sending to machine shop do's and donts???

[low budget charger]

Ready to send my 69 440/375hp block to the machine shop and I have done a lot of sbc's but this will be my first Chrysler, I will be using the original steel crank, recondition the factory rods and the bore taken .30 over I will also have the rotating assembly balanced. I will keep this motor basically stock except for .30 over bore, cam/intake and probably roller rockers. My car is a 4speed 

  Wasn't sure about having the block decked on account of how high the piston comes up on these motors, I will be using the factory 906 heads. Can anyone share any general rules of thumb when sending the 440 off to machine???

[moparnation74]

Welcome to the forum!  Post some pics of your ride in the "Charger Discussion" section in a new thread!

You are in the right forum for some professional sound advice.

If you are not interested in "Lots" of HP and want a sound, reliable cruiser I would stay completely stock.  .30 over is normal and ensuring balance of the rotating assembly is cheap insurance.

On the 906's cost can get expensive depending on wants.  3 angle valve job with hardened seats is the way to go.  All depends on budget.

Decking block.  Careful in that area.  My preference is to lightly surface/skim the block. 

[BSB67]

It depends on what you want out of it, what you already have in parts to start with, and what your budget is.

Right now is the only chance to get your compression right, so you don't want to screw that up.  You need to decide what heads you will be using for sure before you can pick the right pistons.  

I suggest that you get into the weeds on this part.  

[tan top]

 hello & welcome LBC   

have a look in here

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,64073.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,68741.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/board,30.0.html

what MN74 said  , would love to see pictures of your charger sometime 

[don duick]

I have had my 440 motor reconditioned. I sent the bare block to be bored .030 as well. that is simple. I had my crank linished and rods closed and honed. I bought kb hypertectic pistons with a pin height of 2.067. I did a dummy assembly with 2 pistons one at front and one at back. They sat .020 down the hole so I had the block milled 0.20 to get zero deck. I used felpro .040 gaskets which gave me .040 quench area with closed chamber edelbrock heads and 10.3 compression. I then had it balanced. Goes great. I would not bother with iron heads or 6 pack rods.

[BSB67]

I have had my 440 motor reconditioned. I sent the bare block to be bored .030 as well. that is simple. I had my crank linished and rods closed and honed. I bought kb hypertectic pistons with a pin height of 2.067. I did a dummy assembly with 2 pistons one at front and one at back. They sat .020 down the hole so I had the block milled 0.20 to get zero deck. I used felpro .040 gaskets which gave me .040 quench area with closed chamber edelbrock heads and 10.3 compression. I then had it balanced. Goes great. I would not bother with iron heads or 6 pack rods.

This is an example of a pretty good plan for picking pistons.

[low budget charger]

I plan to use factory spec replacement pistons just .30 over. My heads are already done and are on the motor i currently have in the car.

Thanks for info guys and keep itcoming,, I am half computer illiterate and dont even know how to post pics! Lol I can describe my car though, 69 r/t SE 4speed w dana 60 and 3:55 gears, no power steering or a/c. Car was originally a copper color w tan vinyl top. Car is canary yellow with black top, car was painted in 1980 snd has lots ov bondo

[moparnation74]

Pics have to be resized to 200kb or less to post.  Easily done with photobucket.

Sounds like a sweet ride! 

I would stay stock all the way around.  One safety addition because it is a four speed is solid lifters.  They help to protect against missed shifts/over rev's.  One main drawback is they are noisy.  Talk to your builder.

[BSB67]

I plan to use factory spec replacement pistons just .30 over. My heads are already done and are on the motor i currently have in the car.

Exactly my point.  The factory replacement pistons for your motor have not been available for about 25 years.  And, if they were, you would likely have detonation problems.  I guess you could use the 1.99 CH "replacement" piston, which is not correct for your year, and a lower compression piston.  With the right head gasket and block and head machining, you could get back to about 9:1 compression ratio with that piston.  

If you use the 906 head (arguably the worst head to use) You'll need to stay below 9:1 anyway.

At the risk of being redundant, If you don't pay attention to these details, you could be building a turd.

[low budget charger]

Thanks for all the info I sure appreciate it,, im wanting to run this set of 906 heads because they are the originals that were on this motor from the factory.

What was compression ratio on these motors from the factory? I was under the understanding they were higher compression motors thats why they had to be equipped with open chamber heads?

[moparnation74]

Just curious.  How does your current motor perform?  

My comments were based on the fact I believed you were keeping the car factory correct.  That is one of the two reasons why people retain the stock heads, the other reason is for class racing.

[low budget charger]

Ok, the current motor in the car is actually a1969 383 with the 906 heads from the original 440 which Im sending to machine shop,,The current motor has a big thumping cam (I don't have the cam card) with a stock cast intake and the factory four barrel TQ carb which I rebuilt,, It runs liked a raped ape in my opinion for a big heavy car and sounds really cool.

 This car will be completely stock specs inside and out except for the motor, I have no horsepower or torque goals at all and the car will not be made for drag racing I just want the motor to have that classic Chrysler BB sound with drive ability and some extra zip under the hood! I had a conversation with Mark worman of grave yard cars about two years ago in regards to this car, he has one like it In his collection and believes it to be fairly rare?

[moparnation74]

   Any Mopar 4spd is rare.  A 1969 Dodge Charger RT 4spd is very rare, little over 4k made and less than that survived.  If the car is completely matching numbers aka engine, trans, body numbers, fender tag, VIN, and has broadcast sheet.  My suggestion would be to completely restore the car back to factory specs.  That kind of car deserves that recognition.

   If budget is a concern to do a full restoration and you still want to enjoy the car.  Then restore the engine itself to factory like condition.  Enjoy it save the money for a future total restoration.  However, the best case scenario is to do the entire car.

   
   

[myk]

I would say that almost any Mopar is rare.  If the 'OP were to go to a car show/cruise I can almost guarantee NO Chargers and very few other types of Mopars if at all...

[low budget charger]

moparnation74,,It is a 100% numbers matching car and does not have a pistol grip shifter it has a hurst shifter, Ive not been able to get confirmation on if the hurst shift handle is factory but mark believed it to be? it has drum brakes all the way around and was ordered with the rear stripe deleted and opted for R/T emblems.

Im really still in the learning process of this car and its rarety? I can tell you we live in northwest ohio and the winters were rough on the old girl, she looks good from far but far from good, It is in running and driving condition and I put about 200 miles on it every summer. Car is mechanically sound but the body needs a total restoration including frame rails and torque boxes, I could post the fender tag numbers if anyone thinks they can help me better understand what I have?

[moparnation74]

The pistol grip hurst was not offered in 69.  So the one that you have is correct.  Post your fender tag number as it is laid out on the tag and we will surely break it down for you.  Stripe delete! keeps getting better

I have family in Chagrin and me and the boss travel there yearly.  How far are you from there?

[low budget charger]

I believe that's over by Cleveland and I live 35 miles west of Toledo so probably about 2.5 hours away. Graveyard actually quoted me a rough resto price and a feature on the show for the car,, its starting to make sense now 

v88  26
l31 m21 m 31 n85 r11 v1

a01 a33 a47 c16 c55 g11

t7 crt t3 905 062995

e86 d21 xs29 l9b 129981

[moparnation74]

XS29:
Dodge Charger
Special, R/T
2 Door Sports Hardtop

L9B: 440 375HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
1969
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA

129981:   Sequence number

E86:    440 cid 4 barrel V8 (High Performance) 375hp
D21:    4 Speed Manual Transmission
T7:    Dark Bronze Metallic Exterior Color
CRT:    Trim - Charger, Leather Bucket Seats, Tan
T3:    Light Bronze Metallic Int. Door Frames
905:    Build Date: September 05
062995:   Order number

A01:    Unknown Top Color
A33:    Track Pak w/3.54 ratio
A47:    Special Edition Package
C16:    Console w/Woodgrain Panel
C55:    Bucket Seats
G11:    Tinted Glass (all)

L31:    Hood/Fender Mounted Turn Signals
M21:    Roof drip rail moldings
M31:    Belt Moldings
N85:    Tachometer
R11:    Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
V1:    Unknown

V88:    Tranverse Stripes, Deleted
26:    26in Radiator

Sweet ride you have there my friend!  Do you have the build sheet?  If you care to say what was Mark's estimate?

[low budget charger]

I checked all the normal places for the build sheet and can not find it,,,, resto quote was ball park 50k

[moparnation74]

Expect that number to double, not kidding.

It may be gone, could be under a seat cushing, behind glove box, somewhere under headliner, beneath rear seat cushing, inside the window mechanism areas.  People have found multiple build sheets, assembly line trash in the window mechanism areas etc.

[Ghoste]

A01 is actually the light group which includes map lap, key light, headlamp on buzzer, hood mounted turn signal indicators and trunk lighting.  Technically that is a standard part of the SE package but its still coded separately on the fender tag.  The V1 is a vinyl top color but there is a digit missing at the end to indicate the color, my guess is that its V1X or V1T?

[cdr]

Would look close to this one

]

[six-tee-nine]

A bronze 69 RT/SE 4 speed car!

100% numbers matching up to the dana 60 including the original transmission and 440?

whatever you do to that car, keep it as stock as possible and hang on to it. Without doubt one of the most desirable Mopar muscle cars ever made you have there.

[low budget charger]

Thanks for the kind words about the car,, it is kind of a family heirloom also so it has a lot of value to me and I plan to have it a long time.

Spoke with a engine builder today who is a Chrysler guy, he highly recommends that I change and update my rods for this motor, can you guys help me out with what I need to be looking for?

[Challenger340]

I plan to use factory spec replacement pistons just .30 over. My heads are already done and are on the motor i currently have in the car

Be VERY careful of the above statement !
Because,
there are NO factory spec replacement pistons available !
The "Books" your parts guy is referencing with what are "shown" therein as such, are INCORRECT !

In a nutshell, unless you don't give a damn, a don't mind potentially rebuilding your supposed R/T Magnum Engine into a "terd" you will always wonder about ?
STOP RIGHT NOW !
and start an educational process for yourself, including CC'ing your current Heads, then selecting a Piston YOU can live with to achieve your goals.

Do NOT trust any Federal Mogul, Mahle Clevitte, or other O.E.M. type "stock" Piston Manufacturer Catalog.

My apologies.
you have been warned.

I've seen this a million times....
Parts Guy;    "yep says right here... 10.1 replacement Pistons for 1969 440"
Owner;   "Allrighty then"

and much later after Engine is done.......
Owner; "Geez, why is this thing such a dawg ? ever rice burners with a fartpipe can embarrass me from a stoplight ? "