How to Choose 440

MN72Fury

MN72Fury

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I have a nice documented low mile Fury with 360. I plan on building a 440 but want to make the right decisions:

I want a strong 440 with 450 - 475 hp as goal

It should be able to lay rubber (I just purchased 3.23, 9 1/4 rearend with sure grip)

I worry about a motor that is over bored and at risk of cracking (how much over is ok with sleeves)?

I would like it to be a strong sounding motor but not overly loud so my wife complains and hence will not travel in the car

I heard before 1972 is important? Forged Crank, etc.

What are best heads / design 904, 906, etc.

I have never built a motor before and appreciate all suggestions

Do I need a new transmission 727 now, but is 440 different?

What is good stall in torque converter 2200 rpm?
 
Last edited:
You'll need a big block 727.
the earlier the block the better, they have a higher nickle content.
plenty of meat in a 440 so you'd be ok with one that was already bored once.
The engine itself has nothing to do with how loud it is, that's all in the exhaust. Although the bumpier the cam the more under hood noise it'll make but that's a pleasant sound.
your stall depends on your cam choice.
 
Good point Stan.
 
Wait for 70bigblockdodge to chime in he will tell you everything and anything.
 
August 13 2015 123.jpg

August 13 2015 123.jpg
 
Build the 360. Taller gear. You 'll have no problem smoking the tires and still have an original survivor.
 
Any are good, even a cast crank is good to 500 hp. The later 74 up blocks have some core shift problems, cast cranks you need to be concerned with balance dampener and converter. Use a RPM manifold you will need headers to get to that HP range and you will need a bigger converter than 2200 to work with as far as the rpm range needs to go up to.
 
For years I have been a strong proponent of the small block especially the 360. To date I have had a 318 340 360 383-2 383-4 400-2 400-4 440-4 and 440-6 in a C body. The 340 and 360-2 would scream as it moved the car well.
Currently I have a 383 -2, 383-4, and 440-4. Last week I had driven all three the same day and I noticed the pulling power of the 440 immediately over the smaller BB. I never noticed the differences before, so I am officially saying 440 every time, if that's an option.

I'd pull that 360 in a second for a strong 440 and 323 gears. Do it! Do it! Do it!
 
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Have to agree, you can get that 360 warmed up real nice. With a little more gear and a converter it'll roast the tires. Depending on if your budget is supportive of your need to lay rubber, stepping up to a big block and all the accessories to change over will cost you.
 
If you're spending 5 on an engine build 6 won't kill you and it'll be well worth it.

My current 383-4 will spin the wheels off the line but it's the rolling punch that sets the 440 apart
 
MN72Fury said:
I have a nice documented low mile Fury with 360. I plan on building a 440 but want to make the right decisions:

I want a strong 440 with 450 - 475 hp as goal

It should be able to lay rubber (I just purchased 3.23, 9 1/4 rearend with sure grip)

I worry about a motor that is over bored and at risk of cracking (how much over is ok with sleeves)?

I would like it to be a strong sounding motor but not overly loud so my wife complains and hence will not travel in the car

I heard before 1972 is important? Forged Crank, etc.

What are best heads / design 904, 906, etc.

I have never built a motor before and appreciate all suggestions

Do I need a new transmission 727 now, but is 440 different?

What is good stall in torque converter 2200 rpm?
Click to expand...
Have you thought about building a 400 block instead? They are much more common than the 440 and 451 stroker kits are available for them. The best heads in my opinion are aftermarket aluminum heads. They will out flow any original cast iron head. The Edelbrock Performer RPMs are a great head for a mild street engine an will probably not cost you that much more than having a set of old cast iron heads professionally ported.
The proper torque convertor stall and gear ratio will depend on the cam you are running. I wouldn't go with anything more than 230 degrees duration @.050 with a 3.23 gear and 2200 stall convertor
 
I can get a camero, a new challenger, charger etc

I really like older larger C bodies (that is why I on on the forcbodiesonly site) - As an older guy the bigger more mature cars (look at the Mopar ads for 1970-72) the old guy with the pipe gets into a large Imperial or Gran Coupe not a smaller car.

Thirty years ago the 1971 Chrysler Newport with a 440 my grandfather gave me launched the car a lot better than the 360 I have now. Do you put $$$ into a 360 rebuild and upgrade or $$$$$$ into a 440. I would be happier in the end with the overall performance of the 440 and since I will only drive 3-5k miles a years the gas mileage could be bad hoping to avoid terrible. So I need information on how to select a strong reliable excellent performance motor, a few pointers on what should I look for and what should I avoid (like the brakes on the 1974-5 Imperial 9 1/4 rearend I just purchased for the car)


I can build the 360, many have told me to do but read the threads of many of the people who build 360s wish they had the torque of a 440 for the big car. I have the car, I would like to set up the motor and drivetrain to match say the police interceptor. That is why a started a thread about building a 440. Presume it is a stupid idea which I run towards. With that said does anyone have suggestions on how to select a 440 for the car, year of motor, heads, exhaust, torque converter, etc.




THANKS FOR ALL THE ADVICE!!
 
I have a nice rust free car. I found NOS for anything that needed it, clock, weatherstrips, broken taillight, etc. Having a factory Sherwood Green paint being put on the car now, I have ordered new 15 x 7 Police Interceptor Rims (to paint color of car) with dog dish hub caps. Plan to improve the suspension with firmsteel package,


So I will have plenty of $$$$ into the car, hence do I spend $5K or double ? and get a 440
 
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