The LKQ pick your part yards in Orlando and Daytona Beach seem to have quite a few. You just might not know if or how well they run. I usually will make sure the engine turns over then pull the spark plugs and a valve cover for inspection. If it is bad though you can get another within 30 days or buy longer coverage.

Yes, thank you, sounds good. I used to go to all those yards in Bithlo/East Orlando. That area has the ones I was thinking of. Pretty convenient for me too.

I'd be wary of failed roller lifters on a used engine. It's a pretty common issue with the new Hemi if you look into it.

Personally I would build a Magnum 5.9. into a 408.Nice set of heads, or port those and it will move that truck along no problem.

I believe you are thinking of 5.7's. I've owned several 5.7's and we've had them at work, and my own have never developed an issue. A small percentage at work did, but I can also attest to the wrong oil being used. I know Public Works used whatever weight oil they had. I hated to see that.

I've not heard of issues on non mds 6.4's. I agree a stroked 408 with some compression and nice heads would move it very nicely. I have a 410 in my Diplomat and a nice set of Indy Heads, roller cam setup, and lots of other goodies, and it's a screamer. But, there's a bit of lope in the idle, and all of the old school stuff. While I do love it, I am looking for the old look that I love, but something different in this truck with the modern drivetrain with gobs of power.

The lifter taking out the cam is only on 09+ 5.7s as far as I have seen. Don't fall for the "MDS causes it" crap. I have seen it on plenty of 3/4 trucks without MDS as well as non-MDS lobes in 1/2 tons and cars. I actually have several flat cams in my shop scrap bin right now and only one bad lobe is on a MDS cylinder.

Let me just clarify, you don't find a lot of 6.4s but plenty of 5.7s that can certainly be stroked. If you sign up with them you can get alerts about specific vehicles emailed to you.

Yes, lots of 5.7's I'm sure but really not wanting to build anything. Really want drop-in and preferably new but a crashed hellcat with low miles is an option.

Thanks.

09+ or pre '09 you mean? The '09 and up got the Eagle Heads.

As I posted earlier in this thread I have a 5.7 in my 55 Dodge pickup. In 2013 I bought a wrecked 03 Ram 150 with 63000 miles on it and put the 03 engine and transmission in my 55. As stated before it wasn’t a difficult swap. 6 years and 50000 miles later it still runs like the day I put it in my 55. The only problem I have ever had with it was a failed cam sensor the fist year. I used a Hotwire harness for the install. Find a totaled vehicle with a 5.7 and go for it.

Tell us more about running a 5.7 with a GM computer.

Even the 03-08 truck 5.7 makes 100 HP more than the 360 magnum. An 09+ 5.7 makes 150 HP more. What do you got to do to get 150 HP out of a 5.9? Edelbrock heads, cam swap, headers, intake... without a major build up the 5.9 will be tapped out at that point. the money adds up either way. Me I would rather go through the hemi swap pains now and have tons of room to grow later easily. An eagle 5.7 motor can get a 6.4 SRT cam for cheap and get another 20-30HP without pulling the heads and another 20-30HP with long tube headers. I been clinging to my SB stuff for 16 years after the hemi came out and just gave up the fight and sold out all of it to build a 6.4 for my truck, probably dropping my motor in tomorrow and Friday.

Nothing against the 5.7, I own two now and have had two previous, and one 6.1. But if I'm going through this swap and not looking to build an engine, I'm going with the cubic inches. I CANNOT take on a build AND swap. "A man's got to know his limitations". Seriously, I can't handle both. I need a crate engine. All the other peripherals will be overwhelming enough for me.

The smallblock 727 transmission has the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the Gen III hemi except for a single bolt at the top. Nevertheless the 727 is a direct bolt on to the Gen III hemi bellhousing. Though it MUST be a smallblock 727 NOT a big block trans.
What is required to use the 727 is a shim. There are several options for this from aftermarket companies.

If anyone knows of a good shop within 200 miles of 32935 (Central Florida) that has the experience and know-how for this swap, and has lot's of praise, and I check it out and am confident, I'll drag my truck to them asap.

where does this shim go, and approximately how thick is it ?

It’s actually a spacer that makes up for the difference between the different automatic trans and aligns the crankshaft mounting bolts to the flex plate.

For info on bolting a Gen III hemi up to a 727 trans check out this thread over in “Gen III Hemi Tech” forum

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2496494/904-727-behind-a-5-7.html

In the early days of the Gen III hemi swaps there were many individuals that fabricated their own methods to bolt up the 727 trans. Now there several options available from the aftermarket. Here are links to some of the companies:

https://www.coperacingtrans.com/?product=gen-3-hemi-flex-plate-adapter-for-727-904

https://www.manciniracing.com/marageniiihe.html

https://www.bouchillonperformance.com/inc/sdetail/5237

thanks for the explanation and spacer examples. i'm not up on gen 3 engines, and most that are using them use the transmission that came with them or an A518/RH/RE transmission.

Yes, thanks C_B5!

I have my spiral notebook taking many notes from this thread and printing many things as well.