New to big blocks.....info needed please, lots of newbie questions

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ValerianMagnum

ValerianMagnum

the little car that could
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Hi Guys might consider a 440 swap in my 71 cuda , im in the small block mopar since the last 18 years....have a hard time with all the 440s infos out There, was going with a 360 magnum with my car but its growing on me , i think that even a smog 440 with cam , carb , intake and headers cant achieve 400 hp and 500 torque for less than a small block and Cheaper..im just lost with the low compression 440s and what heads/cam compression is needed bla bla bla , i was shooting for a close to factory stock as possible to be Very reliable , dont want fancy roller rocker stuff and rare aftermarket items....already shooting for a summit6401 cam and a holley 750 dp and headers, car will be a ligth 71 cuda with highway gears 3.23 max and 4 speed or reverse manual valve body with a stall....my goal is a 3 000 pound car with torque and good street manners and pump gas !!!!let me know your combos , i have 5 engines in my area all from 72 to 1980...for cheap, im on a very limited budget ! Ps* always had 5.2 and 5.9s.....Can i buy an aftermarket cam and use new oem stock replacement lifters ?
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Hi Guys might consider a 440 swap in my 71 cuda , im in the small block mopar since the last 18 years....have a hard time with all the 440s infos out There, was going with a 360 magnum with my car but its growing on me , i think that even a smog 440 with cam , carb , intake and headers cant achieve 400 hp and 500 torque for less than a small block and Cheaper..im just lost with the low compression 440s and what heads/cam compression is needed bla bla bla , i was shooting for a close to factory stock as possible to be Very reliable , dont want fancy roller rocker stuff and rare aftermarket items....already shooting for a summit6401 cam and a holley 750 dp and headers, car will be a ligth 71 cuda with highway gears 3.23 max and 4 speed or reverse manual valve body with a stall....my goal is a 3 000 pound car with torque and good street manners and pump gas !!!!let me know your combos , i have 5 engines in my area all from 72 to 1980...for cheap, im on a very limited budget ! Ps* always had 5.2 and 5.9s.....Can i buy an aftermarket cam and use new oem stock replacement lifters ?
Click to expand...

Wow, 3000 lbs? You are going to really have to gut a lot of metal, use a lot of fiberglass parts and remove a lot of other things from a '71 'Cuda to get down that weight.
 
I will....my 76 duster was reduced from 3400 to 2800 very easily , cuda is around 3300/3400 with 340 so with a big block my goal is to remove an honest 500 pounds...body and engine total ,
 
Hughes whiplash cams are designed for low compression engines. I guarrantee that summit cam is a chevy grind on a mopar core. In other words, it doesnt take advantage of the larger mopar lifter diameter, leaves power on the table for its size.
 
ValerianMagnum said:
I will....my 76 duster was reduced from 3400 to 2800 very easily , cuda is around 3300/3400 with 340 so with a big block my goal is to remove an honest 500 pounds...body and engine total ,
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It won't be that hard. Aluminum heads, intake, water pump and water pump housing. That's close to 100 pounds gone right there. POOF. Are you chubby? There's some more. Not bein smart, it's just a fact.

If you use aluminum heads, I'd sure as heck take advantage of them by running a camshaft that was substantial enough to take advantage of them. Maybe something like Comp's version of the 509 cam. That would make a lot of power and sound dang good doin it. Those cams have real honest to goodness Mopar lobes and are very capable.
 
Here is a picture of my Cuda with a 440 in it. It is stroked as well but to RRRs point you don’t have to be super flashy with a 440 in an E body to have a fun car to drive. The 509 with something as entry level as Eddy aluminum heads and intake and you are well on your way. Nothing is low budget in Mopar world but the 440 platform has a well evolved after market offerings. And ditch the stock K frame for some additional easy weight reduction. And don’t forget the inner bracing on those 600 pound E body doors! Mine meets your target weight
E0A91331-18BA-44EA-8AFF-3FA3B3FFC0D2.jpeg
but a lot of fiberglass is involved!
 
Im not chubby at all ahahaha just like to reduced weight on my cars....less weight is free hp , so..is a sum6401 too much for a 80% stock combo...i dont want to spend 1500 on a cam swap ,springs, retainers , pushrods , special timing chain , r.rockers bla bla bla..i just want to port the heads , slap a cam , alum intake and a holley 4bbl and headers...while retaining all the rest. Im so used to 360s and 5.9s magnums and it was working all well with el cheapo stuff close to factory
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Hi Guys might consider a 440 swap in my 71 cuda , im in the small block mopar since the last 18 years....have a hard time with all the 440s infos out There, was going with a 360 magnum with my car but its growing on me , i think that even a smog 440 with cam , carb , intake and headers cant achieve 400 hp and 500 torque for less than a small block and Cheaper..im just lost with the low compression 440s and what heads/cam compression is needed bla bla bla , i was shooting for a close to factory stock as possible to be Very reliable , dont want fancy roller rocker stuff and rare aftermarket items....already shooting for a summit6401 cam and a holley 750 dp and headers, car will be a ligth 71 cuda with highway gears 3.23 max and 4 speed or reverse manual valve body with a stall....my goal is a 3 000 pound car with torque and good street manners and pump gas !!!!let me know your combos , i have 5 engines in my area all from 72 to 1980...for cheap, im on a very limited budget ! Ps* always had 5.2 and 5.9s.....Can i buy an aftermarket cam and use new oem stock replacement lifters ?
Click to expand...
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Im not chubby at all ahahaha just like to reduced weight on my cars....less weight is free hp , so..is a sum6401 too much for a 80% stock combo...i dont want to spend 1500 on a cam swap ,springs, retainers , pushrods , special timing chain , r.rockers bla bla bla..i just want to port the heads , slap a cam , alum intake and a holley 4bbl and headers...while retaining all the rest. Im so used to 360s and 5.9s magnums and it was working all well with el cheapo stuff close to factory
Click to expand...

Your head porting will be a colossal waste of money if you intend on running a mild camshaft and stock rocker gear. What I would do in your case is simply build a stock 375HP 440 and be done with it.
 
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RustyRatRod said:
You head porting will be a colossal waste of money if you intend on running a mild camshaft and stock rocker gear. What I would do in your case is simply build a stock 375HP 440 and be done with it.
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...and not much money. Weight is not a big deal with 500 ftlb of torque.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Your head porting will be a colossal waste of money if you intend on running a mild camshaft and stock rocker gear. What I would do in your case is simply build a stock 375HP 440 and be done with it.
Click to expand...
if i buy the heads of a 67 to 71 440 and the same pistons...ami reaching the same compression ratio ? I think 400hp is very doable , i was talking more of a gasket match , and fix all the imperfection , ram air system etc....a stock hp 440 was very close to 400hp and 500 torque if everything was well done...pretty sure about that.
 
ValerianMagnum said:
if i buy the heads of a 67 to 71 440 and the same pistons...ami reaching the same compression ratio ? I think 400hp is very doable , i was talking more of a gasket match , and fix all the imperfection , ram air system etc....a stock hp 440 was very close to 400hp and 500 torque if everything was well done...pretty sure about that.
Click to expand...

You don't need "the same" compression to make that power. Just good parts choices.
 
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