All right, as if we couldn't get enough 440 threads, I'm tossing my hat in. The car is a '71 GTX, 440-4 car. it's not numbers matching, in fact it's pretty much a shell that I can do whatever I want to.

I've got a '67 block and crank (.040 over), 346 heads (79-81cc chamber), and pretty much nothing else. I'm looking for somewhere in the 450hp range. it's a real easy street build for a 3.23 sure grip rear. I'm looking for opinions/recommendations/reviews on the following parts:

Headgasket: .040 compressed, should be easy enough.

Pistons: KB's with the 12cc dish. I figure the 12cc's should put me around 9:1. can I do 450 hp on 9:1, or should I do the 5cc dish and go to about 9.5:1?

Rods: I have the rods and pistons that came out, and it's all been sitting in a box for a while, as the pins are all frozen. I don't need anything rediculous (no H beam forged), just a recommendation on what to go with, or if you think my stock stuff will clean up.

Wristpins: do they all press in?

Cams: I've done lots of searching and reading (including a couple magazine builds). I'm looking at the comp XE274H or XE268H. I'm going hydraulic, and the economical way seems to be to buy the cam/timing/lifter/etc set in one shot.

Intake: What parameters am I looking at here. Lots of opinion seems to be to go with a Holley street Dominator. This is still a mystery area to me.

Carb: Holley 750 DP, 850 DP, 770 street avenger...I'm starting from scratch here...

Distributor: haven't even started thinking about this...

Thanks in advance for all the help/opinons.

sjd

I assume it's a street car so that's what my answer is based on.
I would cc the heads to make sure you will end up at the proper CR before buying the pistons. If your math works out a little higher (9.7:1) don't get to worried as the advertised CR on pistons are with a correted deck height. You pistons will end up deeper in the hole unless you deck the block. I would measure the CR once you get the pistons to know where you are.
I would also clean up/smooth out the castings in the heads, you don't need a full port job, just blend the sharp corners into a radius under the valves.
Headgasket will be fine. Felpro 1009 is 9.9cc and a felpro 8519 is about 10.16cc. You can also get larger cc head gaskets to adjust your final CR if needed.
Rods will be fine, get you machine shop to check them.
Wristpins will come with the pistons and you machine shop will install them on the rods unless you order pistons with flooting pins. (I didn't look up the pistons you listed).
Cams; I like the XE274H for this build. It will give you a nice lope. build cylinder presure and be driver freindly.
If I didn't have a intake a would buy a perfomer RPM but if you already got the street dominator, I would use it.
Carb, A holley 3310 would be great on the street. The 770 street advenger will be a good choice also.
Stock ign will be fine although I would change the springs to some a little lighter, this will effect the maners of the engine so you might have to play with different spring combos til you find one your happy with.

BTW. I used that cam in my 400 w/home ported 346s, 9.3:1 cr and I make about 430hp, drive it around town and has good maners. Even let my wife drive it around some.

Hope this helps

Well first H beam rods are dirt cheap now. It will cost more to refurbish your stock rods with pushing the pins out and in again for new pistons. they need resizing and ARP rod bolts and you are still stuck with a press in pin where an H beam rod will allow easy piston install and removal
lots of new choices and a 9.90 pin is lighter
http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/produ...mVjdGluZyBSb2Rz

Then the heads You will spend a lot of money on 40 year old crack prone iron heads they will need new springs, retainers and keepers, new guides and should also have bronze liners installed. You should replace all the valves with new (larger is same money) maybe buy and install hardened seats for the street and mild port and polish at the very least to get some performance out of them. This can run the cost of nice Edlebrock aluminum heads just bolt on and no cracking!!!
assemble and ready to bolt on
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/perpalas84ch.html

or you could go with Chineese not as good or as good OOTB flow 440 source but still way better than stock iron.

4 speed I would go a little more cam 1 3/4" headers RPM performer intake and a 750 DP they are hard to beat.
3" exhaust with X pipe and Dynomax ultraflows will give you every HP you are capable of making with lower noise levels.

I forgot to say it was gonna be an automatic.

Thanks for the input guys!

sjd

Well then a TQ that you will use makes a big difference on cam choice and installed centerline.
2200 and 3.23 gears mean stay on the real mild side for a cam.

the converter isn't spec'd yet. I'm basically starting from NOTHING, and can put it together however I want (being mindful of a budget, of course)

Going automatic, does that change the cam back down to the XE268H from the 274, or will it still be okay?

sjd