I'm slowly working on gathering the parts needed to swap a 440 into my 86 truck. I've already got all the parts that everyone says you need for the swap: motor mount brackets, rear sump pan with dipstick and pickup, and headers. I also need a small booster, but I will get that new and I do have the bb trans also.

My question concerns the use of headers and what type of plug wires do I need: straight boot or 90 degree? The motor has the 452 heads if it makes a difference. The wires are on my list of items I still need to get, along with the rest of the tune-up (plugs and cap/rotor), a carb, air cleaner, and a kickdown cable. Other than that, I just need the basic essentials like belts and fluids.

I was looking at some plug wire sets online and the one thing that kept coming up was straight or 90* boots so I need to figure out which I need to use with the headers. I'm thinking the straight ones might be best. What do you suggest? Also, can anyone recommend a good set of wires for around $50? I'd love to buy the Firecores, but they are way beyond my price range.

Thanks!

Post some pics of each side of the engine. We can come up with something.

I think there was a thread or two about this recently and if i remember most guys said they were better off making there own set using the straight 45s or 90s which ever one worked the best.

around $50? aren't the firecores only $80?

I'll get some pics tomorrow. It will give me an excuse to go out to the garage in this freezing weather. I'll have to pull the engine out of it's corner and the headers out of the rafters, but I'll get some good pics. Plus it'll give me some time to go thru the boxes of Mopar magazines I'm thinking of posting in the classifieds.

Oh, I was looking at the wrong ones I guess. Either way, I'll get some pics posted up tomorrow.

We run the Taylors on all our SB and BBs with headers.My 440 2 inch tubes my kids 413 2 1/8 tubes.We just run the stock wires that they make.Mine are at least 10 years old and still great.My kids are 3 years old no problems with his BB wires either.I hear the FireCores are a good wire though.Rocky

Are you running straight boots or angled?

Ok, took some pics today. I didn't have any actual header bolts so I just used a couple bolts to hold the headers in place. This is the first time I've even had the headers this close to the engine. From what I can tell, it looks like cylinders 2 and 8 need to be 90* boots, all the others can be straight or 90 I guess. So what do y'all think? Please don't make fun of my crappy rusty headers or chipped up valve covers. It's the best I can do on a beggars budget.

Right side close up


Cylinder #2


Full right side


Left side close up


Left side front


Full left side

Look into getting bulk wire and crimping your own ends. Then you can buy different boots for different plugs. I think I am running some straight, some 90 and some 45.

After seeing the headers mounted up in place, I'm thinking 90* boots will work ok for what I need. I don't know of too many sets that come with a combination of different angles, it's either one or the other. The two end plugs on the right side definatly need 90s. The two end ones on the left side could go either way, and the four center plugs have enough room for straights, but could use the 90s also.

So now I can narrow my search down to wire sets with 90* boots. I also want wires that are made to fit a big block Mopar, not one with wires that will wrap around the fender. That's what I like about the Firecores, but, wow, that's some money.

The Taylor Spiro Pros we use are made for the 440.You have a ton more clearance than we have on both our cars.Rocky

Yep, 90's will definately work, but only if you get the shorty spark plugs. Those spark plugs that you have on now will get those 90 degree boots way too close to the headers. Looks like a factory-fit set will work perfectly. All of them go on from the front of the engine..

DANG!!! That's purdy! So what you're saying is that even with the headers I would run the wires underneath like they are in your pics (except for the back two)? I was thinking of coming around the front of the valve cover and over the top of the headers (except for the front two). I'm not really looking for a factory stock look, but something that looks good and clean. I know that seems redundant with the rusty old headers, but I plan to clean those up and paint them. (If my career change pans out for me, I'll have the money to get them ceramic coated at a local company, but that is aways off yet.)

So can everybody post pics of how they have heir wires run with headers? I know car headers are different than the truck headers, but that would give me some ideas.

Thanks!

We run ours thru the RMS looms that bolt on the valve cover and then I run them under the headers.Those tiny headers dont need small plugs.My 2 inch TTIs and my kids 2 1/8 both use standard plugs though I have the 5/8 plugs with the aluminum heads now.He still runs the 13/16 standard plugs.Rocky

i have the "make your own" $30 accel wires on my 440 using some of the separator/holders in the kit plus some morosos i had from before

not the prettiest, but they work and it was cheap...someday i wouldn't mind getting some better blue wires with made for you vertical looms, just wasn't in the cards when spending the rest of the money on the motor

Actually, it really looks like , with your headers, and if you get short spark plugs, you can run them just like my pics. Exactly.