Hi! wanted to know?
Any one that has rebuild their 440 engine for a 70 Cuda 4sp-??
I have a 70 Block (NOT HP) ready to be built!
But not sure if should build stock- 375-400 hp
Or stoker- 400-475 hp build
I have spoken to Mancini racing:
they say! the cost is very close to same Stock or Stroker build!

Keep in mind cuda is "non- matching" numbers!
Please give some opinions & advice!

Thank you
Greatly appreciate it!

They should make a crank that has a 3.75 stroke on every other through and 4.25 on the others for the guys that are on the fence about building a stroker. Stock stroke in four holes and longer in the other. Lol
You will get more bang for the bucks with a stoker kit, what heads are you planning on using.?

Stroke it! My next one is gonna be 500 + cubes 'source RB stroker rotating assy ($2250) for my bare block.

1. Figure out what you want the car to do
2. Establish a budget for the car
3. Establish same for the engine
4. Look around for a good complete engine (cost comparison)

If you need the rotating assembly, I'd probably go with a stroker; more CI allows the thing to make power (torque) without big cam timing or short gearing, which makes for a nicer street car.

Welcome to the jungle.

Strap yourself in, you just set off an avalanche.

To get decent opinions and advice, we'll need to know your budget and your goals for the car.

A general response to your question, everything is a trade off. A stroker will cost more, but building a stock stroke 440 will not be cheap. So it becomes a matter of whether the benefit of the bigger motor is worth the extra cost. I think most guys will tell you that if its in the budget, go stroker.

If all you want is a stockish 440 with 400 HP, and money is tight, stock stroke is fine. As your hp requirements go up, a stroker will become a smarter choice, often times.

OP, the first thing YOU need to do is figure out what you want EXACTLY
Do you like power? If so stroke that rascal If not and if your worried about fuel mileage don't hop it up

Let me start this by saying I have multiple cars and the only way I get to keep them is by being frugal. If it is a street motor stock stroke 440 is more than enough to melt the tires. I figure out the "have to" money for parts, machine work if needed, etc, then see how much "want to" money left to play with. A 440 with good pistons, a decent set of heads, and cam is one hell of a nice build and can make 450 hp and 500 lb ft of torque without breaking the bank. That level of power can already be a handful to drive.

with a 4spd you'd be surprised at the performance level a stock stroke 440 can produce in your car with matched up parts. 500-550lbsft of torque can make a real crowd pleaser down at the root beer stand on Saturday night.

Thank you all for your great input, It is a great forum to ask mopar lovers, on you advice and through your experiences you have in engine rebuild in the past... you are the best experienced Mopar owners to get constructive advice and opinions based on your the money you have invested in your cars..!
I want to build one nice 440.. once ....!! Want it to last me for a long time.. want to enjoy driving it daily in the spring/summer & fall..

Thank you again and I greatly appreciate your honest input into my 440 buid!

Mopar Sonny

Thank you for your honest input into my 440 build!


Please sounds like you all have built mopars engines in the past!!.... ,
and would like your advice to on my 440 build for my 70 Cuda?

1. Stock or Alluminum heads?
2. Forged crank or original one stock?
3. Should I built the top and with a intake & one Carb?
4. Or splurge and build a 6-PACK SET UP??
5. what kind of clutch to run this build??

Thank you, for your time!
Sonny

I've got a stock stroke combo I really like. icon 836 pistons, 440 source h-beam rods, edelbrock 84cc heads, engle k65 cam, edelbrock ch28 with two 600's, tti exhaust. this has been a very reliable drive anywhere pump gas engine. I simply don't work on it! I do road trips, no low gears, no loose converter; just turn the key and go. the piston/rod/head combo gives near perfect quench; burns very clean. the cam's a small solid (238@.050"/.510 lift). the carbs are flawless. the angle plugs are easy to service. the tti stuff fits like a glove. power is very smooth; will blow the tires off! best set-up I've come up with for just plain getting out and enjoying the car.

lewtot184-Good selection of parts and proper assembly. Good job. Im sure it wasn't cheap but it helps you didn't have to buy a 3000 rpm plus converter. Above 2500-2800 rpm they get EXPENSIVE! That induction set up is awesome. Not ideal to feed a 700hp monster but its intention was for the 375hp Magnum motor and reasonably hotter. I assume no problems with your flat tappet cam and lifters? Im scared to run a modern flat tappet. Strokers are all the rage and I want one but if someone can obtain a cared for 440 where an old school rebuild with hotter parts is feasible it makes for an excellent hot street setup while keeping costs down. Your probably around 460 plus HP and 500 plus lb ft of torque?

I've got 18-20 thousand miles on the camshaft, no issues; but I don't over spring and I do use oil with zddp. the ch28 in my opinion is grossly under rated; more flexible than a 6pak. I don't think 600hp with the quads is any kind of stretch (I don't have anything near 600hp). this is just a nice reliable street combo that someone can afford to build and drive.

You guys ought to give a dollar figure for all this use this advice. It's not hard to put a 10k parts bill on a stroker build buy the time you throw a carb and headers on the tab. Just the use a roller cam is a grand statement in itself. The OP is looking for just a little more than stock. A good cam, intake, carb and headers with a rebuild should do it.
On top of that all the cheap stroker kits go up 25 percent about $700 the first of the year.

i'm thinking I have around $6000 in my build and that was done about 4yrs ago. I do all my own assembly and as much misc. stuff as I can. I built a "spare 440" about 3 yrs ago. it's an iron head engine with hugh's ported '452's, kb184 pistons, howard's hydraulic cam, milodon track pan, ch4b, some misc stuff. bought the heads and pan cheap. maybe $3500+ in it. I really don't think you can build much of a performance engine for less than $3000.

Lew's been around the block a few times and is tuner. His show winning R/T with a pump gas, iron headed stock-ish 440 with manifolds was on the cusp of 12 sec ets at 108 mph. I bet his Plymouth with the above described engine is knocking on the door of an 11 sec et.

russ, I think high elevens might be possible with traction and a few little changes but i'll never get to the track. for me the beauty is going places with an old reliable dodge. I just love those old '60's cars.

Reminiscing here. My first 440 built by my older brother in 1984. I had little money but he found a low milage 375hp 440 that was healthy from a retired 1969 patrol car. Cyl hone, rings, bearings,gaskets- re used cam bearings Crane Blazer or Fireball cam..?? Stock iron 4bbl intake new Carter Comp series 750 carb cheap Black Jack headers 727 patrol car converter B&M shift improver kit 3:23 gears in a sure grip acquired from the same retired patrol car. 906 heads with healthy guides- hand lapped the valves. Re used the valve springs and such. Installed in an over bondoed 71 Challenger. I was 16 and made 2 passes in the 1/8. 9.0 in the 1/8 mile. With practice It would have been a lot better. Tires were N50x15 rock hard cheap and spun a lot. Very reliable fast great sounding and destroyed all the rich kids with their daddy bought brand new Trans Ams and Camaros. Even the older guys with the VERY NICE late 70s Z28s with the typical modded 350 were out run easily. Back then the HP 440s were still plentiful and you could not giveaway the evil smog cast crank 440s. Crazy to dismiss smogger 440s now.