My 71 cuda dilemma

[ValerianMagnum]

Hi Guys... I have a 75 440 engine with a forged crank , want to built a 400 hp / 500 torque engine stock....and reliable for cheap *** and i have a 5.9 magnum that i want to convert as a 380 hp crate engine ( had one that did 400+ hp & 440 torque )very easy recipe ,380hp cam and headers....440 as cubic inch but will overeat as i heard because its a bigger engine and the 360 93+ is a roller cam engine with 8:9.1 compression and is 100 pounds lighter but as less torque...the cuda was a 340 4 speed from factory but i will not put a 340 wayyy to expensive for nothing , will be street driven and will be build for this purpose , not a show car, will be a real driver : what do you guys think 440 stock or 360= 380hp crate , around 2-3k for both engines , im on a tight budget.

 

[451Cuda]

Cuda was 340, go 360.

 

[Jadaharabi]

I have owned both a 340 Cuda and a big block Cuda. Believe me a 440 is a whole lot more fun on the street than the 340 in a Cuda.

 

[diymirage]

a small block has no place in an E body
big car, big engine

 

[Jadaharabi]

a small black has no place in an E body
big car, big engine

.
The color does not matter to me. lol go big or go home.

 

[72bluNblu]

What do you have for accessories? Transmission? Is the big block complete with everything?

The big block conversion is gonna cost more if you don’t have all the parts. New radiator, new transmission, plus the rebuild. It shouldn’t overheat any more than anything else, horsepower is heat. If anything a 400 hp 440 should actually run cooler than a 400hp small block, the small block has to be a bit higher strung. Neither should be hard to cool though.

As for what it was originally, neither engine is stock so it really doesn’t matter beyond the expense of the parts you need for the conversion.

a small black has no place in an E body
big car, big engine

You can make plenty of power with a small block, more than the factory ever did with the big blocks and pretty easily too. Big old heavy engine up front just makes it more of a barge in the corners.

 

[3406pk]

Not enough info. Are engines going in untouched? If either needs rebuild, that will sway costs. The 440 does not overheat if you have 26" radiator. Aluminum from Champion about $240.

 

[el5dart]

i would go small block.

 

[ValerianMagnum]

I have a a833 4 speed and a 8 3/4 , no rad wanted to go aluminium rad anyway : no big block bellhousing either , i loved my 2x 380 hp magnum crates in my 74 cuda and 76 duster...hated my 340 , and sold my hemi this summer to buy my dream car , had a 340 w2 sold it too , im the kind of guy that like things simple , the less aftermarket stuff the better ,, i would love a stock 400hp 500 tq big block that can stand big city traffic and summer heat ( i live in montreal ' same weather than ..new york ) but my 380hp crate was a 12 sec recipe out of the box and was running cheap 87 octane pump gas and was reliable as hell. 430-440 torque crate engine or 500 torque monster 440 ( yes the engine needs to be rebuild, and the 360 is a regular 5.9 from a dakota that needs to be converted to carb bla bla bla , your choice !!

 

[Alaskan_TA]

Another small block vote.

Power either way.

Less torque than a 440, so easier to launch hard if needed with the 360 & not just have the tires go up in smoke.

Less weight up front with the 360 also, so better handling over all & much better weight transfer if you decide to nail it.

 

[Alaskan_TA]

Sell the 440 & use the money on your 360 build.

You can meet whoever buys it at the track later & beat him to the finish line. ;-)

 

[diymirage]

You can make plenty of power with a small block, more than the factory ever did with the big blocks and pretty easily too. Big old heavy engine up front just makes it more of a barge in the corners.

sure you can, and by the same token he could by a wrecked STR-4 neon drop that engine in, even lighter and better gears

or, if he really wants to corner, he could sell the cuda alltogether and buy 3 or 4 miatas
but it wouldnt have the soul a big block cuda would have

 

[Mopar-Mitch]

I have had a lot of experience with both engines in cudas, have owned 3 over the years. My friend had a 70 with a 440 six pack, it was awesome, fast but didn't handle as well as the 340 cudas I had. I had a 340 4 speed that was my favorite, I ran 3:91 gears in the rear end and it was a blast. Today with aluminum heads and all the modern parts available you could build a big block that don't weigh much more than a small block and have the best of both worlds. If you use the 440 I'd change to the big block torsion bars if I were you.

 

[mopowers]

Go big or go home!

 

[dukeboy440]

I'd say go with which ever is going to let you get back out and enjoy the car quicker.

Just know this, its not any harder to cool a big block than a small block. I've had them all at one point or another. I've actually never overheated a big block yet, I have overheated a small block once but that was not the fault of the engine, it was from the radiator getting clogged with mud while playing around and me not paying attention to the idiot gauge.

Hi Guys... I have a 75 440 engine with a forged crank , want to built a 400 hp / 500 torque engine stock....and reliable for cheap *** and i have a 5.9 magnum that i want to convert as a 380 hp crate engine ( had one that did 400+ hp & 440 torque )very easy recipe ,380hp cam and headers....440 as cubic inch but will overeat as i heard because its a bigger engine and the 360 93+ is a roller cam engine with 8:9.1 compression and is 100 pounds lighter but as less torque...the cuda was a 340 4 speed from factory but i will not put a 340 wayyy to expensive for nothing , will be street driven and will be build for this purpose , not a show car, will be a real driver : what do you guys think 440 stock or 360= 380hp crate , around 2-3k for both engines , im on a tight budget.

 

[Bulldozer]

440 all day everyday for me. btw , I'm using the same old 2 core 26" radiator and shroud that came with the 360 that was in my charger and it works perfectly fine.