Which way to go? Opinions...

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Scamp9572

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Wallkill, NY
Hey all. My first post on here. Sorry if it's long winded.
My project as I got it ten years ago : 71 Scamp with Dart nose. Basically stock 77 or 78 440 with TM7, 509 cam. 8 3/4 , 2.76 open. Scumacher kit. Stock 727. Been sitting untouched for about 5 years. Other priorities. I'm finally in a spot to get going on it. My original plan was do an all forged rebuild on the 440 and go small turbo. Fun street car. Recently I have found a couple things on CL that he me double thinking. One is a set of Indy EZ's, same ones in IQ's sticky post, used with about 6000 miles complete kit as from Indy. Stock port. Basically half price at 975. Also found a 530 casting 400 block with main studs installed. 250 obo. So......
493 with Ez's? Aluminum caps with studs. Already have the block as long as it checks out good. 470 with Ez's? Mostly street car with occasional trips to track. Did my research here and other sites, just really undecided which way to go. And of course budget is a concern.
 
What is your true budget? What is your time frame? Condition of the car?

IMHO (in my honest opinion) here is what I would do..

See if what you have will run - unplug the dist.. and prime the motor, plug it back in dump a small amount of gas in the carb and see if it will fire..

Leave the 440 short block you have alone if it's still good, buy the EZ's if you can afford them, install those with .020" shim gaskets and run it.. should have 9:1 compression or so..

If the motor runs good you could turbo it as is I bet with 8-10psi on pump gas and with a good tune I bet it would live a long time - BUT turbo'ing a motor is not as cheap as it sounds..

$2,000 complete fuel system with blow thru carb or blow thru EFI
$900 Borg Warner S475 turbo with AN fittings for oil feed/drain
$350 waste gate (need 2 if divided)
$250 blow off valve
$400 in pipe to make headers/ hot side
$600 in ignition system

Buy a shift kit, deep pan, and 3,000rpm+ converter for the trans.

Which center section does the car have (741, 742, or 489) - either way - 3.55's if you want to turbo it max, 3.55's minimum for naturally aspirated, clutch sure grip or other style limited slip differential, and new green axle bearings for it..

What's the brakes situation? Small bolt pattern still? If so I would strongly consider going with B body disc/drum brakes, and big bolt pattern all around minimum..
 
Turbo big block seems over kill, you can get 600 plus hp with a 440 good heads like the new trick flow and a roller cam.
 
Budget is tight. Don't plan on finishing it overnight just want to get a good base. Getting a killer tax return so I thought I would get at least one big dollar item. (Anything over 500 is a big dollar item to me) thought the Ez's seemed like a pretty good deal. Hope they are still available next week when I should have the money. Trans was already slipping last I drove it. 741 case, small bolt pattern. Need to upgrade that I know. I did have a disc set up off a 74 duster but i sold it. Do want big bolt all around.
 
Pretty sure the bottom end I have is all cast, so if I'm going to upgrade that I may as well stroke it. May have enough to get a kit too. Torn between the 493-505 rb or 470 ld.
 
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