73 408 Duster
Well-Known Member
Well, let the budget 456 build begin! :burnout:
The back story of how I got here, a few months ago I picked up a 440 block that was covered in surface rust after being stored for years in damp conditions in anticipation of building a 512 stroker with a 440 Source rotating assembly. I had the block cleaned and magnafluxed only to find out it would not clean at .060" overbore and that it would need sleeved due to rust pits in the bores, so I decided to scrap the block and the idea.
Fast forward another couple months and a ton of research later I decided to go with a 400 b-block this time around for a 451 stroker build due to it's better fitment into an a-body and the potential weight savings offered. As luck would have it I found a 72 HP 400 block bored .040" overbore out of a 72 Plymouth Sports Fury at the local salvage yard and was able to pick up the short block for a hundred bucks. I spent a few hours rolling around in the dirt at the yard, removing the motor with limited tools, and brought the motor home to tear it down. I took the block to the machine shop and had it cleaned, magnafluxed, line / deck checked and bored to .060" overbore for another two hundred and fifty bucks. Yielding a 456 cubic inch monster, if the machinist's math is correct. So far I have got three hundred and fifty dollars into the prepped block.
I have since purchased Keith Black 251 pistons and moly-rings for $350.00 and a seasoned forged 440 crank for another $200.00. I plan on getting the crank turned down to 400 journal size and the counterweights turned down to 7.250" outside diameter for clearance. I will be using the stock 400 rods, with ARP bolts for the rods and mains. Other than that I am still up in the air on my final parts selections, but will update this thread as I save and get more parts for this build. As always, responses are welcome and appreciated.
As a side note this motor is going into a mostly street, some 1/8 mile 73 Duster with a 727 transmission.
The back story of how I got here, a few months ago I picked up a 440 block that was covered in surface rust after being stored for years in damp conditions in anticipation of building a 512 stroker with a 440 Source rotating assembly. I had the block cleaned and magnafluxed only to find out it would not clean at .060" overbore and that it would need sleeved due to rust pits in the bores, so I decided to scrap the block and the idea.
Fast forward another couple months and a ton of research later I decided to go with a 400 b-block this time around for a 451 stroker build due to it's better fitment into an a-body and the potential weight savings offered. As luck would have it I found a 72 HP 400 block bored .040" overbore out of a 72 Plymouth Sports Fury at the local salvage yard and was able to pick up the short block for a hundred bucks. I spent a few hours rolling around in the dirt at the yard, removing the motor with limited tools, and brought the motor home to tear it down. I took the block to the machine shop and had it cleaned, magnafluxed, line / deck checked and bored to .060" overbore for another two hundred and fifty bucks. Yielding a 456 cubic inch monster, if the machinist's math is correct. So far I have got three hundred and fifty dollars into the prepped block.
I have since purchased Keith Black 251 pistons and moly-rings for $350.00 and a seasoned forged 440 crank for another $200.00. I plan on getting the crank turned down to 400 journal size and the counterweights turned down to 7.250" outside diameter for clearance. I will be using the stock 400 rods, with ARP bolts for the rods and mains. Other than that I am still up in the air on my final parts selections, but will update this thread as I save and get more parts for this build. As always, responses are welcome and appreciated.
As a side note this motor is going into a mostly street, some 1/8 mile 73 Duster with a 727 transmission.
