Mopar 413/426 Max Wedge block casting number confusion

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dukeboy_318 said:
AAQA cast all the max wedge blocks, yes. However, they also cast the heavy duty truck blocks. Which is why just having the AAQA by itself without the 730 series casting number means little.

All max wedges, 413/426s were notched. Regardless of valve size.

63 would have been the 426 Max Wedge as the 413 had been retired from max wedge form. However, 413 production continued on for several years in standard form.

The webbings would be on the mains.

516 heads were the only standard big block head during that era. They were used on everything from the 361 to the 426.

As for the casting number, again, only one casting number was ever used for the 413 Max Wedge as verified by the Chrysler Museum. Yours, sadly, is not that. Not is it correct for a 1963 426 max wedge.

That said, the fact it’s in a motor home probably makes it a rather low mileage engine.

When you get it a part, take pics of the rods, crank and piston casting numbers. Those will put the mystery to rest one way or the other
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I know the internals are std. Ie flat top pistons. I never purported that the entire engine is a full maxie. If nothing else I'm having big fun trying to decipher it !!
 
Brooks James said:
I know the internals are std. Ie flat top pistons. I never purported that the entire engine is a full maxie. If nothing else I'm having big fun trying to decipher it !!
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Edit, Chrysler museum permanently closed, the one I need 0ut of 3
Archives material is apparently build sheets, brochures, etc
Can't seem to find mechanical/ engine specs material
 
Old picture, but you get the idea. about 1985. Les Omans 49 Anglia 426 MW.
20221012_195059.jpg
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Anything is possible back then. But this is why most professionals documenting and verifying these max wedge cars go by the rule of three, that being the casting number, the AAQA, and the notches. The dizzy pad usually is looked at after those three because it’s easy to stamp a dizzy pad. Much harder to take a casting number.

Plus, after they left casting, the blocks for max wedges were sent to a special performance engine division to build out. Some blocks were rejected for various flaws that later were corrected and reused elsewhere. So it’s not uncommon to have one with the right casting number but not notches or dizzy pad information.
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....and without ALL THREE it's not a MAX WEDGE block.
 
I have bored [ built & drove for a years ] a 413 block out to 440.
 
Brooks James said:
The plot thickens considerably, the block has a 4.250 bore, thus A 426
Original steel factory head gasket, numbers correct, the valve cover gaskets are hard and will require a sharp scraper to remove they've been on for so long.
I'm thinking that it's a virgin, never opened up, which would mean it's a 426 from the factory
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Brooks James said:
Edit, Chrysler museum permanently closed, the one I need 0ut of 3
Archives material is apparently build sheets, brochures, etc
Can't seem to find mechanical/ engine specs material
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Chrysler Museum/Historical won’t have records on specific engines or blocks. Their records go by VIN numbers.
 
There's no confusion. You just don't have a Max Wedge block. .....and what difference does it make? Even if it was one, you don't have the car it came in, so just build it and have fun with it.
 
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After tons of research, and talking to experts , the block is not a Maxie. It's a std 426 motor 1964 even though all the block markings are for a 413 ????? No
One has a take on that.

Several possibilities:

Truck block
59-65 Passenger car
 
Brooks James said:
After tons of research, and talking to experts , the block is not a Maxie. It's a std 426 motor 1964 even though all the block markings are for a 413 ????? No
One has a take on that.

Several possibilities:

Truck block
59-65 Passenger car
Click to expand...
A simple dial caliper on the bore couldda told you all that many moons ago.
 
RustyRatRod said:
There's no confusion. You just don't have a Max Wedge block. .....and what difference does it make? Even if it was one, you don't have the car it came in, so just build it and have fun with it.
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Yep^
Brooks James said:
After tons of research, and talking to experts , the block is not a Maxie. It's a std 426 motor 1964 even though all the block markings are for a 413 ????? No
One has a take on that.

Several possibilities:

Truck block
59-65 Passenger car
Click to expand...
Yep. Pretty sure I said that three days ago…

That says, build it, have fun. You’re building a clone anyway. Hell, find ya good 440 block even and put the the max heads on it. Make it look factory max wedge. Increase the CR and cam and make a real sleeper clone out of it.

When you do make a build thread on it so we can all follow along. Can’t wait to see it
 
Brooks James said:
After tons of research, and talking to experts , the block is not a Maxie. It's a std 426 motor 1964 even though all the block markings are for a 413 ????? No
One has a take on that.

Several possibilities:

Truck block
59-65 Passenger car
Click to expand...
What brand motor home did it come out of? It’s possible that they just grabbed a block and tossed on the line when they were short of 426 blocks
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Yep^

Yep. Pretty sure I said that three days ago…

That says, build it, have fun. You’re building a clone anyway. Hell, find ya good 440 block even and put the the max heads on it. Make it look factory max wedge. Increase the CR and cam and make a real sleeper clone out of it.

When you do make a build thread on it so we can all follow along. Can’t wait to see it
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You're makin me almost wanna redo my fresh 400 like a Max Wedge 400 and stick it in Vixen. Almost lol
 
dukeboy_318 said:
What brand motor home did it come out of? It’s possible that they just grabbed a block and tossed on the line when they were short of 426 blocks
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That was something I seriously considered, especially when my buddy said he saw a new Dart with Duster, Valiant, and Dart badges on it Unknown motor home
RustyRatRod said:
You're makin me almost wanna redo my fresh 400 like a Max Wedge 400 and stick it in Vixen. Almost lol
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A convincing touch would be to use the Max Wedge 4 bolt valve covers I have
 
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Brooks James said:
That was something I seriously considered, unknown motor home

A convincing touch would be to use the Max Wedge 4 bolt valve covers I have
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I'm not wantin to be "that" convincing. LOL If I ever do it, I'm gonna disguise it as a 64 383 anyway. Kinda a car they never did kinda thing.
 
Josh owen said:
I can vouch though I found a 413 in a 67 imperial which the 413 did not come factory in a 67 imperial. The ID pad was blank but the casting number was allegedly the same as a max wedge block I cant recall the year the block was it's been 5 years but i know buyer was very happy a week after buying it and And pulling it apart for a refresh and it was a .060 413..... i dont know how or why it was in the 67 imperial but I've pulled hundreds of engines and i have no doubt it was factory install or someone swapped it in and did everthing 100% correct. not one single hose clamp was wrong or incorrect either. Really wish I would have hung onto that one. I have a found a 340 in a 72 dodge van before. Van looked 100% stock as well even the underhood decals showed it was a 318ci. Makes you really wonder how and why and if these left the factory this way.
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Jose, was that van in Florida? I seen one there as you stated.
 
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