My 440 build--blank canvas

[Hansson]

Hi guys
Will for sure need your help/expertise with this one.
The ingredients this far is:
440 block (369883.440.6 dated 2.27.73 the pad says J440T  3   21   2)
6-pac rods (2951908 casting #)
Crank cast or forged? here i need your help to determen what it is, pics coming soon. The -73 440 says cast but i'm not so sure(thin harm.balancer)
Windage tray

Need:
Pistons was 4mm(yeah i know, I'm a metric guy from Sweden) down the cyl. so they will be replaced but with what?
Aiming on Edelbrock heads and intake.
Cam, want high torque on low end, street car.
Headers, yes but witch ones, want TTI if i can afford them.
Carb, for sure but witch one.
Ignition, MSD maybe?
Auto 727, serching for 3.23 gears for my -489case
This will go in my -68 Charger(is a rust bucket at this time, AMD rules)

Henrik

[Hansson]

Crank

[justcruisin]

That's a forged crank. If you are planing on a stock 3.75 stroke, a zero deck short block with flat tops and the 84cc eddy heads is a proven winner. With the 3.23's I wouldn't be going too big on the cam. Have a look in the proven combo's, I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will chime in with combo that will work for you.

[firefighter3931]

Here is Bill's 440 build using a stock forged crank and 6-pack rods, very simple to replicate and low maintenance. 

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52477.0.html



Ron

[Hansson]

justcruisin, great thanks, guess the bottom end can handle what ever i throw at it, not going extreme, just fun.
as you say, standard stroke, zero deck, flat tops and edelbrock 84cc, dont know if i need to bore or just hone the block just yet.


Ron, that's an impressive motor.

Thanks/Henrik

[justcruisin]

Your biggest issue is the compression height of your pistons, you will need to use a piston with around a 2.062" - 2.067" CH. That posses another issue with balance. The 6 pack rods are heavy and if you add a taller piston your bob weight will go up, it should balance up OK but will be heavy. I built a similar engine to what you are planing for my 71. I used a H beam rod and a 2.062" CH flat top. The engine is the original 6 pack rod 440. I did have an issue with balance, alot of weight was taken out of the crank, the front ended up neutral but I still needed a weight on the torque converter I ended up with a bob weight of 2410 grams. I think the 70/71 6 pack has a bob weight close to 3000 grams. Still if you have the correct balancer and converter/flywheel it shouldn't be a problem.

[Hansson]

Brought the block to my mew workplace and put it in the hot tank, at this pace it will take forever

[69wannabe]

 The stock rods are very good for street use with a set of ARP rod bolts in them, like said above the 6 pack rods are heavier but they will work either way. A good piston for street use is the speed pro 2355's or the keith black 237's will make good compression for the street even with an open chamber head. The rotating assembley will need to be balanced either way just to be sure everything is balanced properly. I like the comp cam extreme energy cams for mild street builds like the 268 or the 274 grinds. Edelbrock heads would be great but the stock iron heads will work great and have plenty of power unless you got alot of cash to throw at it. I had big valves put into my iron heads and some port work done at bout half the price of edelbrock heads and I used an RPM intake and it works great for me. My buddy has a 440 with stock heads and a performer intake and it runs out great too. A good 750 holley should work for a srteet build like you are describing. The mopar ignition kits are pretty good kits and usually work good on mild to fairly wild engines. Another friend of mine runs a MP distributor in his demon drag car with a chrome box and some tweaking but it has been that way for years with minimal trouble. Lots of different ideas and engine guys on here with different builds but this is the ones I have built and had good luck with as dependable and fun to drive engine combinations!!