someone learn me a little here....383vs400vs440

[DadsCharger00]

So I'm just trying tks gain some knowledge.  Locally a guy has a 383 with a tranny for 200$. But the engine is pretty much bare block. Needs work. Another guy has a complete and running 400 for 150$  the 440s I see are usually out of motor homes and people want 1000s of dollars for em.  So what's the deal? Which is better and why? We all want the 440 but are the others comparable? Whip would ya buy and why? And when ya do how much do ya spend on it to begin with and in the end after rebuild?

[JB400]

It really depends on what you are doing with the car really.  If your a drag racer,  440.  If your doing a resto on a XP Charger and you want a stock engine, 383.  If your building a car that you can drive on the street and enjoy, any one of these will work.  400 is a good engine if your building a sleeper XP and don't want the extra weeght of a 440.


Your 383 and 400 are basicly the same block, but the 400 has a bigger bore.  Each one has the same stroke.

440 have the same stroke as a 426, but are taller than a 383.

The rule is "There is no replacement for displacement"  Bigger engines make more power.  You can get similar hp and torque numbers out of 383 and 400 as you can 440, but it's going to cost more.  So bang for the buck, 440 wins.

As far reliability, they are  all good, reliable motors.  Mopar didn't skimp on anything there.  Chrysler built their blocks for the racer in mind, compared to Ford or Chevy.

As for the choice of engines you have listed, if I was to buy one, I'd buy the 400.  It's all complete.  You can stick it in your car and enjoy your car until you save up enough money for a 440 or you can buy a stroker kit for the 400

Stroker 400 engines have the 440 crank, but still have the bore of the 400.  Makes more torque than a 400 or 383, but not as much as a 440.  Another option is the stroker 440.  That gets your displacement up around 500 cu. in.

[Cooter]

 

[tan top]

 


not exactly what your asking  , but seen lot of these 440 motor home motors on ebay etc etc
if your going to build a 440 stroker , think i would just look round for a block only ,  no point paying  dough for a complete late smogger , cause your going to be throwing it most of it away & just using block , maybe the 452 heads depending on your build ,    there are a good few machine shops that do a block in a bag , ie a fully machined OEM 440 block for $1200 give or take ,  

[mhinders]

Personally I would choose the 400...low price, biggest Mopar bore, somewhat smaller physical size than the 426/440.
The 383 is difficult (i.e. expensive) to get up in compression. You need new internals anyway, go for a 451/500/512 stroker kit with the 400, and you suddenly have something pretty good.

[randy73]

Personally I would choose the 400...low price, biggest Mopar bore, somewhat smaller physical size than the 426/440.
The 383 is difficult (i.e. expensive) to get up in compression. You need new internals anyway, go for a 451/500/512 stroker kit with the 400, and you suddenly have something pretty good.

Not hard to get high CR from a 383 and they have forged cranks, where the 400 2bbl has cast. But my vote is a 69-70 383, you start off w/330+ hp and edelbrock makes a topend kit to boost the hp to around 400hp(they say 425) and then get good headers, intake and carb and port the heads and you should be in the 450-460hp range.

[ACUDANUT]

I too would stay away from Motorhome 440's.
A 1967-1972 440 from a car i would jump at.
Any 383 from a car, is a great engine period.
400's were a smog motor and have a cast crank...I would pass.

[jar1292]

My 440 went to the shop and came out an Indy 540 

[cdr]

my  buy a 400 block,get the stroker kit to make a 512.  http://www.440source.com/strokerkits.htm

[DadsCharger00]

So are parts available if something goes wrong if ya do a stroker kit like that or is it a problem to get parts

[cdr]

So are parts available if something goes wrong if ya do a stroker kit like that or is it a problem to get parts

no problem at all  http://store.440source.com/

[cdr]

it is costing be about 700.00 more to build my stroker than building my stock stroke big block,on the street you just cant beat CUBIC INCH'S