440 with 509, six pack and manual tranny

[hemi68charger]

Hey Gang.
Question on experience with a certain configuration. As I press forward with my '69 Charger 500, I'm leaning towards less of an OEM drivetrain configuration. My friend's think I need to see the doctor since I've been Mr. OEM for 2 decades.. But, prior to that, in the 80's, I was the typical headers, purple-shaft, etc guy. I strayed away. Anyways, this is what I'm thinking of doing with the help of a 440 short block a friend of mine is letting me use since he put a Hemi in his '69 Charger R/T...

1. 440 with 509 purple-shaft
2. 906 heads with new valve job and OEM rocker assembly
3. 4speed tranny (I'm converting the 500 to a manual tranny)
4. Power disc Brakes
5. Power Steering
6. OEM six pack
7. TTI headers

I know in the past when I had even a .484 purple-shaft & 727 trans, I had to get rid of the power brake booster because of the low-vacuum characteristics when I was stopped at a light/stop sign. But, with the 4speed, I have a little bit more freedom to have a higher idle rpm ( 1000 or so ), thus creating better vacuum. I don't want to start screwing around with the carbs.

Whatcha think to those with a similar setup..

[Challenger340]

Nothing wrong with "OEM"....as long as it ACTUAL O.E.M. specs !
IMO,
The all important question, and most critical factor is..... what Pistons are in that 440 shortblock ??
verify, verify, verify before you do, or plan anything else with this combination.

I don't care if you have to pull the Heads.....make sure it has a Flat Top Piston within .060" to deck @ TDC(or closer), don't take anyones word for it.
If you cannot attain an actual 9.5:1 C.R. with the iron heads with an of those Cams(.484 or the .509), or any other performance cam for that matter......I think will you be serverely dis-appointed with the power output.

Apologies for the rant....
it's just that I have see sooooooo many "supposedly" High Performance Engines, OEM and otherwise, with this, that, and promised the "world" for parts/pieces supposedly used...."restoration" 375 hp 440 magnum...blah, blah, blah..
with the Engine being an absolute DAWG...can't get out of it's own way, that gives Mopars a BAD name !
only,
to find out later.....
that actually the low-pop pistons had been used internally by mistake, or simply by not knowing any better

Again, sorry for the rant,
I've just seen that pitfall(low pop jobber pistons used) so many times in the past, feel so sorry for guys who've spent good money "thinking" they had something they NEVER did, and always wondering why it's such a terd ?

[Cooter]

All I can tell you is with the "Six Pack"/4 eyebrow pistons, DO NOT RUN IRON HEADS AND A STEEL SHIM GASKET!!

10.8:1 compression with a "Short duration" cam.

[cdr]

i'd do a budget rebuild on the engine thats in the car! a connecting rod out the side on a borrowed engine is a good way to loose a good friend 

[Rolling_Thunder]

The 509 is a monster cam that makes almost no Vac...    but be sure to ask him what 509 is in it...    a couple years back they (Mopar) instroduced a wide LSA 509 cam that was a little bit better on the street.   

[Charger_Dart]

The 509 is a monster cam that makes almost no Vac...    but be sure to ask him what 509 is in it...    a couple years back they (Mopar) instroduced a wide LSA 509 cam that was a little bit better on the street.   

Agree, I have a 509 cam and can't get enough vacuum for the power brakes so I had to hook up an electric vacuum pump. Not a big deal, but be aware of this.