Some choices on engine building...

[zerfetzen]

Hi all,
I'm probably not going to do this for a year or two while I work on the Charger's body instead, but I want to get a new aftermarket 440 block.  The 440's my favorite motor, and even though I owned a '68 440 and loved it, I want a new block, even though I won't put enough power through it to justify it...I just like the idea of how some of these new designs are so much stronger, not like it'll really matter in my case, but anyway...

My goal is a 440 in the 500-600 hp and torque range.  Behind it will be a Keisler 5-speed (again, I'll probably have to save up another year for that), and behind that a Dana 60 w/3.54...eventually.

I'm also a big fan of iron over aluminum.  I've seen dozens of articles on how they build similar power, but know that aluminum expands much more than iron does, and I can see that leading to oil leaks, etc., so to be safe, I prefer an iron block.

It looks like the only new aftermarket iron 440 blocks available are on the Indy website (and I know other sites, too): the Mopar Siamese and Water Cast.

Questions:

1.  Am I missing any other good new iron 440 blocks out there?

2.  What would you recommend, siamese or water cast?  Siamese refers to how much room is between the cylinders, right?  I"m assuming siamese means more room for more boring?  Does that mean that the "water cast" is standard or non-siamesed?

3.  I don't want to be forced into a racing external oil sump system...which I like the sound of, but would like to keep it simple.

4.  If everything is good to this point, I'd really like to get at least "some" kind of engine building experience.  Would it be recommended to have some pro-place like Indy build the lower half, and then I could put the upper half together in my garage at my leisure?  I can do that without needing a machine shop, right?

Sorry for all the quesitons.  If I can nail this down with some certainty, then I can start thinking about the particulars, such as the cam, heads, pistons, etc.  ...And that's the thing about having someone build the lower half...I'd probably want to specify some Ross or Keith Black pistons.  Maybe a very SLIGHT stroker build.

[Challenger340]

INDY doesn't cast blocks, rather, they acquire licenses from foundries, contingent upon numbers of orders, to hold "exclusivity" overt a casting for a time period.

This "license" is OFF, so you may now purchase the block directly, if you were contemplating the INDY block, see here;

http://www.worldcastings.com/catalog/426-440_family/426-440_block.pdf

Available in Aluminium, or compressed graphite.

IMO, Those suckers are a little "overkill" for the 500-600 range, if thats where you're going. Very stout heavy pieces !

I use them for the 800-900 H.P. range, and really, thats their "niche" they are well suited to. But the investment moneywise for a 5-600 engine IMO is overkill, IMO.

Just my opinion,   Bob out.

[zerfetzen]

Thanks for the good link, everywhere makes it seem like it's "their" block.  Thanks for the tip.

I'm sure you're right, an aftermarket block is probably overkill in a 5-600 hp motor, but what if, after I have it a few years, I get the urge to up it?  I'd like to buy only one block.  Do it once, and do it right...if possible.

Question:
Is the Mopar siamese mega block streetable, or only for racing?  The siamese one, for example, doesn't have water circulation between cylinders, right?  If so, wouldn't that be bad for street driving?

[zerfetzen]

Here's my amateur attempt at chipping away at an engine build, please critique harshly, because I don't know what I'm doing.  Most of my information has come from Senatore's "Big-Block Mopar Performance", and some from forums.

Place for use: street, and maybe very rarely, the track
Frequency of use: weekend warrior but may drive to work and back on a good weather day here and there

Goals for the build:

1. Aftermarket 440 block
2. Fits under a stock hood
3. A lot of torque
4. Keep it simple (carb not EFI, mechanical fuel pump, non-external sump or whatever)
5. 9.5:1 compression
6. Don't care about high rpm's, so a hydraulic cam limiting everything to 6,500 rpm is more than sufficient
7. I like rough idle, but it probably doesn't matter since it won't be a high rpm motor
8. Iron's better than aluminum for reliability (at least I'm guessing)
9. I'll buy the parts, then find someone to machine everything, and maybe put it together, but I have to admit I'd like to have a hand in it if possible and learn a thing or two.

Here's my best stab so far:

Block: Mopar Mega Block, Siamese, Iron
     Bore: 4.380
     Stroke: 4.150
     CID: 500
Crankshaft: Eagle 4340 forged steel
     Part # ESP-444241506760
     Stroke: 4.150
Rods: Eagle 4340 steel H-beam
     0.990" pin
     Part # CRS6760B3D
Pistons: ?
     I'm guessing hypereutectic are best for the street...
     Forged are great, but because they are more dense, more expansion occurs, so they are a looser fit, so more oil gets by, probably good for racing, bad for the street (is this all correct?)
     Flat top, not dome
     I can save up for good ones, I'm guessing Keith Black or Ross?  But what size works?  Seems impossible to find necessary specs
Heads: ?
     It looks like to get 9.5 compression with this build is hard to do, unless I get heads with big combustion chambers, like the Mopar Stage V with 90-92cc's?
Camshaft: Engle K-58
     Lift = 0.520
     Advertised Duration = 276
     Duration @0.050" = 230
     Lobe Separation = 110
     Described as hot street performance, 9-9.5 compression, moderate idle, midrange torque power rpm = 2,000 – 5,800
Cam Drive: Gear
Intake: Edelbrock Performer RPM
     Should fit under a stock hood
     Always seems to do well in comparisons with other intakes, but best for this combo?
Carburetor: 850 cfm

What do you think of something like this, or am I really off-base?  If I'm in the right neighborhood, which pistons and heads would get 9.5:1 compression for this?