Stockish 440 build

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Juhosaphat

Juhosaphat

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Auburn, WA
So with my recent acquisition of a 72' Duster/Twister, it came with two 440's. One short block with factory forged crank and unknown rods, flattop pistons. Another bare block. Both virgin engines, never been touched.

The bare block came with a factory forged crank that's also never been touched along with a set of 1908 rods with flattop pistons on them. From what I've read, the 'Six Pack's rods are the heavier of the factory rods. Besides that, are they a decent rod? I've got everything I need to assemble a mild 440. Mild being on a budget. Eventually the car will get a 543 and a lot of nitrous.

For now I'm just curious if these rods are worth using as I've already got them with good pistons too and a good crank. Will they hold up to some abuse? Would like to put something mild together once the car is whole so I can get a feel for it.

Also, is there any way of telling what pistons these are exactly? Only numbers I found are shown. Also got a set of heads that are stripped but all there. They're pretty rough from sitting. Worth putting money into or just scrap them?

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The heads are pre '68 "closed chamber" design. Does not have hard exhaust seats. The piston. Look on the crown, buff of the carbon, there may be some numbers there, or look on the inside of the skirt for numbers. Show the whole rod to us, for "id"ing it. That can make a difference on what is needed for a balancer.
 
The rods were the hot setup 30 years ago, very strong but heavy. Now adays with strong light aftermarket rods they are not worth much except for a stock 440 + 6 build even then... heads are probably not worth sinking money into 516's flow ok for a mild 383, but in stock form they will strangle a 440 over 4,500 rpm
 
I used stock rods on both my builds. I beam polished them and had them shot peened. I used ARP waveloc bolts.

As far as heads...I've been the way of setting up an old set of heads. It's a waste of money. Unless you race in a class that requires iron heads get a set of aluminum heads. Better heads and cost less money.
 
It always turns into better heads,rods pistons and so on.What you have is ok look at 318will runs posts on budget 318 follow along those lines.For a starter motor you will be ok.
 
The mild 440 will only be to get a feel for the car and get the suspension setup. Once the car is dialed with the mild 440 in it, the high dollar 543 build will start. That's why I want to keep the first 440 build to a minimum cost wise. Hell, as light as this thing is, it'll be in the high 10's to low 11's with ease with a mild 440 probably. With the tube chassis, all glass, and everything how it was setup previously, it weighed in at 1700lbs without engine/trans. The 543 will be aluminum heads and as many aluminum parts as possible (water pump housing, etc). Plus swapping out all of the factory front suspension parts for tubular pieces and aftermarket arms/coilovers. May even do lexan for the windows too to cut more weight. It'll have a custom dash with just necessary gauges, so no weight there either and the interior is all sheet metal. So even a mild 350-400hp 440 would make it scream.
 
well then use the parts you have, unless you have a buddy that will redo the heads for cheap your best bet is to look for a set of worked over 906 or 452's for around $400
 
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