Numbers Matching 68 440 HP Stock Rebuild ???

[Dentbusters]

I am looking for opinions on what pistons and camshaft to run. I'm wanting this motor to function and sound like the original. I built a 451 with JE pistons that rattle like a deisel and I don't want that with this motor.

1968 Charger R/T 440hp Automatic car
3:23 rear
Original everything:carb to exhaust
The heads have had some minor porting and intake matching done
The convertor that came in the car I don't think is original as it's a 10 in. hemi one I believe.

Thanks
Travis

[Rob R]

That's kinda strange that true JE's would be that noisy...How much piston to wall does it have?
I put a .250 crank in my orig numbers block with JE's and a solid roller and it's very quiet other than a tiny bit of rocker noise...
Nothing like the noise we use to get from the old Speed Pro pistons with .005/.0055 Piston to wall...now those made your engine sound like a city bus...Maybe your guy gave it an extra couple of tenths clearance because for a forged piston JE's run the tightest piston to wall clearance.

[Dentbusters]

I'm not sure the piston to wall clearance on the 451. I know it was built loose. I'm just really debating running forged or not because I don't want any piston noise. I'm restoring this car as a show car. I need to order the parts for the machine shop. I'm just not sure what to order exactly. The couple motors I have built have been for street rodding and not for an original numbers car.

[Rob R]

There's your answer if he told you it was "Built Loose" probably .006 or more for JE's to make noise...
Just put some cast Ohio's or Badger pistons in it if you want a guaranteed no piston noise engine...I like JE's in resto engines because I've found them to be a very quiet piston when installed properly 
But you can buy half a doz sets of cast pistons for the price of one set of JE's...

[Challenger340]

Ditto the JE Forged stuff runs quiet, when fit properly.

[Chatt69chgr]

You say your engine that you want to build is stock and you want it to run and sound like it would have in 68.  Your problem is that we don't have the gas now that we had in 68.  So you can't build that exact engine.  Assuming iron heads, you will be wanting to shoot for a 9 to 9.25:1 compression ratio.  You will have to juggle the cc's of the heads, the head gasket thickness, and the piston compression height to yield this CR.  From what I have read on here (and I defer to the experts) the Engle K56 cam would be a good choice for this application.  Might want to have the rotating assembly balanced and will need a new harmonic balancer.  Recent discussions have identified a Professional Products 80013 as a lower cost alternative.  Someone else will need to recommend the best choice for a converter and the best stall speed for it.  And the rear end ratio will need to be selected for either highway use or stop light to stop light.  Probably 2.76 or 2.94 for one and 3.23 or 3.55 for the second.

[Musicman]

If your looking for a stock magnum style cam, go with the original Mopar Mag cam or a Lunati 10305 which is an equivalent.

[Challenger340]

Todays fuels, require some fancy footwork in an iron headed 440 build, when trying to emulate the original 375HP 440 magnum stuff of 1968-1970, from a restored "performance" perspective.

Be very careful in parts selection, and blueprinting the build, lest you get a "lump", that does NOT recreate the Original Performance and Power.

That said, it can be done.



Posted on: Yesterday at 07:56:02 PMPosted by: Chatt69chgr 
Insert Quote
You say your engine that you want to build is stock and you want it to run and sound like it would have in 68.  Your problem is that we don't have the gas now that we had in 68.  So you can't build that exact engine.  Assuming iron heads, you will be wanting to shoot for a 9 to 9.25:1 compression ratio.  You will have to juggle the cc's of the heads, the head gasket thickness, and the piston compression height to yield this CR.  From what I have read on here (and I defer to the experts) the Engle K56 cam would be a good choice for this application.  Might want to have the rotating assembly balanced and will need a new harmonic balancer.  Recent discussions have identified a Professional Products 80013 as a lower cost alternative.  Someone else will need to recommend the best choice for a converter and the best stall speed for it.  And the rear end ratio will need to be selected for either highway use or stop light to stop light.  Probably 2.76 or 2.94 for one and 3.23 or 3.55 for the second.

[Rob R]

I mapped an original 383/440 375 hp factory cam that came in the magnum engines...it was 434/431 lift with a 207/210 @50 duration on a 113 centerline...

[Musicman]

I was thinking more along the lines of the Mopar Resto Magnum Purple Cam - 450/458 Lift - 228/241 Dur. @.50  LSA 115
A nice set of headers would wake that motor up as well...