Opinions on engine combo and power output

Just finishing putting together a 440RB stroker. Wondering what power numbers it should make, and opinions on the combo. It's going in a Ramcharger for mud racing/off roading/play truck. 44" tires, 5.38 gears.

Also what would be suggested for a converter, 727 trans. Do not want the converter to slip when driving down the highway at 60-70 mph. Have been considering Hughes 24-25HD 11" 2500 stall.


493 cu in.
440 RB block
Milodon pan
JE 232452 inverted dome piston, 4.35" bore
4.15" stroke, 6.76" rod
Fel pro 1009 head gasket .039" compressed
zero deck, .039" squish
9.5:1 compression
Edelbrock 60929 84cc heads out of the box
Howards solid roller 722113-08
277/285, 245/253 @ .050", 108 LSA installed at 104 ICL to cam card specs. .640"/.640" lift with 1.6 rocker, .022/.022" lash
Comp AMC lifters 861-16, 829-L link bars
Harland Sharp S70016KE 1.6 rockers, Hughes hold down kit
Smith Bros 5/16"x .116" wall pushrods, through pushrod oiling .040" oil restricted
Performer RPM intake with 1" open spacer
Mark Whitener 4150 1050 carb with annular boosters
Straight up derby style headers, 2"x28" primaries, 4"x12" collectors. May add additional length to the collectors.

Thanks guys!

That's not to far from my build as mine is a 440/493. You have more cam as I run a solid flat tappet that's 264 & 270 @ .050 with .585 & .592 lift and a 110 LSA and I use Hughes 1.6 rockers and Manton pushrods. I have a bit more comp at 10.6 and I use the basic SEZ head which is about like your heads. I use the Indy dual plane intake and a Holley 850 DP. I never dyno's mine but my 63 has run 10.70's at over 3700 lbs. It seems to come out around 600 hp on some charts at the flywheel. I would guess your build in the 575 to 625 hp range at the flywheel. Good luck , Ron

540 HP, I would not use the 1009 gaskets, get some Cometic head gaskets

Those head gaskets are for the 4.250 bore 426 and 383 wedge motors, not the larger bore 4.340 400 and 4.320 bore 440 motors
The regular, cheaper, 8519PT Fel Pro head gaskets will work fine for your application

A few 493 we have put together have not had issues using the 1009 gaskets. Is there a known issue we haven’t experienced yet?

I am kind of wondering the deal here ?
The 1009 is listed as 4.410 bore . Unless you have a big champher at top of bore what issue can you have ?
I have used 4.410 bore cometics in my 440 and 505 , 440 was at 0.055 over
I have fitted 1009 with my Trickflows , and trickflow recommend this gasket . Trickflow also say their head will not fit under a 4.320 bore

Tex

Should make all the torque you would want. I had T/A 10" in a '76 Ramcharger and it slipped too much and I replaced it with a B&M 2,000 type unit which was pretty cheap actually. I didn't have near the HP or gear you have. I found the 5,200 pd. weight was a big factor in how the converter acted. With near 600 est. torque I don't think you will need a real loose unit. It will be fast and fun with the correct gear you chose!

don't use the 1009 on that bore size.

Yep. I was gonna use a 1009 since it fit my Indy ez heads but laying them on my '77 440 block. it overhung the bore chamfer but didn't on my back up '72 440 block. So it depends

Before you pull the trigger on the converter, you might want to talk to a converter builder or two and get their input. With the torque you will be making, it could be a challenge to get one tight enough. And make sure that they are clear with you on how their converters will act in your vehicle. Have them review in detail flash, stall, etc. There might be an off-the-shelf converter for you, but it would be a good idea to talk to the converter guys.

Personally, I have used PTC for many years with good results. But my last couple of converters from them missed the mark and they were too busy to spend much time working it out. Called Lenny at Ultimate. He spent the time to get the info and then re-worked the PTC to my satisfaction.

Hughes recommended their 24-30HD 3000 stall. But the tech reply did not really make sense to me. Seemed opposite to how I was thinking how the choice was to be made. What do you think of what he said? I did give all the vehicle specs, and said we want to be sure the converter won’t be slipping driving at 60-70 mph, because we have ran into that issue before.

“Thank you for the tech card and no I can get you into a 2500 stall with this combo. The tightest you can go is a 3000 stall model. Even if a 2500 stall might allow the engine to remain running with out stalling, once you drop it into low range on the transfer case it would be way to tight for playing in the mud. For mud racing racing you need the complete opposite to keep engine RPM up. 24-30HD is a 3000 stall”

“Thank you, and there is always a chance of additional heat, just run a good cooler in the bed with a fan and that should handle the issue if it is a problem. I have people running much higher stalls on the street that can maintain 180-190 with no issues. Correct stalls actual can produce less heat if its not fighting the engine being too tight.”

For our vehicles, converter selection is as important (and sometimes) as difficult as cam selection. Which is compounded by a lack of particular cores. I have been through this a couple of times now.

If you want a loose converter...no problem. But if you want a fairly tight streetable converter for our BB stroker motors......that is a real challenge.

I would like to have a tighter converter in my Cuda, but the cores just aren't available to get there.

You know your combo. Now think about what you want the converter to do and call some converter builders with your specs and preferences. The reputable converter guys will tell you what is and what isn't possible.

Your going to want some stall with your mud bogging intentions. A quality vert will stall where you need and provide very little slippage at highway speeds. My vote a 9.5" 3800 stall Dynamic, or something similer from ati or so. I would not go Less then that with your overall intended combo. If you do, you would be leaving performance on the table.

I agree as I run a Dynamic 9.5 in my 63 and in my sons Dart. And we both love them as its their street/strip converters that drive great and work nice at the track. Mine is rated at a 4200 flash but I can cruise at 2500 to 3200 rpm all day long with no slippage or heat buildup. I love it as its been in my 63 since 2006 and still going strong and my 63 is a 99% street car. Ron

I agree with the Dynamic vert. I have a 10" 5200 in mt street/strip Barracuda. Cruises so nice with little slippage that 170-180* is the fluid temp on a 90*+ day cruising. Caculated the slippage once and looks like 6% is all it has going down track. Just had it freshened by Lenny. Great converter.

563 HP 607 ft lbs