426 and 440 motorparts

[ChargerSG]

Once again a Hemi topic by me  I wonder what parts are the same on the 426 and the 440, i know fuelpump, timing, oilpan, oilpump and waterpump houseing are the same but what more, i know that heads dont match, but what does....

[ChargerSG]

I just saw that 440 crank is the same... And i know block, rods, cam, heads are uniqe for the 426.

[Troy]

Actually, the real Hemi crank is different but one from a 440 can be used. The Hemi crank has 8 bolts vs 6 for the RB. The balancer and all the pulleys are different as well due to the thickness of the balancer. The Hemi used a 3 bolt cam but I'm almost positive you can use a 2 bolt(?) cam in one if you change grinds.

I'm going to assume you are talking about 68-70 Chargers... just because I don't know about all the other years. Ok, so to go on with this topic I have to say that many parts from a 440 will physically bolt on but they aren't necessarily "the same". Water pump housings are interchangeable but the stock ones were different. The Hemi used a bigger stock oil pan but many people use the higher capacity pan on 383s and 440s already so they'll interchange. The Hemi actually used a different bellhousing, starter, and flywheel on the 4-speed cars. You can use the 6 bolt flywheel, bellhousing, and starter (as a set) if you drop in a 440 crank to match. The autos had a different flexplate for the 8 bolt crank as well but can be interchanged just like the 4-speed stuff. Everything from the heads up is different and so were the motor mounts but you can use a standard k-frame if you buy aftermarket conversion mounts. I think timing chain covers are the same and an RB distributor should fit. I don't know about the fuel pump but I don't see why it wouldn't fit either.

Troy

[ChargerSG]

Thanks for the great answear Troy. The thing is that i stumpeld on a 426 block that a guy have given up on, and who doesent want a real 426, and i have a 440 without heads and was thinking hey this may be a possible to own a real 426 without paying 20k, sure it will years to collect the parts but that would be my only chanse in owning 426.

[Troy]

Is it a Hemi block or a Max Wedge? Both could have been 426 blocks. The upper half (heads, valvetrain, rocker assembly, intake, carbs, air cleaner) is the expensive end of a Hemi. With the Mopar Performance blocks around $2,600 brand new it's hard to spend the cash on a 37-40 year old block and hope it's still good. Using the 440 bottom end will help with the cost but you can have $6-8k in the top end in a hurry - especially if you want the "stock" look. There are ways to save money though - it just takes patience and a bit of research. I know one guy who happened across an almost complete Hemi for $3k but that is incredibly rare. Most people won't be able to come anywhere near the price of a strong 440 when building one.

Troy

[Mike DC]

I'd love to get into a (gen-II) Hemi engine of some kind for my Charger sooner or later, but the cost issue is major. 

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It's really too bad the head-bolt issue can't be solved.  If something could be done to interchange Hemi & wedge blocks & heads then we'd have a whole different hobby.  Even if people could just pay for the 426 Hemi block now, and find a way to run some cheap old used wedge-heads on it for a while until they could afford the Hemi top end . . . even that would help some.


It's another one of these areas where I wonder if maybe DCX could take a hit in the profits for one part and ultimately make it back in other things.  If they would notably underprice the replacement 426 blocks & head castings for a few years, then the total sales effect might be in their favor by the time all the smaller stuff gets bought.  Lots of guys in this hobby will never spend $10K on a Hemi in one sitting no matter how much they want one, but they'll spend $15K on wedge motors within three or four years for the same car project.  It's all about spending a few grand at a time.

I mean, this hobby is still dumping money into wedge heads like crazy, and a lot of that money is still going into old used parts from the 1960s-70s.  If DCX could get a bigger portion of the hobby running Hemis now, then those people would need smaller replacement parts that AREN'T easily found used at the local yard . . . and the trickle-down effect would start putting used Hemi parts into the lower-priced car projects within a few years, getting THOSE buyers paying for repro Hemi stuff instead of used swap-meet wedge parts too . . . )

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