Help me with this odd ball....

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dadodgekid

When in doubt... floor it
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So I’ve had this big block 1966 440 that my dad’s had forever so I freshen it up a few years ago we dropped at my buddies 66 Polara. I put in some good parts but I never check the bottom end. It had a cast crank X ternal balance balance her on it forever so I assumed it was a cast crank motor. I pull the pan off last night being bored, come to find out it’s a forged crank motor! If I had a cast crank balancer and a cast crank flex plate on this thing and it was internally balanced wouldn’t shake the fillings are your head? Im very confused. It ran very smooth to 7k alot lol
 
I'm currently building a late casting date 65 440 engine. It has a forge steel crank and an externally balanced damper also. I am going to discuss this with the machinist that's going to balance the rotating assembly. Was it just the early 440's that were externally balanced? 65'
 
There are also externally balanced forged steel crank 440's, starting in 1970 with the heavy rod engines, "six pack", but these were not all six pack Intakes, I've found them in police cruisers and pickup's up to 1972.
 
Thats what mine is also! 6-13-65 440 block. Mine has LY rods and old flat top trw forged pistons. Im just beside myself that , to my knowledge its never been balanced, but it has drilled counter weights. I guess ill break it all down and bring it to my machine shop and have them check the balance. Im just happy its forged. All these years ive been scared to spray it because i thought it was a cast crank! Lol
 
Mine is 12/27/65 block casting. LY rods flat top pistons, not sure of the brand. I'm almost positive this lower end is stock and hasn't been rebuilt. Block needs bored, should clean up @ 0.030 over. I knew it had a forged crankshaft, but wasn't sure why the damper had imbalance. 65'
 
My buddy had a 66 383 in his 69 bee. Seemed fine. Had a 440-6 balancer on it. Put on a stock 383 balancer and it shook like crazy. Pulled off the pan and it had a forged crank. Didn’t seem to be any drilling on the crank other than factory. No weights on the converter. Put the pan back on and the 440-6 balancer. It’s been happy for 30 years now. Must be no rhyme or reason to Chrysler’s thinking. Kim
 
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I know one thing, "back when." My 70 440-6 lost the no6 rod bearing at somewhere around 40--45K. Had the crank turned, and "they" talked me into hard chroming it, and rconning the rods. The no6 left town sometime later and took the rest of the engine with it. I unbolted the valve covers, the distributor, and the intake and threw the rest in the dumpster.

"Many" guys back then would say "number six?" like it was a common thing.
 
well, my father came over this weekend and i questioned him about this engine. He said and i quote " hell, i dont remeber! I had 15 big blocks around the house and i threw this one together with parts i had laying around!" The block was from a boat he did remember that very well. So mystery solved for now. Thanks guys!
 
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