440 blocks which years are the best

[moparjohnny]

which years of 440 blocks should i look for to rebuild a factory 440 eng for 67 coronet

 

[1badgtx]

Some say the earleir the block the better because they started to remove the nickel in the metal as production went on..Then others say look for an industrial cold weather block...They have extra webbing and resist cracking and so forth...Me just get a pre 1974 motor and you,ll be good to go...If you got long dough go for a keith black all aluminum high dollar block!!
Petty Blue 67 gTx

 

[Dodge33]

Yep....... badgtx is correct, just follow his advice. Good stuff!

 

[ga66mopar]

You may want to read this before you discount a later block. The later block are thicker and even weigh more.

http://www.440source.com/blockinfo.htm


440's cast in '76 and later have CONSIDERABLY thicker main saddle supports. The only block we have found to have these supports are the 4006630-440 casting #, which was used from late 75 until the end of production in 1979

 

[Ron 73]

I have that same article it is a good read. But im not sure of the nickle content in the later ones and thats the point GTX is getting at if im reading right. I have a 73 400 and because of that i chose to use it rather then the 440 from 75 that and a couple other reasons but it is a good article to read.

 

[ga66mopar]

I have that same article it is a good read. But im not sure of the nickle content in the later ones and thats the point GTX is getting at if im reading right. I have a 73 400 and because of that i chose to use it rather then the 440 from 75 that and a couple other reasons but it is a good article to read.

To me it wouldn't make any sense that mopar would make the blocks thicker in some areas than cast the blocks with less nickle content. Where do you get the info about the blocks having less nickle content. I know gm did this with the chevy 350 but I have not seen any evidence that mopar did this.

 

[Ron 73]

"To me it wouldn't make any sense that mopar would make the blocks thicker in some areas than cast the blocks with less nickle content. Where do you get the info about the blocks having less nickle content. I know gm did this with the chevy 350 but I have not seen any evidence that mopar did this."

I said i have the same article you put it from 440 source and it is a good read. Why are you asking me this? I didnt say i read a article on nickle, i have however heard the same thing as GTX about it. But im not 100% sure OF it.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

I went out of my way to find a 68-69 block...why? well I wanted the earlier year for nostalgia reasons and for the fact that good old american steel wasn't being watered down yet. At least that is the theory...I new I wanted a car that was in the 68-70 year range so more over I wanted a block to build for that.

You have to be careful if you going to buy a used old block, the first one I picked up the guy was nice enough to warranty that if it wasn't usable I could get my money back. Which I had to do, in fact after taking it to the machine shop and finding out the cylinder walls were rusted so much it could not be bored over. The guy I bought it from just sent my money back and I scrapped the block.

The second block I found for $200us was in excellent shape and is now my stroker motor. the first block had some rust in the water passages but there was no visible indication from looking at all of it that the walls were to thin so be careful.

 

[ga66mopar]

[I said i have the same article you put it from 440 source and it is a good read. Why are you asking me this? I didnt say i read a article on nickle, i have however heard the same thing as GTX about it. But im not 100% sure OF it.[/QUOTE]

I was just asking where you get the less nickle in the 440 block info. I've heard the less nickle stuff before and I thought maybe you had a source. I suspect that since chevy reduce the nickle content in the 350 during the late 70's people assume mopar did the same. Oddly it appears mopar actually made the 440 block sturdier. I'm guessing mopar could have made the blocks to withstand problems with detonation due to low octane.

 

[godfatherofchry]

good greef... any 440 block you use will be good for what your doing if its dun write I will garente you my self it will go at lest 100,000 miles if you put good oil in it and change it evry 3000 mils..now If you are going to build a go fast as you can with say 1500 hp.YES you definatly need a maga block or keth black or what ever...but for what your doing any one of them from 66 to74 will be fine........Artie

 

[Cranky]

Tell ya what, go into any machine shop and listen to the different blocks being bored. Cut BM, Bord, and Mopar and you will hear the difference. Cutting different nickel content cast iran all makes a different sound. I'll use ANY year 440 block so long as it sonic tests good......the low nickel content/thin wall blocks is a myth. It was suppose to happen but never did.

 

[moparedtn]

From the referenced article:
"This article also has some great info regarding hardness of the iron used, in which they find that the earlier blocks do have slightly harder cast iron, by about 10%."

Is it safe to assume that nickel content contributes to the hardness of the cast iron in these blocks, therefore?