Hemi Blocks to Return?

[Ghoste]

Not sure it's true but that's what I've been told, they are going to start making them again.

[tan top]

I read somewhere on line , maybe it was a known engine guy on mopars  I forget exactly    ,  hemi blocks will be available   by spring summer 2015 this was a couple / year or so 

[ChargerST]

Apparently the blocks are available again: http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/p/block-426-hemi-siamese-bore-rough-bored-at-4-24/products_id/7341

[myk]

What about 440 blocks?  I can just see it now...."uh sir, your 440 block has been bored too much...."

[Dino]

What about 440 blocks?  I can just see it now...."uh sir, your 440 block has been bored too much...."

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/big-block-b-rb-383-400-413-426-wedge-/block-components/p/block-cast-iron-440-wedge-siamese-bore-rough-bored-at-4-31/cPath/166_169/products_id/4287

[myk]

What about 440 blocks?  I can just see it now...."uh sir, your 440 block has been bored too much...."

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/big-block-b-rb-383-400-413-426-wedge-/block-components/p/block-cast-iron-440-wedge-siamese-bore-rough-bored-at-4-31/cPath/166_169/products_id/4287

Wow, a virgin block.  I hope its a 'legit piece...

[Mike DC]

Wow, a virgin block.  I hope its a 'legit piece...

The "repro" 440 blocks weigh 310 lbs.  Original 440s were more like 230.

The repro 340 blocks have the same downside.  It produces a "lightweight small block" as heavy as a 383/400.


These new extra-thick blocks do please a lot of buyers.  But IMO it's not accurate to describe them as "stock repro" items when they add as much weight as stepping up an entire engine family.  The factory often stiffened the front torsion bars over that much increase.  

[myk]

Wow, a virgin block.  I hope its a 'legit piece...

The "repro" 440 blocks weigh 310 lbs.  Original 440s were more like 230.

The repro 340 blocks have the same downside.  It produces a "lightweight small block" as heavy as a 383/400.


These new extra-thick blocks do please a lot of buyers.  But IMO it's not accurate to describe them as "stock repro" items when they add as much weight as stepping up an entire engine family.  The factory often stiffened the front torsion bars over that much increase.  

Uh wow....that's a lot of weight.  What are we supposed to do then?

[Mike DC]

     
Take a guess:  "Get an aluminum block if you care so much about weight."


Alloy gen-3 Hemi block - $4000

Alloy B/RB/Hemi - $4000

Alloy LA - doesn't exist in regular production.  Kent Ritter has made a few of them for $5000-ish. 

[Ghoste]

Yeah, I don't think they are doing these blocks for the purist crowd but more for the drivers and in the case of big block Mopars I would think most of those drivers are looking for strength above light front end.   

[John_Kunkel]

Uh wow....that's a lot of weight.  What are we supposed to do then?

Enjoy the added strength. The weight difference is akin to P/S and A/C or not.

[Mike DC]

Enjoy the added strength. The weight difference is akin to P/S and A/C or not

Would you want a repro steering box cast so thick it weighed 120 lbs?  Hey, it would be much stronger than stock!


Beefy blocks have their place.  But if you don't need it then you don't need it.  We're not talking about an extra 10-15 lbs on the cylinder walls for overboring, we're talking about moving up an entire engine family's worth of weight.


I just think it's misleading to call these things stock resto blocks.  If you paid a shop to restore your 340 T/A Challenger and it came back with 100 lbs inexplicably added onto the front end without any measurable benefit, you wouldn't be pleased.   I know there isn't much complaint over it so far . . but there isn't much awareness about it either.  Iron V8 engine blocks don't get picked up & carried around much by the average customer.  

[myk]

Pbbbbbbb....well it is what it is, I guess.  All of the weight savings I've tried to employ up front would be negated though...

[BSB67]

What about 440 blocks?  I can just see it now...."uh sir, your 440 block has been bored too much...."

It's not like a 426, you can still get a used 440 block pretty easy that would be fine for most applications.

[Ghoste]

I don't know that I've seen the 440 blocks advertised as "reproductions".   Chrysler sells them as a Mopar performance part that says "specifically designed to be bored larger", they don't promote it as a reproduction block.  I suppose to stay with the steering box analogy, if I were blowing up steering boxes in a racing situation and I could enjoy the benefit of the stronger steering box, then yes, I would accept the weight penalty.

[Challenger340]

What about 440 blocks?  I can just see it now...."uh sir, your 440 block has been bored too much...."

It's not like a 426, you can still get a used 440 block pretty easy that would be fine for most applications.

IMO, even the stock 440 Blocks in good shape are getting harder to locate from the examples showing up on our door ?
* Cracked/busted mounting ears and starter mounts
* WRONG Main Caps
* already .060" over and useless
* Guys showing up with "bottom dwellers" pulled from rivers/lakes so rusty I thought it was a prank ? (he was serious)

Just say'in.... IMO
while stock 440 Blocks CAN indeed still be acquired...... the "quality" of what's left out there seems to be deteriorating rapidly ?, again IMO.

[BSB67]

What about 440 blocks?  I can just see it now...."uh sir, your 440 block has been bored too much...."

It's not like a 426, you can still get a used 440 block pretty easy that would be fine for most applications.

IMO, even the stock 440 Blocks in good shape are getting harder to locate from the examples showing up on our door ?
* Cracked/busted mounting ears and starter mounts
* WRONG Main Caps
* already .060" over and useless
* Guys showing up with "bottom dwellers" pulled from rivers/lakes so rusty I thought it was a prank ? (he was serious)

Just say'in.... IMO
while stock 440 Blocks CAN indeed still be acquired...... the "quality" of what's left out there seems to be deteriorating rapidly ?, again IMO.

Certainly they are not getting easier to find.  And the last I looked is as you describe, 30 to 50% of the ones I do find, I would not buy.

[myk]

Looks like I better start shopping; when the day comes for the rebuild I don't want to deal with this ssue...

[Mike DC]

  
These are 45-50yo engines.  

Imagine that it's 1970 and people are complaining about the 1920's block supply.  Or it's 1990 with 1940's blocks.  

Anything that is still being used so commonly 50 friggin' years later should be widely/cheaply reproduced.  

[Ghoste]

True.  Strange isn't it?  We are an insignificant part of the market as far as auto makers overall but still big enough that stuff is being made.  An odd position to be in.

[BSB67]

True.  Strange isn't it?  We are an insignificant part of the market as far as auto makers overall but still big enough that stuff is being made.  An odd position to be in.

I do believe that some stuff will start to disappear, including the repo stuff as demand starts going down.

[Ghoste]

Without question, and sooner than later.

[Mike DC]

By the time that happens the prices on whole restored cars will be a lot lower.  The VIN cars will stay up but the 318 cars will be screaming deals.