The cost of building a street Hemi vs a stroker 440

[six-tee-nine]

Guys, I need some input since my mind is toying with me lately. Since my R/T came with no engine and gearbox I already decided to convert to a 4-speed. And, since i'm not keeping the original exterior color the car will loose it's fender tag originality. Sooooo, i'm getting more and more attracted to the Hemi stuff and it is possible to build a correct appearing Hemi clone.
That being said here's the actual thing : I have a bare 440 block that needs machining and thats it. Everything else to make it a 600 horse stroker I still need to buy.

Would it be so much more of a fortune to build myself an elephant? Keep in mind that buying a 20k Turnkey ready Ray Barton engine for me is out of the question.
I know for a fact that a new bare Hemi block will set me back 5 grand and a set of new aluminum Hemi heads will cost probably more than a pair for a RB block.
But alot of the other stuff like engine iternals ignition parts, exhaust, intake, oiling and cooling are pretty much the same so would that cost alot more just because the parts boxes say "Hemi"?

Thanks

[Cooter]

Um....in a word.....Yep.....HEMI= Have Enormous Money Invested.....No comparison with the power of a stroker wedge and Hemi for the same cash outlay..Everybody knows this....

[heyoldguy]

If your goal is 600hp build the wedge, it is much less expensive. If you want a 600hp Hemi, well, it'll cost you hemi prices.

Rocker arm set/wedge $450-$1500.

Rocker arm set/Hemi $1500-$4500.

[68X426]

Yes, you pay dearly for the box to say Hemi. Build the 440.

Take it from a Hemi addict. Is it worth it? It is to me, but I would still advise that you build the 440.

[Troy]

A "mild" Hemi still isn't cheap. You'll have as much in the heads and rockers on a Hemi as you'll have on the entire 440 (the short block is fairly comparable actually). Not to mention, the "correct" pulleys and brackets are about 3-4 times as expensive and the air cleaner and valve covers are about 5-10 times as expensive - and those are mostly dress-up parts! It's also easy to tie up $3,000+ in the carbs and intake manifold if you're going for the stock look. Then you have to buy motor mounts. All of that stuff is rather common and reasonably priced for a 440.

Troy

[1Bad70Charger]

Um....in a word.....Yep.....HEMI= Have Enormous Money Invested.....No comparison with the power of a stroker wedge and Hemi for the same cash outlay..Everybody knows this....

I agree 100%, and pondered this exact question several months ago, and now am having my 505 ci 10:8 to 1 pump gas Wedge Stroker Motor being built as we speak! 

[six-tee-nine]

I know the investment is way bigger, but I never really looked into it earlier because until then I found the price tag of a Hemi waaaaay to much for what I get in return compared to a 440.
Only now my mind is changing and I'm thinking more like "hmmm what would the actual cost of a Hemi build over a 440 be?"

If my mind said " must have" to me then I would not be asking this question but I dont want to look back in another 5 years and say to myself If only I had gone trough and got that Hemi.....
Maybe I need to find someone who is willing to let me test drive his 440 stroker..

[gtx6970]

I have one of each here.
and just to give it some kind of comparison
FHO built stroker Hemi , I don't have the build specs in front of me but it's approx 484 cu.in , 500 HP and the price was right at $18K the only thing the customer supplied was the intake
Other is a 493 stoker wedge - Indy cyl head, Compu-Flow built - 735 HP and the price was approx $16-$17K and the customer supplied the block

[Troy]

Bill, I'm assuming that a 500 hp 493 would have been 10k or less (I really think I could get one built for $4-5k depending on the parts I chose). Those fancy Indy heads - and probably aluminum, adjustable valve train - along with the after market oil pan, distributor, valve covers, etc. jack the price up in a hurry.

Troy

[gtx6970]

Bill, I'm assuming that a 500 hp 493 would have been 10k or less (I really think I could get one built for $4-5k depending on the parts I chose). Those fancy Indy heads - and probably aluminum, adjustable valve train - along with the after market oil pan, distributor, valve covers, etc. jack the price up in a hurry.

Troy

Troy,
I can't answer that one. But I'm guessing you may be right. I know if you buy quality parts with even a stock build your going to be in the $4K to $5k or possibily more

I didn't build either of the above. I just get the be the 1st test pilot, and soon.

[Troy]

Last one I had built was a zero deck 72 440 block, stock steel crank, reconditioned Six Pack rods, SpeedPro pistons, Moly rings, Clevite bearings, ARP rod bolts, Engle K58 cam and lifters, Edelbrock heads (complete), ARP head bolts, Mancini rocker shafts with stamped rockers, double roller timing chain, high volume oil pump, 6 quart Hemi pan and pickup. Total would have been about $3,600 (including the $1,500 heads but maybe not all the machine work) but I had traded and got it cheaper. I believe it just needed an intake, fuel pump, water pump, carb and valve covers. The stock(ish) 440 on my stand right now has about $2,200 worth of parts (not labor) in the short block and the 906 heads have had some work (not sure on the cost). It includes the fuel, oil, and water pumps as well as an electronic ignition kit. I already have an intake, carb, and headers on the shelf from something else. I'd be willing to bet that both are easily at/above the 450 hp range. I'm not sure why anyone would put $5k into a "stock" rebuild (although I know it happens) - especially if keeping the factory intake and exhaust. Machine work can be a big factor depending on location (and who you know). I don't think 500 hp is very radical (or expensive) when starting with a good 440 block.

My next build is a 340, then the 351C for the Mach 1, and then back to another 440. That one will have Edelbrock heads as well but also an after market rotating assembly (possibly stroker), a bigger (roller? solid?) cam, and  the valve train upgraded to match. I'd expect that one to have at least $1,500-2,000 more in the parts - but also a boatload more power/torque.

Troy

[Challenger340]

I second the "Regional Economics", as one of the biggest factors in pricing an Engine build, comparable, to whatever geographical area you reside in ?

At our Shop, we can NOT AFFORD, to build a Street Engine "Pump Gas" 440 at 550hp(non-stroker), using good parts, Done PROPERLY, Complete & Dyno'd under $14K.
That includes Carb/Intake/Tin/Dist & Wires, etc., COMPLETE !
Thats about the cheapest we can even "Think" about it, and still keep the lights on ?  Food is nice too ?
But, THAT is our "Area"

Where-ever you are, costs may be cheaper ?

[1974dodgecharger]

does the answers still hold true building a stockish HEMI vs a stroked out 440 same price?

I was going through some prices myself to wanting to build a 900HP 440 with blower and prices keep me at 20k with Aluminum block.  Seems same price on a build on a HEMI ready for blower I add intake and up from there 22k quote with Aluminum block.  Ill take the HEMI build for an extra 2k pride difference.....more power potential down the road.

[469 runner]

I do have one of each.  A 440 based stroker now displacing 469", with Brodix heads and top quality rotating assembly cost about 13K to build.  Made 570HP, 550 lbs/ft.  A very well mannered street engine.  The HEMI is a 500 ci Stage V head engine using a World Block.  This cost about 20K to build, and produced roughly 660HP, and 650 lb/ft.  So about 7 thousand dollars more for 100 HP.  Then there is the special Hemi brake booster, power steering pump had to change to a federal, some other small details.  I personally love the way the Hemi feels on the street.  It never runs out of torque.  I just had to have a Hemi though.

[Derwud]

HP per $, Wedge now a-days. With the Alum heads that are available, Wedges make a better choice. Besides a Big Block takes up a lot of room, Hemis are even BIGGER

[1974dodgecharger]

2 years later and a  HEMI almost done.....long story short:
the bottom end to me is the same price vs a 440 pistons of a HEMI costs maybe 100 dollars more.  The heads now these days the edelbrock victor heads costs 1200 bucks per head, but a 440 head cost the same look at trickflow 240 same price.  Now the price for rocker arm setup on a HEMI is more expensive cheapest one is 1600 full assmembled just bolt them in your head a 440 well they can run 400 bucks assembled bolt in so yeah 1k more.  Other than that so your looking at 2k difference between HEMI and 440 just to have a hemi anything under 700HP get a wedge anything over 700 get a HEMI unless you have a aftermaket wedge block then build that.

edit: forgot the block...the HEMI block even used will blow a wedge block out of the water price wise....again under 700HP get wedge over 700 get a HEMI unless you have aftermarket block wedge.