My Recent 440 Build for my 68 Dart

[bremereric]

I did post all of my pictures and comments finally in this thread from my other forum..you can still visit the big block forum link below to see more comments from that site.....Thanks and I hope some of my work helps someone else...Eric

http://www.bigblockdart.com/forum/sh...-68-Dodge-Dart

hope you enjoy and maybe learn something...I like to help others...

[belmateo]

Good Job man!!! is your 340 gone already?

[bremereric]

Yep, I got lucky and sold it to someone local on e-bay for $3500.00. I was a 540 lift total roller motor....It looked like this when I sold it....

[bremereric]

Here's a couple of pictures of my completed/mocked up 452 cubic inch Mopar 440. It is a medium budget build with stock forged crank, stock six-pack rods, Keith Black flat top pistons, Comp Cam 534 lift roller cam with 440 Source 1.6 ratio rockers. It has a lot of other 440 Source parts, oil pan, windage tray, timing cover, Stealth Heads ....Etc.....I did replace their water pump with a Mildon High flow water pump. I am running Scumacher Creative Tri-Y headers and their motor mounts and torque strap.







I added all of my pictures and comments from me....other comments and posts from other site was not added it is your chance to comment.....

[bremereric]

Here's my engine compartment that had a 340 and is waiting for its first 440......



Note the non-column shift steering column I had to get to make room for Shumacher's Tri-Y headers.......their instuctions and tips were very awesome but they did not mention the steering column issue?

[bremereric]

Someone of on the other site said: The Schumacher headers should fit a big block with column shift or a floor shift, with or without power steering..


I just looked through the book manual type thing he gave me, and it says that Factory AC MAY interfere with the conversion, but nothing about changing the steering column out.[/QUOTE] I called Mr. Michael Shumacher himself. He said he was surprised that my 68 had a longer outer ring on the steering column with the white plastic bearing a the end of it. I measured it myself and needed another 1/4" clearance. His suggestion was to source another steering column or modify mine.......I put in this B&M Unimatic shifter......

[bremereric]

I also had to modify my fan shroud to clearance my AC compressor........

[bremereric]

Forgot one item....the first time I lowered the engine in to level and check things out I trashed the factory located oil dipstick.....I also had not cut the notch large enough in the k-member for the hv oil pump.....I pulled back out and added the Milidon flexible oil dipstick....I added a piece of 3/8" all-thread to support it......

[bremereric]

Freakin can't belive it's finally going in tomorrow and will be happy to post some more pictures as it goes in........My buddy Paul who has a stroked 512 cubic inch 440 will be over tomorrow early afternoon to help... I am afraid that it may collide into something so I will pull the driver's side valve cover off to give more clearance to the master cylinder and may pull the passenger side header as it will be very close to the inner fenderwell....wish me luck.....

[bremereric]

It's hanging in the air and waiting for my buddy Paul to arrive....I removed the driver's side valve cover for more clearance on that side.....

[bremereric]

I found these on e-bay some time ago and have been waiting to put them on, I decided to put them on today because I am still waiting to drop the motor in.....What do you think?

[bremereric]

Motor still hanging around....waiting.........

[bremereric]

OMG I can't believe it's finally in there.........Paul finally arrived after work around 3:00 PM..We started to lower the 440 in with both headers in but found it better to remove the passenger side spark plugs and header......then when the drivers side header collector hit the transmission we decided that the trans should be dropped and so we did...now knowing better both headers could have stayed on if the tranny was dropped....always learn the hard way but willing to pass on the info to others.......

Here it is....almost complete



Passenger side header clearance....



Valve cover to heater/AC blower motor.......good thing I notched it......



Number 7 tube to steering column...good thing I went to floor shift column....



Number 3 & 5 tubes to steering gearbox....I will get a better picture tomorrow.....

[bremereric]

Here is today's progress and a better picture of the header to steering box clearance.....



Farther complete with carburetor and air cleaner.........



Carburetor hookup and could not get kickdown to return....went ahead and ordered a Lokar cable kickdown setup....



Here is the clearance for the fan I had to use a 18" flex fan.......

[bremereric]

Had to step away for a few minutes and came back to issue these picts.....

Passenger side with high pressure AC line connected to firewall fitting....



With radiator and high pressure line on compressor.......

[bremereric]

I took several pictures from below to show header clearance to torsion bars, steering column and starter.....

Passenger side collector to torsion bar two pics show that is does not hit the torsion bar that was mentioned in another old post.......





Driver's side shot of collector and clearance.......sorry about the blurry pic



Two pics of starter clearance.....

[bremereric]

I ordered a ProForm mini-starter from Summit and was excited to see it arrive today....beware that as it comes out of the box the buss bar will hit the side of the engine block and not allow you to start the top starter bolt....sorry for the blurry pic



This is the part that hits......

[bremereric]

After further investigation I found that I could remove a cap off of the top of the buss bar, this exposes two studs that come out of the starter..do you guys think it would be safe to connect the starter wires to these stud?

[bremereric]

Went ahead and put the Proform starter in with out the extended bus bar, it worked great but was fun connecting the cables...it turned the engine over fine and I was able to button up the tranny and locktite all of the torque converter bolts......

Tranny all bolted up...



Look closely to see the starter wiring...close but no problems...

[bremereric]

Today I bought a 2 1/2" 45 degree elbow and one 2 foot long 2 1/2" straight pipe at O'Reillys, I borrowed the 120 Miller mig welder from work and got my exhaust hooked up on one side to my existing TTI "X" pipe exhaust.....going back to get two more pieces to finish up the other side.

I will take to muffler shop and have them weld them all up....

[bremereric]

Today I finished just about everything on top except for stabbing the distributor and the Lokar kickdown last bracket for it to show up on Monday...filled radiator with water and 6 quarts of oil in the oil pan....no leaks yet...I always do this at least a day before I start up an engine...I will finish the other exhaust pipe tomorrow and let it back down. Monday I hope to have measurement for new drive shaft and start up this Friday....

three pics to show further completion on top.....

[bremereric]

I got my carb bracket for the Lokar kickdown cable today and was very excited at first....I tried to place the bracket on the carb and found it hitting the stock throttle cable bracket...thus I took off the stock brackets and mounted the Lokar bracket to the carb...got kickdown set up but now have to order a Lokar throttle cable....I am getting tired of having to go backwards but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel......

[bremereric]

Today I finished the other side of exhaust pipe from the header to the "X"...I can't weld for s h i t but it is only temporary for starting the car and driving to the muffler shop....tonight my car is finally back on the floor and tomorrow I hope to finish up the Lokar throttle cable and measure for a new drive shaft...wish me luck....

[bremereric]

Measured drive shaft tonight using Spicer 1350 u-joint slip yoke and 1350 yoke on the rearend.....47.75 is the length....got my Lokar throttle today and got in installed.... had to drill an enlarged hole in gas pedal for the larger ball on the end of the cable...also had to drill a new hole in the carb throttle lever to get it level with the Lokar mount...take a look at the pics...

[bremereric]

Ordered my drive shaft today and it will be 3.5" in diameter with 1350 Spicer u-joints....can't wait....will pick it up in the morning and stab it in tomorrow night and fill the tranny with fuild....start up planned for Saturday....wish me luck.....