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The 70's 440's are good motors and a good basis for a nice street or street/strip build. Try and get a 440/727 out of a passenger car, less headaches that way. Lots of the campers/motorhomes came with the industrial 440, which to use in a car you would have to junk the whole top end of the motor(heads, intake, exhaust, water pump housing, oil pan, etc) as well the industrial applications usually came with the short tail shaft 727 which I've never heard of anyone using in a car but I don't know the specifics on them to know if it'd be usable with a custom length driveshaft or not.

Were your plans to buy a 440, clean it up, regasket it, maybe do a hone'n're-ring in your garage and drop it in or did you want something as a basis for a full motor rebuild?

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The 70's 440's are good motors and a good basis for a nice street or street/strip build. Try and get a 440/727 out of a passenger car, less headaches that way. Lots of the campers/motorhomes came with the industrial 440, which to use in a car you would have to junk the whole top end of the motor(heads, intake, exhaust, water pump housing, oil pan, etc) as well the industrial applications usually came with the short tail shaft 727 which I've never heard of anyone using in a car but I don't know the specifics on them to know if it'd be usable with a custom length driveshaft or not.

Were your plans to buy a 440, clean it up, regasket it, maybe do a hone'n're-ring in your garage and drop it in or did you want something as a basis for a full motor rebuild?

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I was thinking more along the line of a re-build with a good amount of new parts. I am researching the cost involved with the build. I have always neen a small block guy and venturing nto the world of big blocks is new to me. building a stroked small block may not be a bad idea too.

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be careful once you go big block you'll never go back. $ for $ a 440 will stomp a mud hole in ANY small block.

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I was thinking more along the line of a re-build with a good amount of new parts. I am researching the cost involved with the build. I have always neen a small block guy and venturing nto the world of big blocks is new to me. building a stroked small block may not be a bad idea too.

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Dollar for dollar, the money to rebuild is very similar. A little more for the RB, but it's all the same operations, so it's the parts costs that get you. As far as a 440 being "all that"... It is much less expensive to equip a 273-360 car with a 4" crank, then put a big block in one. And that 4" crank makes any so equipped car lots mor fun to drive than ANY 440. (and yes, I've built and had both, including big strokers. So the big and small block lines are now blurred. For total lowest budget, I'd rebuild the 340 into a 418. Otherwise you need brackets, linkages, driveshaft, exh manifolds/headers, transmission, and radiator or WP housing... al above and beyond the rebuild costs. The big block when popping the hood is a real show stopper tho. The 4" engines look boring...lol.

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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.

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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)?

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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)?

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A 500 HP set up, be it stroker or what not, I
think would start at $5000-6000 range.
For $3500 I would think you could do a stock
440 with an RV cam and stock heads. It will add
up fast when you buy headers, ignition, wires,
carb, and every other little thing.

As far as blocks go, 440's or 400's are all over
30 years old. So use what ever you find, if it's
in good shape.

I would just do a 360 with new pistons and just
toss in an Edelbrock RPM package. you will be
around 425 HP with a ton of TQ.
A 360 with RPM heads will be close to 250 lbs.
lighter than a 440 with stock heads.

What ever you choose, I'm sure your son and you
will have fun doing it. Let us know what you
decide.

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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)?

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Try and get one out of a car( C-body) if you can. It saved me big $$$ when I did the conversion.

The E-body and C-body mounts in '71 are the same, I used the radiator (with some minor mount trimming), the tranny, the kickdown linkage, the driveshaft and other bits and pieces.

A truck to car conversion is a little more expensive because of the rear sump oil pain, different mounts etc.

I did a cheapie rebuild of a good low mileage engine for around $2,600.00, did the transmission for less than $150.00 (building it myself), and a convertor for $275.00.

Lots of cheap fun and 13's @ 104 mph is the result!

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