440 motor home for mopar...

[1974dodgecharger]

Is that a fad or is that something everyone has done since the beginning of time?  seems that's all I hear now, 'Oh im getting me a motorhome 440 to put in my charger'  just like ROADKILL.....

really you cant find any other 440s so you want to spend all that time getting that engine out of a motorhome to put into your charger 

[myk]

I dunno about Roadkill or anyone else, but the motor home block wound up in my car because the 440 block that came with the car had been bored out to its maximum.  It's a giant iron boat anchor for sure, but at least the car is on the road and not sitting on jack stands waiting for the perfect parts to arrive...

[Ghoste]

Because tv does our thinking for us.

[Mike DC]

   
ROADKILL probably gave the idea a little extra shot of popularity but people have always been doing it.  Not so much seeking out motorhomes but just not passing them up.  Cheap, low-mileage, low-abuse 440s are getting pretty scarce.


Probably 15-20 years ago some guy at a gas station was saying to me, "Get an RV cam, it'll really tear the tires off the rims!" 

[Ponch ®]

That may be the route I have to take when the 383 in the satellite is done blowed up, since I don't have $5K to spend on a basic build.

   
ROADKILL probably gave the idea a little extra shot of popularity but people have always been doing it.  Not so much seeking out motorhomes but just not passing them up.  Cheap, low-mileage, low-abuse 440s are getting pretty scarce.


Probably 15-20 years ago some guy at a gas station was saying to me, "Get an RV cam, it'll really tear the tires off the rims!" 

I've heard the RV cam thing a lot (even here and the "old" site). So what all needs to be changed/replaced to make the RV motor work in a car?

[Bandit72]

That may be the route I have to take when the 383 in the satellite is done blowed up, since I don't have $5K to spend on a basic build.

   
ROADKILL probably gave the idea a little extra shot of popularity but people have always been doing it.  Not so much seeking out motorhomes but just not passing them up.  Cheap, low-mileage, low-abuse 440s are getting pretty scarce.


Probably 15-20 years ago some guy at a gas station was saying to me, "Get an RV cam, it'll really tear the tires off the rims!" 

I've heard the RV cam thing a lot (even here and the "old" site). So what all needs to be changed/replaced to make the RV motor work in a car?

Depends if you want to make it perform like a car or a motorhome...

[Mike DC]

               
Yeah an RV cam will produce even more of a truck motor than a 440 already is.  Responsive torque at 2000 rpm but the show is over at 4000.  

It's lots of teenage fun doing donuts in a parking lot.  But you end up disappointed when you try to race somebody and the engine starts feeling totally bottlenecked past 35 mph.

[RallyeMike]

The engine in my 72 for it's inaugural road race was a 78 motor home engine with std. bore stock pistons and nothing more than a mild cam, edelbrock performer rpm intake, 750 holley, hooker competitions headers, and stock electronic ignition. The heads are stock 516 with just a tiny bit of work to clean up the intake runners.

It cruised at 140mph with 2.45 gears and probably had another 10mph in it. Granted, it was not the powerhouse of a high-compression engine, but it was a cheap thrill. Including the speed parts and a new gasket set, I have only $1k into it. They are certainly a very viable engine if you are on a budget. The engine is currently in my 73 driver with 125 nitrous shot on it and it's plenty of fun for the dough. If it blows, I'll just find another one.

Roadkill Charger just brought the idea to more people's attention. People have been doing this for years.

[Cooter]

C'mon. It's simple. So simple even FB kids can figure it out. Only BUYABLE 440's left in "junkyard" condition (runnable,  and low miles like the junkyard R/T motors WE got) are motorhome engines. The. Fact that non HP engines are SELLING long before that "HP" you can't give away, it's elementary my dear watson.

[RallyeMike]

PS, read this dyno thread:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,104749.0.html

[hatersaurusrex]

I seriously thought about it - but I had a 383 I didn't want and I thought 'Hey, I could buy a POS motorhome with a 440, clean it up a bit, put this 383 back in it and sell it for at least what I gave for it

Until I realized 99% of these old 440 motorhomes are complete goners, and the owner has kept them out behind their house for 35 years because someone said 'Hell naw don't scrap that.  That's got one a them 440 Hemi Police Interceptors in it"

And thus they're all over CL with a description that says '440 in it! Ran when Parked (in 1977 but I'm gonna just say 'a few years ago' when you ask me how long it's been sitting)!

[1974dodgecharger]

PS, read this dyno thread:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,104749.0.html

I re read it again and now i feel stupid after spending 8k on a engine build, wtf. 


I highly doubt alot of the kids know u can build up a 440 motor home engine to what our member did.  They want to slap it in like road kill did.

I feel jipped like cooter saids with 8:1 run nitrous, cam, etc....viola u got 700hp in tap. 

I'm a sucker...

[Cooter]

PS, read this dyno thread:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,104749.0.html

I re read it again and now i feel stupid after spending 8k on a engine build, wtf.  


I highly doubt alot of the kids know u can build up a 440 motor home engine to what our member did.  They mowant to slap it in like road kill did.

I feel jipped like cooter saids with 8:1 run nitrous, cam, etc....viola u got 700hp in tap.  

I'm a sucker...

You're forgetting one simple thing with that thread. Not everybody has a $150k plus dyno/head flow bench at their disposal. Sure, one can force a pig to make power if one has the monèy to try fifty-seven different cam/head/carb combos on a dyno for free. Just to prove a point.... However, in the real enthusiast world, you gotta grab your dart, toss it at the HP board and hope you hit . Bullseye.
old guy has prolly forgotten more than I'll know, but at least I'm willing to help free of charge....

[RallyeMike]

I am thankful that someone who does have access to a dyno (and the resources and time to do it), has let us see what different combo's actually do to the numbers on these low compression motors. We can all take similar parts and know what ballpark we will be in. I will also never dyno an engine - just build it based on known builds and principals and then I get what I get.

[500Jon]

Its gotta be on your 'BUCKET LIST' if you're a MoparMan!!!

Fly to LAX, hire a pickup, drive to Pick-a-Part and find a row of Motorhomes!
Get there early(next day) and spend all day in 90* sun taking the front-end off, with hand tools.
Hire the 'on-site' crane and pluck that sucker(440) outta there!!!
Wire that baby(440) onto a PALLET, drive to Long-Beach and send that sucker(440)HOME,,,(UK)!!!

Costs... Flight $700, Motel $200, truck-hire $200, 440 engine $300, gas and food $200, shipping $400(CAL-SHIP)...then...TAXES,,,WHAT A TRIP SPOILER THEY ARE!!!...........$200.

WELL WORTH THE EFFORT, especially when the 440 is put in a 68 R/T Charger and it runs 16.000 on da STRIP!!!

Its not about the speed, its all about the COOLIO POINTS......................................

[Ponch ®]

Its gotta be on your 'BUCKET LIST' if you're a MoparMan!!!

Fly to LAX, hire a pickup, drive to Pick-a-Part and find a row of Motorhomes!
Get there early(next day) and spend all day in 90* sun taking the front-end off, with hand tools.
Hire the 'on-site' crane and pluck that sucker(440) outta there!!!
Wire that baby(440) onto a PALLET, drive to Long-Beach and send that sucker(440)HOME,,,(UK)!!!

Costs... Flight $750, Motel $200, truck-hire $200, 440 engine $300, gas and food $200, shipping $400(CAL-SHIP)...then...TAXES,,,WHAT A TRIP SPOILER THEY ARE!!!...........$200.

WELL WORTH THE EFFORT, especially when the 440 is put in a 68 R/T Charger and it runs 16.000 on da STRIP!!!

Its not about the speed, its all about the COOLIO POINTS......................................

heh....i go to those yards fairly often and all I see nowadays are old ice cream vans, city pick ups, and the odd camper truck, all with either 2 barrell 318s or smog equipped 360s.

[500Jon]

Hi Ponch,

Five years ago you could have ten Motorhome 440's every week at Pick-a part!
Even 60's Dodge vans and cars came along.....
15inch steel wheels everywhere, all good things come to an end!!!

Oh yeah, forget to mention the guy I sold the MH-440 to wouldn't pay $1000 for it!
I had to settle for $800, so I was over a thousand outta pocket LOL!!!

But Hey, what a trip, the best part was Candy-Cat in the 'Valley'.
Not alot of candy in there, but the cats were COOLIO............

[Ponch ®]

Hi Ponch,



But Hey, what a trip, the best part was Candy-Cat in the 'Valley'.
Not alot of candy in there, but the cats were COOLIO............

haha...I know the place very well. I live nearby and frequently go there with my buddies to discuss important global socio-political-economical issues  . There's a Candy Cat "Too" a few miles away as well that's actually bigger.

But yeah, the yards have gotten less interesting over the last few years. Still find the odd gem tho, so its worthwhile going on a Sunday afternoon or a holiday off from work.

[500Jon]

Hi Ponch,

Yep been there 'TOO', to discuss Global warming and the loss of habitat for polar bears and penguins!!!

One night my Buddy was standing out back with his beer and baccy when the Fuzz turned up!
The were not impressed at ALL, we didn't know about the outside drinking rules???
After a while they saw the funny side as we were Limeys....
Next they were showing us their guns and called up the local police helicopter for a 'spotlight' on the 'OUT OF TOWN' Folks running amok in the Carpark!!!
Then the fun stopped as there was a shooting match going on in Nothridge...

Its all, FUN,,,FUN,,,FUN in the Valley....................

[SRT-440]

I have a motorhome 440 in my 71 Dart...upped the compression, added a decent cam, intake, carb, headers...and it's fast..

[Ponch ®]

Hi Ponch,

Yep been there 'TOO', to discuss Global warming and the loss of habitat for polar bears and penguins!!!

One night my Buddy was standing out back with his beer and baccy when the Fuzz turned up!
The were not impressed at ALL, we didn't know about the outside drinking rules???
After a while they saw the funny side as we were Limeys....
Next they were showing us their guns and called up the local police helicopter for a 'spotlight' on the 'OUT OF TOWN' Folks running amok in the Carpark!!!
Then the fun stopped as there was a shooting match going on in Nothridge...

Its all, FUN,,,FUN,,,FUN in the Valley....................

haha, yeah Cats are sketchy, especially the Too. Odd mix of bikers, mexican gangbanger types, and normal folks. Sounds like you had a killer time. there's an even better place now in the area called Sunny's Saloon. Next time you're on this side of the pond, hit me up and ill show you around.