'78 440/727

[terrible one]

Hey guys, just looking for some input here.

I placed a want ad for a 440/727 here locally and someone replied saying that they had a '78 Pace Arrow motor home with a 440 4 bbl and 727 that runs and drives just fine,etc. They said that they wanted $1,000 for the whole thing.

Clearly, I do not want to buy the whole motor home. I am currently trying to talk them into letting me just have the engine and transmission out of it, but I need a bit of input.

Firstly, how are the '78 440's? The '78 727's? I assume that being in a motor home the 440 hasn't turned very high RPMs throughout it's life. Still, being a later year, I know that this engine probably isn't making much power. What are the pros and cons of a late year 440 and 727 such as this one?

Second, would $500 be too much to offer for the engine and transmission?

[mikepmcs]

if you can score that combo for 500 then go for it.  I don't know much about later BB's but if it was in a motor home, i bet it has low miles and was treated very well.  you can always strip the eco crap off there and make it what you want anyways.

my .02

v/r
Mike

[mikepmcs]

TO
Check this out too

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,22366.0.html

specifically addresses a 78 727.

v/r
Mike

[d72hemi]

read! http://440source.com/blockinfo.htm

[tan top]

if you can score that combo for 500 then go for it.  I don't know much about later BB's but if it was in a motor home, i bet it has low miles and was treated very well.  you can always strip the eco crap off there and make it what you want anyways.

my .02

v/r
Mike

 
                       if it all runs good , you can allways  put it in the charger as it to get the car running & get any problems sorted . and then  take the engine apart for more power at a later date .  the heads on those have a extra cooling passages by the plugs from memory not that it makes difference 

[squeakfinder]

$500.00 for just the engine is an average price around here. You mite need different exhaust manifolds and water pump housing to fit your car. But, if it's one of those big class c motor homes I'll bet they want get rid of the whole thing and make it's disposal your problem.
I would check around to see if it will cost anything to get rid of the body, if it does it and probably will, you could use that as a point to get the price down. I don't see anything wrong with a 78 block.

[terrible one]

Thanks for the information guys.

So it seems that I should look into making this deal go through. Maybe just get a different converter for the 727 or swap it out, etc.

As for the 440...

How much power would you guys think it is making currently? How about after a healthy cam, intake, carb, and headers? If it's running and everything, I would want to drop it in and go, then change things on the top end as I can. I know that I can't afford to build a real screamer, but when I think of my Charger, I think of a mean beast that will lay down blackies with ease and accelerate pretty quickly, etc. and I'd rather it not be a dog.

[John_Kunkel]

The motorhome 440 will have the small spark plug heads which might not work well in a car and the transmission will have a short tailhousing (with or without a drum brake) which won't fit in a car very well.

[jg68]

You might just try & look for one in a new yorker, i have a stock 77 440, just has headers & 7.86.1 comp., its in my D100 with a 2.97 gear & moving 3700 lbs., for a low comp. stock 440, it halls the mail pretty good, these later blocks were very good, just look around, you'll stumble on something..

I agree with John Kunkel, you might be biteing off more then you can chew with that motor home 440, but i've never used one so i don't know.

[terrible one]

Well they don't feel like having an drivetrainless motor home sitting around, and I don't blame them. Looks like I'm going to have to pass this one up for that reason and the ones brought up above. The search continues!

Thanks for the help everyone.

[deputycrawford]

Call your local bone yard, aka( junk yard). Hey, iv'e actually had people ask me that.  They might pay you a small price for its weight in scrap metal. You can offer to have it towed there if they will take it for free. That might get them to spend their time in stripping off the cloth and rubber to take it to the crusher. Call them and ask. You can't lose anything asking. Tell the seller you will have to pay and see if they drop the price. A&A trans has tail shafts all day long if you need to change. Everything else will change easily. I would buy it just for the block itself. later blocks are no less capable of being powerhouses. The research and development is half the fun.