440 build 500+ hp build

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Miszny

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Hi

First off, Merry Christmas!

This is a budget, what is there build, that hopefully will make the owner happy. If you have any suggestions about changes that can make it better, please let me know.
Parts list:
- 440 RB 4,360" bore block
- 440 steel crank .020" under
- 6.760" H beam rods with ARP bolts
- Icon forged 4,360 flat top pistons with moly rings (.0018" down the hole)
- Edelbrock E street heads 75cc (mild port work + 3 angle valve job on valves and seats + 60 degrees back cut on valves)
- Mancini Racing cross ram intake with 2x 600cfm carbs
- Mancini Racing 1,6 ratio adjustable rockers
- Comp Cams 21-232-4 solid flat tappet cam with lifters and springs kit (244/252@.050 .520/.540" lift, 110lsa)
- Full MSD ignition with 6al digital box and distributor
Compression ratio will be just under 11:1
Rotating assembly is statically and dynamically balanced.

Any guesses on potential power? Frankly I am hoping for around 550hp but perhaps im a bit too optimistic. What do you guys think? Any guesses what I can expect out of it?
Did any of you guys build something similar? What was your experience?

I have ported and flowed 452 heads (275cfm @ .600" lift) also, planned to use them initially but Edelbrocks came up for cheap and I guess it will be easier with aluminium heads to avoid pinging. Also whole combo will be lighter.

Car has 727 trans that I already worked on, its all new with upgraded internals, billet servos etc. We will use Hays Twister 3200-3600 stall coverter because we have it and it is brand new. Rear axle is 3.23 a body 8.75" with sure grip (3.55 would be better I guess).

Thank you for your input.
 
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No guesses here but did something similar w/ 450ci/400 stroker a few months back. Same cam, 1.6:1 rockers, ported iron heads, <10:1, Edelbrock RPM intake, 750cfm 4150. 536HP & 540 something TQ.
 
The unknown factor for me is the intake and carbs.

Aside from that, if it had a known good manifold/carb, and 1-7/8” headers.......it should easily be solidly over 500hp.
 
Given your posted parts and pieces I would guess you might be just a little light on your 550 target but likely not enough off to disappoint you. Looks like a very durable solid build. Should give you years of service. 440s are just a great starting point for a very reliable 500HP plus platform. Have a blast!
 
You mentioned "pinging" in your post. What head gasket will you be using? .018 below deck pistons will require a thin one to achieve quench. With as much as has already been spent I would spring for some Cometic gaskets if needed to get the quench set properly.
 
Sure wish there was a better header/ exhaust solution (for A's) than smallish or fender. Maybe "stack" them out the hood?

I KNOW!!! Bring them up and out through the fenders BUICK style.
 
I had a 440 in my 70 Charger that would run 12.30 @ 111mph. Car weighed 3900+ . That calculates out to just over 500 hp.
Stock New Yorker bottom end 9:1ish comp.
906s ported
.550 solid roller -dont recall duration but it was mild.
2" headers thru 2.5 full exhaust
6-pack intake
3.55 gears
I can't take credit The engine belonged to my friend Kevin Braden who just happens to live down the road from IQ52 now.

I cant see why your build wouldnt out perform that engine.
 
I like it! The only thing I would do differently is a little bit more cam and a different intake. It’s not that I don’t like that intake, but I wouldn’t run any less than 3.91 gears with it. My choice is the Holley street dominator. If you look at engine masters where they did a 440 Mopar they tested a street dominator and it made more average hp than the “second coming of all intake manifolds, the sacred Edelbrock performer RPM”. And they also show it was only a few tenths shy of the peak hp. It makes me wonder why they haven’t used another Holley Street Dominator in any of the dyno intake comparisons since… :lol:
It’s not my first choice, but it’s in stock. I imagine it would require guide work on the street heads for guide to retainer clearance with 1.6 rockers, but my first choice cam would, too.
DODGE COMP Cams 23-631-5 COMP Cams Drag Race Camshafts | Summit Racing
 
Thanks for all replies!
Headers will be custom made, owner of this car is a pro when it comes to stainless exhaust so no worries here!
About intake, well he loves old school max wedge dual carb look and frankly I’m curious how it will affect the build. Let’s give it a shot!
About head gasket, I was thinking to use .027” mls but do I really need to worry about it here? This is not all out performance build.
This gasket puts me at .045” piston from head where standard felpro gasket at .056”… I have both gaskets so probably mls to get the most off it but I was keeping these for my own engine ;-)
 
I like it! The only thing I would do differently is a little bit more cam and a different intake. It’s not that I don’t like that intake, but I wouldn’t run any less than 3.91 gears with it. My choice is the Holley street dominator. If you look at engine masters where they did a 440 Mopar they tested a street dominator and it made more average hp than the “second coming of all intake manifolds, the sacred Edelbrock performer RPM”. And they also show it was only a few tenths shy of the peak hp. It makes me wonder why they haven’t used another Holley Street Dominator in any of the dyno intake comparisons since… :lol:
It’s not my first choice, but it’s in stock. I imagine it would require guide work on the street heads for guide to retainer clearance with 1.6 rockers, but my first choice cam would, too.
DODGE COMP Cams 23-631-5 COMP Cams Drag Race Camshafts | Summit Racing


I like this cam, but the one listed is safer for a street car and I have it with full set from comp including springs and timing set. Owner of this car really likes how it sounds. Also probably the cam you showed here will want more converter than we already have.
This car will be on the dyno and I will put updates of the build so we will all know the end result. I’m in Europe and am waiting for main studs and head bolts.
Once I get it all here the fun starts. Should be February the latest…

Guide work will be done anyway, I will not use stock retainers either. Want to put 10 degree locks.
 
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The unknown factor for me is the intake and carbs.

Aside from that, if it had a known good manifold/carb, and 1-7/8” headers.......it should easily be solidly over 500hp.

Headers will be 1 7/8” with 3” exhaust and really small mufflers + electric cutouts.
I will probably dyno it with my Edelbrock Victor intake and 950 double pumper that is sitting on my shelf just to see what is what. The intake that owner wants to use is weird but I’m curious how it comes out.
 
That 21-232-4 cam really works well with 1.6 rockers.

Is the intake std or MW size?
If it’s MW size, the Ede heads can be opened up to match.

Here’s a before/after pic of some Stealths I did that to...... they were running an OE x-ram.

5D04D496-98D0-474B-A44B-F3497C11FA79.jpeg
 
That 21-232-4 cam really works well with 1.6 rockers.

Is the intake std or MW size?
If it’s MW size, the Ede heads can be opened up to match.

Here’s a before/after pic of some Stealths I did that to...... they were running an OE x-ram.

View attachment 1715842589

Intake is slightly bigger than standard but this is not max wedge port. I was thinking to do small max wedge port on both intake and heads to make it fit well together. Some port work will be done also but I don’t plan to push it. I just never can leave things as they are somehow.
 
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Thanks for all replies!
Headers will be custom made, owner of this car is a pro when it comes to stainless exhaust so no worries here!
About intake, well he loves old school max wedge dual carb look and frankly I’m curious how it will affect the build. Let’s give it a shot!
About head gasket, I was thinking to use .027” mls but do I really need to worry about it here? This is not all out performance build.
This gasket puts me at .045” piston from head where standard felpro gasket at .056”… I have both gaskets so probably mls to get the most off it but I was keeping these for my own engine ;-)


The mls head gasket should work great. .045 is good quench clearance. It really isn't so much about performance as it is detonation resistance. Big block builds can be finicky so no reason not to give yourself the most protection while you are building it.
 
I've got a +60 440 that dynos at 520 hp and 545 tq. Ported 452s and a mopar 557 mechanical cam, 850 Holley, 9.5 cr.very heavy TRWs.
 
I've got a +60 440 that dynos at 520 hp and 545 tq. Ported 452s and a mopar 557 mechanical cam, 850 Holley, 9.5 cr.very heavy TRWs.
Had a very similar build .030 440 6 pack pistons, ported 906 heads , mopar 590 and six pack. 540hp and 570 tq.
low 11's in a 63 Sport Fury.
 
Intake is slightly bigger than standard but this is not max wedge port. I was thinking to do small max wedge port on both intake and heads to make it fit well together. Some port work will be done also but I don’t plan to push it. I just never can leave things as they are somehow.
Honestly a max wedge port is small compared to alot of factory ports of the era & even a 6.0 LS has equal or larger to max wedge & they run great for torque in pick up trucks
 
HNY Warsaw!

Nice combo and the crossram will look mighty fine!
But for all out racing a decent single plane would be better methinks?

Well light in the gear department as well, got to be 3.73, 3.91 or even 4.10's depending on tyre size!

Whatever you achieve will be remarkable as any Bigblock A-Bod is a GAS!
Horsepower is not always important, its how the car gets off the line and how strong she pulls though the 1320...

We managed 10.44 with a 452 all iron engine no NOS lol...
(That same engine ran a NINE in a lighter better set-up Dart)
 
We wanted to use speedmaster rods in place of stock rods that need work and bolts and here is what we got…

445523A7-0A67-450B-BC22-49F97C80CD65.jpeg


D011935B-DA65-4444-8F68-B3FE7E8C0378.jpeg
 
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