denver 64Post master
64Post master Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 8,716 Baltimore/Denver	Quote: Quote: I know their can be differences in industrial blocks and "normal" blocks. Some of the motor home blocks will work but things like oil pan, H2O pump might be different. If you are starting from scratch you might just want to pick up a 400 block and stroke it. With the price of kits these days it makes no sense to re-do a 30+ year old block and machine the crank/rods/pistons and so on when you can get a complete kit for around $1300 form 451 cubes to 500. Plus you can tell peopel it's just a little 383. $1300 stroker KITS are now more like $1900 ... Why are they sooo cheap, John...???

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: 64Post] #232982 02/23/09 11:09 PM 02/23/09 11:09 PM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA B Bill MeLater mopar
Bill MeLater mopar B Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA	Quote: Quote: Quote: I know their can be differences in industrial blocks and "normal" blocks. Some of the motor home blocks will work but things like oil pan, H2O pump might be different. If you are starting from scratch you might just want to pick up a 400 block and stroke it. With the price of kits these days it makes no sense to re-do a 30+ year old block and machine the crank/rods/pistons and so on when you can get a complete kit for around $1300 form 451 cubes to 500. Plus you can tell peopel it's just a little 383. $1300 stroker KITS are now more like $1900 ... Why are they sooo cheap, John...???

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: 64Post] #232983 02/24/09 10:29 AM 02/24/09 10:29 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 75,126 A Banana Republic near you. JohnRR I Win
JohnRR I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 75,126 A Banana Republic near you.	Quote: Quote: Quote: I know their can be differences in industrial blocks and "normal" blocks. Some of the motor home blocks will work but things like oil pan, H2O pump might be different. If you are starting from scratch you might just want to pick up a 400 block and stroke it. With the price of kits these days it makes no sense to re-do a 30+ year old block and machine the crank/rods/pistons and so on when you can get a complete kit for around $1300 form 451 cubes to 500. Plus you can tell peopel it's just a little 383. $1300 stroker KITS are now more like $1900 ... Why are they sooo cheap, John...??? Is this a TRICK question ??? Because you get what you pay for ???

Re: 440 Engine Build Questions [Re: JohnRR] #232984 02/24/09 11:52 AM 02/24/09 11:52 AM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA B Bill MeLater mopar
Bill MeLater mopar B Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA

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