440 mopar rods

[Demonx2]

You seem to know what you want but I'll still add my $.02.

I have a 69 Charger that I raced for years back in the 80's and early 90's. 4200+# car with a somewhat mild 440 that ran mid-12's. Fun car that would incinerate street tires at will on the street. Very consistent at the track and was very competitive in bracket racing. Parked it in 1993 to raise our family.

Fast forward 30 years...
Family raised and wanted to go racing again. The Charger still sitting and waiting...but Chargers went up in value a bunch and I wanted to go faster. So what to do?

Decided to get an A-body (yes I know this is a B-body forum!) and build a 408 stroker for it. WOW - right decision for me! Get you a ride in a 408...the extra stroke (4" vs 3.75" in a 440) will make you grin from ear to ear all day. Estimated 3400# race weight of my 72 Demon street/strip car. It has now gone [email protected] and, if I would have put more cam (current SFT 251/[email protected]) or more cyl head (mild Eddy RPM's), it would easily be a 10-sec ride that gets driven on the street quite a bit. This 408 would eat my 440's lunch - and I LOVE big blocks! It just depends on what you want from your motor. If you want 600 hp, then a BBM would be in your future. If you want a high 10/low 11-sec car, a stroked 340 or 360 is awesome. I'd budget about $9k for a SBM stroker to get all the good parts and have a heckuva good time!

Whichever you pick, have fun!!

 

[340runner]

You seem to know what you want but I'll still add my $.02.

I have a 69 Charger that I raced for years back in the 80's and early 90's. 4200+# car with a somewhat mild 440 that ran mid-12's. Fun car that would incinerate street tires at will on the street. Very consistent at the track and was very competitive in bracket racing. Parked it in 1993 to raise our family.

Fast forward 30 years...
Family raised and wanted to go racing again. The Charger still sitting and waiting...but Chargers went up in value a bunch and I wanted to go faster. So what to do?

Decided to get an A-body (yes I know this is a B-body forum!) and build a 408 stroker for it. WOW - right decision for me! Get you a ride in a 408...the extra stroke (4" vs 3.75" in a 440) will make you grin from ear to ear all day. Estimated 3400# race weight of my 72 Demon street/strip car. It has now gone [email protected] and, if I would have put more cam (current SFT 251/[email protected]) or more cyl head (mild Eddy RPM's), it would easily be a 10-sec ride that gets driven on the street quite a bit. This 408 would eat my 440's lunch - and I LOVE big blocks! It just depends on what you want from your motor. If you want 600 hp, then a BBM would be in your future. If you want a high 10/low 11-sec car, a stroked 340 or 360 is awesome. I'd budget about $9k for a SBM stroker to get all the good parts and have a heckuva good time!

Whichever you pick, have fun!!

Boy oh boy this thread has me hard considering a 408 stroker out of a 360 or a ritter block with big cubic inch. I've damn near come to thinking of that more. The only thing is, wouldn't out of a full interior b body, you need about 600hp to throw down consistent and achievable low 11s high 10s?

Also, 600hp sounds possible out of the 360 blocks with the hughes girdle from what they are saying, but I'm still unsure. I need to see or hear it from the customers themselves that make "Over 10% of the 907hp benchmark with a stock block" that their engines are alive.....
The more and more I consider.... the more and more a 408 sounds appealing especially since I can plug and play the top end and don't need to do anymore exhaust work

 

[33 IMP]

Boy oh boy this thread has me hard considering a 408 stroker out of a 360 or a ritter block with big cubic inch. I've damn near come to thinking of that more. The only thing is, wouldn't out of a full interior b body, you need about 600hp to throw down consistent and achievable low 11s high 10s?

Also, 600hp sounds possible out of the 360 blocks with the hughes girdle from what they are saying, but I'm still unsure. I need to see or hear it from the customers themselves that make "Over 10% of the 907hp benchmark with a stock block" that their engines are alive.....
The more and more I consider.... the more and more a 408 sounds appealing especially since I can plug and play the top end and don't need to do anymore exhaust work

My response is this:
I bought a 67 barracuda notchback, intending to put one of my big blocks in it, and run as close to dont-need-a-rollbar as I could get.
The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to put a 390/408 stroker in it instead. I HAVE a couple bbm strokers, and no small block stuff at all..... but a small block makes more sense, at least for me.
I think an easy 450hp will get that car where I want it, (bench seat column shift, semi-sleeper).I have other faster cars if I want to go faster.

 

[33 IMP]

You seem to know what you want but I'll still add my $.02.

I have a 69 Charger that I raced for years back in the 80's and early 90's. 4200+# car with a somewhat mild 440 that ran mid-12's. Fun car that would incinerate street tires at will on the street. Very consistent at the track and was very competitive in bracket racing. Parked it in 1993 to raise our family.

Fast forward 30 years...
Family raised and wanted to go racing again. The Charger still sitting and waiting...but Chargers went up in value a bunch and I wanted to go faster. So what to do?

Decided to get an A-body (yes I know this is a B-body forum!) and build a 408 stroker for it. WOW - right decision for me! Get you a ride in a 408...the extra stroke (4" vs 3.75" in a 440) will make you grin from ear to ear all day. Estimated 3400# race weight of my 72 Demon street/strip car. It has now gone [email protected] and, if I would have put more cam (current SFT 251/[email protected]) or more cyl head (mild Eddy RPM's), it would easily be a 10-sec ride that gets driven on the street quite a bit. This 408 would eat my 440's lunch - and I LOVE big blocks! It just depends on what you want from your motor. If you want 600 hp, then a BBM would be in your future. If you want a high 10/low 11-sec car, a stroked 340 or 360 is awesome. I'd budget about $9k for a SBM stroker to get all the good parts and have a heckuva good time!

Whichever you pick, have fun!!

You DID exactly what I suggested in #29. Proof of concept. Thanks.

 

[Cranky]

What rear end and trans combo was that in?

I mean, if its cheaper and I can get my desired torque and horsepower while not wringing the engine for all it has to give, and be at least a little bit reliable id be willing to hear options

I just don't want to have to push the small block to the power limits of the 360 block, everywhere I've looked looks like 600hp is pushing it hard

I know while you need a good block, 600hp in a 440 is definitely possible and can be more reliable

Dana 60 (after breaking a couple of 8 3/4 rears) with 4.88 gears. Trans was an 833. The 440 had the old 2295 heavy TRW slugs, .590 cam, back yard ported 906 heads and nothing much else special. This was back in the early 80's before the good stuff became available. IIRC, Isky adjustable rockers which were non-roller....deep pan and HV pump. Old school stuff lol

 

[hofferwood]

like mine @Cranky ????lol

 

[Cranky]

like mine @Cranky ????lol
View attachment 1798503View attachment 1798504

Ran a set of those on a 440 that saw 7300 on every pass going across the stripe and actually stayed adjusted!! Cam was a 660 lift Isky roller. A buddy of mine had them on a 600 solid non roller cam and the the Isky rockers didn't like that lol. Had to adjust them quite often. Don't remember the brand of cam or lifters though