What size and or type bolts do I need to attach a 440 to an engine stand like this? Do I need a specially hardened bolt or will ace hardware bolts work?

3/8-16 I think

Low grade is satisfactory as long as you have them go in at least 3/4 inch into the block, although I'm sure people on here will argue you need titanium bolts or at least grade 8 with lock washers and safety wire.

5/16" I believe and just get the right length so you have ~1" or so of engagment into the bell face. Yes grade 5 (3 lines) will be good enough.

I use 3/8"-16 grade 5.

Great, thanks guys Any tips on getting it on there by myself? I do have the intake/heads off.

what about for small blocks? A 360 magnum in particular...same?

Depends how you hold it on there. On my engine stand I use two 3/8 diameter bolts that go into the bellhousing area at the top and then two 7/16 diameter bolts that go thru the block at the bottom. The lower bolts on a big block are 7/16 diameter so if your engine stand will grab those lower bolt holes I'd use them.

Lifting an engine up onto an engine stand is tough to do without a hoist. A fully loaded engine is about 700 lbs which would be a tough workout for even 4 big guys. About the only way to do it without a hoist is to use a bar that is long enough for two guys on each side of the motor to lift. Then you need a fifth person to slide the engine plate into the stand while the four guys hold the engine up.

Check around, I bet one of your friends has a cherry picker they will let you use. Check with rental yards.

I have found from experience that IMO, grade 5 3/8"-16 all thread rod is the way to go. The reason being is I can screw it all the way into the block by hand and make sure it's bottemed in the hole in the block. I don't have to worry about if it's in deep enough because it's all the way in. Then after you have all four rods bottemed in the block, bolt the engine stand head to the motor before it's on the engine stand. Slide four washers on the all thread and run your nuts up and your as good as you can be without using grade 8 all rod which I never was able to find.
I have found some engines have deeper tapped holes than others so all thread rod works in all cases.No need for washers under the bolt head and then hoping you got enough thread engagement.

YOU DON'T NEED GRADE 8 BOLTS.

Then the short block is easy to get into the hole on the engine stand. Two of us an lift a sb shortblock with the engine stand head bolted to it into the base of the engine stand.

I can honestly say I've had 50 different engines on this stand with these peices of all rod and has never broke. Big block gas truck engines too with 7/16" all rod I have laying around here. 30 of the claimed 50 of those engines were huge hemis.

A recent Mopar Muscle issue had a full page of Harbor Freight coupons including a cherry picker for $99.50 plus your local sales tax. I couldn't pass that up for $107 & change.

3/8 diameter in the top holes, 7/16 diameter in the lower holes.

Thanks for the great replies/tips. I may look into a cherry picker