Is a running 440 out of a camper worth $500.?

[TruckDriver]

Actually, the whole camper is for sale. Runs & drives, but is it worth buying to put into my Charger? I know there are little differences, but I am not exactly sure what they all are and what would need to be done to swap it. I'm toying with the idea of getting it, but what to know if it is worth it.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I had a motor home with a 440 in it offered to me for FREE three years ago-I didn't take it. By the time I paid someone to tow that monster to my house and then pay the same guy to tow it to the junkyard after I got the motor out, it just wasn't worth it. especially since it was a 1977 440...

[Steve P.]

You are many steps ahead with a running and driving vehicle. You can make sure it shifts and all runs well without knocks.

Q).   What year? Forged crank or no? Check to see if it has an overdrive unit bolted onto the tranny? (A Gear Venders unit is worth way more than 500 alone).

How will you get rid of the carcase? 


I like motor home engines. They usually don't see a gazzilllllion miles and they never see high RPMs. I have one in the shop right now with only .003 taper and a forged crank.

Makes me feel good...

[TruckDriver]

So steve, your saying they work good for putting in a car too then? I always thought there were differences like the heads. Getting rid of the body is not a problem. The junk yard just down the road will take it.

[Steve P.]

I forget the head number that came on my motor, but I am told that other than the heads having extra cooling ports they are pretty much the same as a 906. (I think they are 902s). Anyway, depending on what head gaskets are used in the build, the extra water ports can be closed off.  I have heard that some heads have water ports in the front and tie into the water pump. Not seeing the motor in question makes it hard to determin what you have. That isn't a big problem either way. The block is the same and heads are readily available most everywhere.

I would find out if the bone yard will take a motor home and if they will pay you for the weight. You could end up getting back a few hundred bucks from them.

You also want to see what rear end is in it..

If you can take some pics. of the motor, tranny and rear end it would be easier to say what is what. Maybe it has some interior parts in good enough shape to resell....

[TruckDriver]

I saw it on Craig's list, and emailed the guy. I'm just waiting for him to email me back. Again, getting rid of it will not be a issue. I got 2 junk yards and 2 recycling centers only a few miles from where I live. I know at least 3 out of the 4 take them for sure.

[SeattleCharger]

  I would buy a running 440 for 500 bucks.    You are way ahead of the game if you can install it without major engine work, a rebuildable core can cost that much, and a rebuild starts at about 2500 at a shop,  which is the boat I am in.

[TruckDriver]

Okay, the guy got back to me finally. The motor is a '78 with only 68,000 miles. So, someone tell me, what is so bad about these later model 440s? No one seems to like them. Can't you built them into everything a '69 or '70 440 is?

[terrible one]

Okay, the guy got back to me finally. The motor is a '78 with only 68,000 miles. So, someone tell me, what is so bad about these later model 440s? No one seems to like them. Can't you built them into everything a '69 or '70 440 is?

I'm pretty sure that's the deal. I was thinking that once you've got on to rebuild you can rebuild it with anything that you could build a '69 or so 440 with. Plus the later model heads will be better suited to today's gas if you aren't going for an immediate rebuild.

[SeattleCharger]

A lot of very sweet b body mopars have later year 440's in them,  put on headers and a highrise intake, or a pair of hp exhaust manifolds for a 68-69 for 250 bucks, a two hundred fifty dollar edelbrock rpm highrise intake, a 750 holley street avenger for 400? bucks, you still have low dollars into your engine,  500 bucks with 68,000 miles leaves you money for other things.   Probably a motor home engine has a lot of torque and not the best cam for a charger, but the gearing in the motor home meant the engine did not have to work really hard or rev very high ever, so it will prob. go many years for you if he changed the oil regularily.   I don't know how hard it would be to change cams, two hundred dollars for the cam, not including labor.   Like someone mentioned, the later heads have hardened exhuast valves? for today's gas.  And this engine might have the six pack rods?   I heard Chrysler made a ton of the rods and then just put em in every big block because they had so many of them,

[terrible one]

Yeah, a cam swap is plenty easy.

[d72hemi]

There is nothing wrong with later 440s. Thay are actualy "better". This is a must read http://440source.com/blockinfo.htm .

[TruckDriver]

There is nothing wrong with later 440s. Thay are actualy "better". This is a must read http://440source.com/blockinfo.htm .

Cool! I thought I heard that somewhere that the later 440s are actually better then the early 440s. Time to get serious then

[41husk]

There is nothing wrong with later 440s. Thay are actualy "better". This is a must read http://440source.com/blockinfo.htm .

Yep I had read this before very interesting.  I sold a disassembled 440 from a 77 C body for $350 I would say you wouldn't get hurt with a running 440 for $500, unless you don't have a use for it!