440 Handling?

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dukeboy440

dukeboy440

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I just picked up a good 440, going to duplicate a combo I've seen posted here, should give me around 500-550 hp fly wheel. Going into a 74 dart 2 dr hardtop swinger. Plans are to run as much aluminum as possible, going aluminum water pump, headers, possibly heads(eventually), aluminum radiator and a fiber glass hood, all to help get some of the weight down. I will be running an A833 as well.

What I'm wondering is what else I can do to help get the handling to be better, Its not going to be an autocross car but I would like to be able to drive it and not have to become the next hulk hogan to turn it :D

I've searched the forums, but most of the threads that come up are at least 2-3 years old and I'm sure there's new products/ideas being used.

Thanks :happy1:
 
You can't tell me that with a well though plan you cannot make a 440 abody handle. The biggest hindrance will be balance. Aluminum heads, intake, water pump. Headers. Glass hood and bumper. Battery relocation to the trunk. Then plan out suspension mods.
 
Check out Hotchkis suspensions, They are great for autocross. My Son has there full suspension on his car, it handles great.
 
MTmopars said:
You can't tell me that with a well though plan you cannot make a 440 abody handle. The biggest hindrance will be balance. Aluminum heads, intake, water pump. Headers. Glass hood and bumper. Battery relocation to the trunk. Then plan out suspension mods.
Click to expand...

Exactly! A RB or especially a B motor with all aluminum parts doesn't weigh any more than a stock small block. It can be done, you just have to plan your build accordingly.
 
The nose heavy big block a body myth has been debunked by all those who have ever done the conversion. It's simply not true.
 
a small block stroker will easily get you that hp and bb torque .
 
I replaced my stock 273 with a 440 with aluminum heads and intake. If anything the front end sits slightly higher.
 
What are the actual weight and balance #s between small block and big block A's???
 
Just for giggles I went out and weighed the stock manifolds from my 78 440. 31# drivers side, 24# passenger. 55# total.
 
With the lightweight items you've posted, a good front end rebuild & possibly some new torsion bars you'll be in good shape. I'd just add that moving the battery to the trunk will offset any remaining BB weight.
 
The difference between the two engines is less than a good sized fat woman. That's nothing some bigger torsion bars and a good sway bar cannot account for.

Weight difference tween a 360 and a 440 is 120 pounds. That's nothing.

http://www.mopar1.us/engineweight.html
 
68dodge said:
Check out Hotchkis suspensions, They are great for autocross. My Son has there full suspension on his car, it handles great.
Click to expand...

Please do not tell the OP to buy Hotchkis garbage over priced junk.

Their 1.03 front torsion bars sagged so much in 500 miles on my duster the bump stops were maxed out. This was with the adjusters all the way in.

Look at the other thread in the suspension on how good there rear leaf springs are......

They got my money once, never again.
 
http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/engineweights2.html
http://www.dippy.org/forum2/index.php?topic=1474.0
Here are 2 sites that list similar weights. Rusty Rat Rod nailed it, about 120 #
My 2 cents in all this is that I actually have more fitment issues in my 74 than the 72. I tried to go cheap on the SB 360 in the 74 and headers from Summit had to massaged. Stock suspension. On down the line, they are coming out and being set aside for the run stand. The 440 with HDK front, aluminum rad, water pump, is just about a wash on total weight difference. I don't have firm feel in the 74 and of course it steers with one finger. And the power brakes are nice. Plan is manual brakes and rack and pinion steering for 72 440...about 3-4 months from road test...will let you know.
 
RustyRatRod said:
The difference between the two engines is less than a good sized fat woman. That's nothing some bigger torsion bars and a good sway bar cannot account for.

Weight difference tween a 360 and a 440 is 120 pounds. That's nothing.

http://www.mopar1.us/engineweight.html
Click to expand...
x2.. you can always kick the fat chic out and run over it...pulls the front wheels off the ground everytime...just the alum intake/alum waterpump and housing/alum rad/headers and the front wheels being alum more than accounts for the diff..
 
How much coin do you want to spend? Get an aluminum wedge block, big bore and stroke and have the weight of a small block with the torque of 600".....just saying....
 
sireland67 said:
Please do not tell the OP to buy Hotchkis garbage over priced junk.

Their 1.03 front torsion bars sagged so much in 500 miles on my duster the bump stops were maxed out. This was with the adjusters all the way in.

Look at the other thread in the suspension on how good there rear leaf springs are......

They got my money once, never again.
Click to expand...

This might be your experience, I have seen my sons car with the Hotchkis TVS perform over and over again in autocross races, including the Hotchkis set up at the Chrysler Nationals. The car has never broke or failed on any of the parts by Hotchkis. To me its money spend on a great parts.
 
You don't need lots of aluminum or expensive aftermarket suspension parts, but you do need a plan. My son's 67 Barracuda (383/4sp) handled very well with the .990 torsion bars and got better with the 1.14 bars. For good street manners you don't need that much. The big limitation in the 1960s when the factory cars were being tested was the tires with the shocks a close second. Even modern street shocks are better than the best factory OEM pieces and tires are light-years better.
 
Weld all the seams to stiffen up the unibody, K-member and so forth. The factory spot welds are "marginal." S/F....Ken M
 
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