Suggestions/help for my 440 build/swap

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standup303

standup303

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Hey All,

Just picked up a mostly complete 440 for $450 to swap into my current slant 6 74 Dart. I would really appreciate any help, suggestions, or past experience on the actual 440 build and the swap. This will be my winter project and I will be doing a lot of my own research but wanted to hopefully get some suggestions from you.

This will be a budget build for now since there is a lot to do. Mainly street car, will hit the strip on occasion.

3698830 73-75 440
-Sonic check
-Bore and hone .030 over
-Rebuild kit like this from Mancini if it’s available in .030 over
Clevite 77 Engine Kit, 440


-Still researching and understanding cams, really want that big block lope
-seem to see a lot of suggestions on the Edelbrock Performer intake
-Still digging into the carb
-I would like to find a good shop to port the stock heads for now and wait to buy a really good set maybe next winter.


-TTI headers-will contact them in which model/part #
-Not sure on exhaust yet
-will be hunting for a 8 3/4 rear- wow these things are hard to find and expensive
-found a “rebuilt” 727 BB housing I am most likely picking up this weekend
-Schumacher slant 6 to BB mounts
-have not dig into cooling or ignition yet
-will be getting a Dr Diff rear disc conversion for the new 8 3/4 bolt pattern, will also have to get new rear wheels, right? Might as well get some new wider tires while at it….

I’m sure I’m missing a ton but that’s what I have planned/researched so far.
 
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There is a set of mounts listed in the for sale section at a decent price.
The heater motor will need to be modified, there are a few of these mods in the how to area.
Sure grip a quick check is if the rear axels spin in the same direction or pull the cover, you wil want to change the fluid also. If it is a 8 1/4 rear you can steal the rear disks off of a jeep. There are threads on this, easy I did mine..
Ignition wise a stock distributor will be fiine if it has the right curve.
Power brakes you will need to offset the booster.
Cooling I run it stock on the motor, but a 3 row radiator with dual fans.

I have been there so I get it. One thing I regret not doing is drilling out my inner fender so I can get ay number two and four spark plugs easier that two wrenches from the top and botom.

Hope it helps.
 
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If I was going to do this again I would go with a smallblock for sure.
 
Alot easier, more room and LA's are cheaper to build. You dont have to mess with the heater fan or power brake booster. I have a RB in my 74 was alot more expensive to install than a LA. No real bang for the buck, you can get 400 HP easily out of a LA and they rev way higher also. Just me. I like my Dart with the RB but I am pretty sure I have somethng going on in #4 Cyl and cannot evenn get a comprssion guage in there or a leak down tester so I have to pull it again at least enough to get the headers off.
 
Blue print engine has really great long blocks for around 4k you might get up there also with a 440 if not more.
 
Mine is in the car as of two days ago, with lots of help from this forum. I am no expert by any stretch, but maybe something I did can help you in some way

Mine is a 71 K member so biscuit mounts, using the Schumacher inspired trans dapt SBM to BBM mount kit. You will have alot easier of time with the 73+ K member you have for sure

I went with Schumacher Tri Y's, and bought the 'advance exhaust' kit for intermediate pipes. I think Schumacher might be sold out again, but I can tell you there is a ton of room with the Schumachers for pretty much everything. I have not put plugs in yet but i do not see any issues like the ones I read about with TTI's and others.

Starter can go in and out with no issue.

Loads of room with a manual steering box. Clears my u joint deal I hobbled together.

For radiator I went with ALL30306 It will piss off alot of purists but I would rather have a crossflow rad any day over the normal Mopar rad. Yes I agree the Mopar rads look, well they look rad. Also, it fits so very well, no height issues at all as it is quite short in comparison. Most 26" 'budget' rads for Mopar are a bit too tall for A body without doing something with the cradle.

The trans fits like the stock one did, no issues there, so no issues with Yoke/shaft. You will need a 727 yoke if you currently have a 904. I bought a used A body driveshaft as mine did not have one and it has a 904 yoke so no bueno.

It is a budget build that of course didnt really follow a budget in weird spots. Aluminum heads/intake/water pump housing to make it light. I would almost bet its not much heavier than an all ironed up 340/360

You won't need to notch the K member for oil pump clearance the same way I had to given you are running spool mounts, but there might still be issues there? Someone on here will know
 
Cheap rear end option: 8.8 with discs from a ford, available with 4:10 and limited slip.
could always look for a 9" from an old stock car too.

I got lucky and scored an A body 8-3/4 for 400.00... you dont see them any more
 
If you have motortrend on demand, lucky and tony do an 8.8 explorer swap into a 73/74 Dart or Duster. They of course make it look easy, but it does not look as scary as others. An 8.8 from a 5.0 Fox would be close width wise and is already centered unlike the explorer, and would be plenty strong. The Mustang one you could buy 31 spline axles and a 31 spline limited slip which are actually quite cheap relatively speaking.
 
Muswagon said:
have not put plugs in yet but i do not see any issues like the ones I read about with TTI's and others.
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In my case with Schumachers, plugs 4 and 6 were no easier to change than they were with the Hedmans that were on the car before. I could change them from above but #6 was a major PITA and still is. Plug 7 is really tight to the tube, so much that you really need to use a thin wall socket instead of a thick wall plug socket.

If you decide to look at Ford rearends, do not fall for the old Versailles 9" that comes with factory discs. Yes it will bolt right in and it's the right width, but no the disc brakes aren't even as good as drums and if you don't use the parking brake religiously they will fall out of adjustment and stop working altogether.

I've got one here that came in my car. 4.11 track lock, complete, and had to pull it out because of the hassle of getting the rear brakes to work. The housing ends are rotated around so putting drum brakes on the housing or even a Wilwood kit just makes for more hassle.
 
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I used a front engine plate and fenderwell headers. I have the inner fenders cut out and J bars welded in. Easy access to everything. This would-be the only way I would do it again. Too nice this way.
 
Kendog 170 said:
Is your steering limited with the fenderwell headers ?
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there is some interference. I am using small, narrow tires and wheels as it helps. 165R15 on 15x3.5 Aluminum slots.
 
standup303 said:
Really? Why is that?
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Screenshot_20220818-110803_Gallery.jpg

:lol:
 
Nah...lots of room. Once you cut out all you don't need...

20220611_110031.jpg
 
standup303 said:
Well

that would save me from having to scrape and grind all the old undercoating off the front fender wells!
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Just remember to install a J bar of sorts from the firewall to the front frame near the radiator support so you can connect the shock tower to it. Once cut out, there is very little support. Not hard to do, just remember to do it. Then you can change your plugs through the wheel well while sitting on a roller chair using a ratchet and long extension if needed. I did this on most of them when I was hurt.
 
standup303 said:
Really? Why is that?
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Because everything is tight. Wait till you start pricing headers. I'm, running TTI chassis headers, but they came with the car and are about 35 yrs old. As for having factory heads ported, waste of money. You can get Edelbrock E street heads for around 1400 complete. You could use an engine plate instead of traditional engine mounts.
 
Yes its pretty tight with a RB in an A body. First time I did it I said I would never do it again... then I did it again. Everything is harder, but nothing is really impossible with a little creative thinking or a friend/child with really small hands! This time I went low-deck, which made it a little easier. I see you already have the 440 so go with it!

My only advice based on what you said would be Schumacher headers over the TTis (I've ran both and life is just easier with Schumacher, since you said mostly street) and whatever cam you are thinking you need for that lope, go down a size or two. It wont take much cam for a fun RB a-body, but over-camming is really easy to do (been there, done that), plus needing a looser converter, steeper gear, and more initial timing.

For cooling, i struggled for a year experimenting. Then I did a dual row with 1" tubes from ECP and the Ford Contour electric fans (trimmed to clear the water pump pulley) and never had an issue again.
 
Red_Duster said:
Yes its pretty tight with a RB in an A body. First time I did it I said I would never do it again... then I did it again. Everything is harder, but nothing is really impossible with a little creative thinking or a friend/child with really small hands! This time I went low-deck, which made it a little easier. I see you already have the 440 so go with it!

My only advice based on what you said would be Schumacher headers over the TTis (I've ran both and life is just easier with Schumacher, since you said mostly street) and whatever cam you are thinking you need for that lope, go down a size or two. It wont take much cam for a fun RB a-body, but over-camming is really easy to do (been there, done that), plus needing a looser converter, steeper gear, and more initial timing.

For cooling, i struggled for a year experimenting. Then I did a dual row with 1" tubes from ECP and the Ford Contour electric fans (trimmed to clear the water pump pulley) and never had an issue again.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. Going to order the Schumachers up soon since they are out until November!
 
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