440 vs 360 GO!

[nothingbutdarts]

Jaraxle, have you ever owned a big block abody that was built post year 2000?

Why would post year 2000 matter?

 

[Jarlaxle]

What expensive lightweight parts? Even in bone stock trim the SB to BB difference isn't that crazy.

Common parts seen in a modern engine/car build. Heads, intake, headers. Glass hood. Aluminum radiator.

Yes a small block car will always weigh less using the same build parts. Does it matter? No. Power on the other hand is easier to make with a big block. Adding anywhere from 80 to 167 cubic inches makes it much easier to make power. Especially streetable well mannered power.

A 408ci small-block is very easy to build...that only gives up 32ci to a 440, and nothing to a 400. Also, you get stuff like a factory roller cam, and a block less than 35 years old!

Jaraxle, have you ever owned a big block abody that was built post year 2000?

Driven several, have never owned and will never own a big-block A-body.

Yet again: there is a reason the Green Brick runs a small-block!

 

[jerry6]

Why would post year 2000 matter?

He was born 2001 ?

 

[roccodart440]

Why would post year 2000 matter?

Since about that point parts availability and knowledge has vastly improved.

A 408ci small-block is very easy to build...that only gives up 32ci to a 440, and nothing to a 400. Also, you get stuff like a factory roller cam, and a block less than 35 years old!

Driven several, have never owned and will never own a big-block A-body.

Yet again: there is a reason the Green Brick runs a small-block!

One car, vs. many. The green brick isn't the end all be all.

A stroker small block is comparable to big block, at least a small cubic in version. Agreed.

He was born 2001 ?

Come on, really?

Would kind of make sense. He is talking about something he has never owned. If you didn't like the several you drove, well sorry to hear that. Doesn't speak very highly of those peoples' builds.

again People are Auto crossing big block a bodies. I think that says speaks quite loudly.

Here is one of those "nose heavy pigs"

 

[moparlover]

A 408ci small-block is very easy to build...that only gives up 32ci to a 440, and nothing to a 400.

only gives up 135 c.i. to a 543 stroker
only gives up 164 c.i. to a 572 stroker

at the end of the day, it's not the block size/type that matters

it's the bottom end rev limit, valve train and heads/cam combo

you can build a 440 to be a dog on 8:1 compression or you can build a small block 13:1 will only run on the very best race gas but will make 800hp

it's more about what makes sense financially to the person paying for the build, and are they gonna constantly go buy race gas or do they prefer to fill up at pumps.

the cost to stroke a 440 vs the cost to stroke a 360 is similar
the only reason the 400 strokers are a real factor is because the block is very stout and you can do a budget stroker with a forged 440 crank and some KB pistons to make a 451

 

[dukeboy440]

only gives up 135 c.i. to a 543 stroker
only gives up 164 c.i. to a 572 stroker

at the end of the day, it's not the block size/type that matters

it's the bottom end rev limit, valve train and heads/cam combo

you can build a 440 to be a dog on 8:1 compression or you can build a small block 13:1 will only run on the very best race gas but will make 800hp

it's more about what makes sense financially to the person paying for the build, and are they gonna constantly go buy race gas or do they prefer to fill up at pumps.

the cost to stroke a 440 vs the cost to stroke a 360 is similar
the only reason the 400 strokers are a real factor is because the block is very stout and you can do a budget stroker with a forged 440 crank and some KB pistons to make a 451

exactly. This is why I ultimately sold the small block set up I was going for and switched to a 440. Yeah yeah, stock for stock it is about 150 lbs heavier than a 360...however, I was planning on aluminum heads and parts anyway. a low comp big block with the right heads and cams etc will push 500 out easy. In a small block ,you're looking at stroking, aftermarket heads for sure, big cam, higher compression than a big block. Plus if I ever wanted to go even bigger than a 440, its simply a combo change, very little buying parts twice. I'll be using the schumacher mounts and headers anyway, at least for now. Hemidenny k frame down the road as the budget allows.

My advice, before you spend a time, decide what you want from the car and stick with it, don't let others put you down or ridicule your car, its your car, build it as you want.

 

[GoDartGo]

now a days I think for a street car, you would be foolish to go with the BB.
i'm gonna maybe street/STRIP it some day could be a long ways off.

1)the time spent and learning curve getting that beast to work properly for a
first timer from the Ford camp is time wasted. (i drive Fords daily driver)
I think more A bodies end up half finished from BB convertion attempts.

2)The money your gonna drop into that pig will blow your mind. Not sure what
rear end you said you have, but if you go BB, better up grade.

3)If you want to sell it, think 10 cents on the dollar in return.

4) future liability and insurance on a BB Scamp COULD be very costly.

5) nobody, and I mean nobody turns their nose to my Scamp/Dart when I tell
them it's ONLY a 360. It just sounds to good.

6)unless you are gonna do a good paint job with nice wheels and interior,
a BB in an A body looks like crap. Doing it right will be $$$$$$$$$$$.
if everything is done right, still think 30 cent on the dollar in return.

back in the 70's me and a buddy took a 1969 383 GTS sans motor off a used car
lot for 300 clams and took the 440 six bbl from his GTX and did the switch.
we cut the inner fender for the big "cool" fender well headers.
back then all we had were wheel adapter to get the after market rims to fit
4 inch bolt pattern.
(we couldn't get the left side motor mount to work right so we "fixed" it to fit)LOL
stupid things like that will cost you.

here be my 360 scamp turn dart.

okay haters….hate

 

[roccodart440]

now a days I think for a street car, you would be foolish to go with the BB.

Or with the products available today you'd be foolish not to. I know you can have a nice fast car either way

1)the time spent and learning curve getting that beast to work properly for a
first timer from the Ford camp is time wasted. (i drive Fords daily driver)
I think more A bodies end up half finished from BB convertion attempts.

Many cars of various makes and engine configurations end up unfinished. Just look on ebay and craigslist

2)The money your gonna drop into that pig will blow your mind. Not sure what
rear end you said you have, but if you go BB, better up grade.

Having built a sb car and 2 bb cars this simply isn't true. Money is very similar. 8.75 ata a minimum is needed for either

3)If you want to sell it, think 10 cents on the dollar in return.

total BS. Sold my last BB car for 24,000. Have been made big offers on this one. Car isn't for sale. All of them sold for close to or equal to the money invested.

4) future liability and insurance on a BB Scamp COULD be very costly.

335 dollars per year, full coverage through hagerty.

5) nobody, and I mean nobody turns their nose to my Scamp/Dart when I tell
them it's ONLY a 360. It just sounds to good.

I'm sure they don't. Believe me when people see a big block in an abody they are impressed though

6)unless you are gonna do a good paint job with nice wheels and interior,
a BB in an A body looks like crap. Doing it right will be $$$$$$$$$$$.
if everything is done right, still think 30 cent on the dollar in return.

So a sb car with a crap paint job and interior looks better than a BB car with a crap interior and paint? come on...

back in the 70's me and a buddy took a 1969 383 GTS sans motor off a used car
lot for 300 clams and took the 440 six bbl from his GTX and did the switch.
we cut the inner fender for the big "cool" fender well headers.
back then all we had were wheel adapter to get the after market rims to fit
4 inch bolt pattern.
(we couldn't get the left side motor mount to work right so we "fixed" it to fit)LOL
stupid things like that will cost you.

here be my 360 scamp turn dart.

okay haters….hate

Newsflash.....

It's not the 70's anymore.

They make motor mounts that WORK

They make UNDER CHASSIS HEADERS that WORK

 

[vntned]

The obvious solution is swap in a Slant six and boost it! Problem solved! Now all you v8 guys can quit comparing ***** size and go back to whining about the cost of fuel.

 

[GoDartGo]

They make motor mounts that WORK/QUOTE]

you missed the the whole motor mount thing. 383 Dart driver side
motor mount won't work with a 440. I was taking a jab at our
lack of knowledge back then.

all in all I was just giving the OP some things to think about.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Nobody should have to talk you into anything. You have the same internet everybody else does. Do your research for yourself and decide what YOU want. Don't let anybody else make your decisions.

 

[540Valiant]

X2

The big or small thing is as old as time.lol. Seriously, i'm nobody special, but I've built several of both. Still do! I do remember ProParts headers and elephant ear mounts being the cats a$$. Anyway. It always came down to what I have to work with, my budget, and who I was going after. You have a good 360, you have new headers. You have a good 440 tranny combo. For the price of headers and mounts for the big block. You can stroke the small block. Sell the 440 and tranny and by heads. That is one option. Or, you could sell the 360 tranny combo with the new headers, to budget the header,mounts and rebuild of the big block. Either way it would give you the base for a good streeter. You said later, maybe some street/strip action. Either combo could be upgraded with cam, converter heads and so on. It comes down to, what do you want to pop the hood and look at. Just my two cents.

 

[TheMoparMan]

Nobody should have to talk you into anything. You have the same internet everybody else does. Do your research for yourself and decide what YOU want. Don't let anybody else make your decisions.

X2 your the one who will drive it and have to live with your decision on a daily basis. The BB vs sb is as old as Hot Rodding itself. It's all a mater of opinion, parts used and intended application. The whole muscle car era was started from using the basic Hot Rodding formula. Use a Lightweight body and add a bigger than intended engine from the full size automobiles.