Crate engine info and Transmission

[guywantscharger]

Im was looking at rebuilding my 74 440 engine but after looking about thought maybe a performance engine would be better.
Online I can get a 675 hp drop in engine off ebay for just over $10 000. Im looking to do a powerful street car for day to day driving without huge cost or upgrades
Questions I have are:
Best place to buy a Drop in charger engine with minimal to no extra work to ge the car to go.
Best Transmission to get to replace my Coloumn shift to a manual.
Has anyone done these conversions?
Are they easy enough?
Im in Australia so not many dodge places to get parts and not many people have rebuilding experoence on these models, thats why I thought drop in and go may be
the best option.
Any help much appreciated

[Cooter]

Define "Day to Day" driving? In Aussie terms, is that everyday driving? If so, I know you guys have a thing for roots blowers there, but I'm thinking daily driving a 700 HP Mopar isn't gonna be as easily done as you think.

[guywantscharger]

Day to day driving is more cruising around.
My main goal is to get great power to justify having a dodge charger
but dont need to be "reengineering" the whole car for cruising around.
Just looking for simple drop in turn key crate engine I suppose that my Coloumn shift could handle.
But The 440 I have is form a 78 fury and doesnt really have the kick like the earlier 440s. And is old so requires a rebuild before taking long trips.
So my ultimate goal is good power and sound without huge work.
Any advice on what HP is enough?.
For me just up and go quick off the mark is all I really want, and I thought I could just put in an engine and go.

[XH29N0G]

Any advice on what HP is enough?.
For me just up and go quick off the mark is all I really want, and I thought I could just put in an engine and go.

Look through the forum posts

I think the folks here will ask about your past experience with high HP cars of this vintage.  For me, I have no experience with them, but decided to try something in the neighborhood of 500 HP and slightly higher torque. I have a manual transmission (tremec) and 4:30 gears.  The torque multiplication is such that first gear really does nothing but spin the tires with 15 x 275 BFGs.  Lately, I have been thinking about stickier tires, the drivetrain, and other aspects of the car because they can be a weak link.   My impression is that if this were bumped up to the level you describe, that there would be even more significant issues.  I drive it as much as I can, but it is no longer the hop in and go car that it was with the more stock set up.  The 70 383 HP was a lot of fun, and I imagine a warmed 440 would be an excellent choice.  See what others say.  They may have some rules of thumb about what is needed and what to expect at what power level.  At least if someone here does, I would be interested in hearing about it.  

[Cooter]

Way too many today seem to watch Youtube and see those Cornballs posting insane power pulls and attempt to duplicate. While this is fine if you have the dough, many times they do not understand, that 2500 HP car they saw putting down those numbers for a 25 second video was cranked up within an inch of it's life, and two months later, it's in pieces.

That said, yes one can certainly drive a 750 HP engine on the street. It's the $9.00/gal fuel for a normally aspirated engine that tends to frustrate. A pump fuel 750 HP engine will need to be in the 540 C.I. range in order to keep compression down.

One thing many don't think about is now you have the engine to impress your rivals, you will need the trans, rear end, and chassis mods to match.

[cudaken]

Guy, is the 440 On line Local or in the states? If in the states, if there is a problem who pays shipping for repairs? 

Many folks here have been burned by Crate Internet Engines of E Bay. Even Mopar Performances Crate engines should be taken apart by a good shop and checked! 

There seems to be a pretty strong Mopar Camp down under. See if you can find a local shop that knows BB motors.

I can honestly say 650 HP motors are a pain in the neck when done the old fashion way. Carb's, Cam, Headers, Lose Converters and Steep Rear Gears. A 650 HP motor is not going to like 3:23 or 3:55 gears. 

If all you really want to be able to do is light the hides?  That should be easy with 440 even a smog block like yours with a up grade HP rebuild and a few go fast goodies.

Cuda Ken 

[c00nhunterjoe]

Horsepower means nothing without traction..... 500 hp on the street is hard enough to make hook.... 675??? Good luck.

[Challenger340]

IMO,
Stay around 500-550 hp, on easily available 91 Octane fuel, which is doable... and "useable"  within the confines of the Cars stock components, and drive-able over time.
PLENTY of power for the street.

675 hp requires a COOLING system to cool 675 hp ?
675 hp requires a FUEL System to supply 675 hp ?
675 hp requires a REAR END to handle the 675 hp ?
675 HP requires a TRANNY to handle the 675 hp ?
and on....
and on...
For 675 hp... you can spend as much or more, as the Engine was itself..... upgrading the platform with suitable systems to support it.

get where I am going with this ?

[cudaken]

Guy, I have sent you a PM.

My 69 Charger with the 6-71 Blower made will over 675 HP. While it idles fine, never been able to push it. Reason it would break the rest of the Charger! 

Got a little more than I was planing for, but don't have the pain of a big cam with it! 

Ken

[SRT-440]

Keep the low compression and put a turbo on it with alky injection...should make 400hp+ and be streetable and would live a long time as long as u keep the boost at a decent level...Turbo Buicks have been doing this for many years.