74' 440

[69clone]

Hey guys,
I am possibly buying a 440 tomorrow I know that year was low comp 8.2 or something like that but is it going to take much to wake it up? It has 90k on it, supposedly out of grandmas car? Figured I could throw my b body headers, 906 heads and front end parts off my 383 and be set. If it needs rebuilt its not a big deal... what do you think?

 

[moparstuart]

buy it cheap if you cant here it run , other wise its just a 300- 500 dollar core

 

[Moparsmitty]

I actually like running the later lower compression motors on the street. They may not have quite as much power as the earlier hi-comp engines, but with the right combination of exhaust system, cam, etc. they can sound just as good. I'm running a 73 HP code 440 in my Belvedere and it runs great, is easy to tune, and will burn just about anything I can get through the carb. I don't have to worry about crappy gas, detonation, octane improvers or any of that stuff. A big plus is that these engines are cheap and readily available. JMHO.

 

[69clone]

Thanks the price is near that ball park. I figured with the holly carb, torker intake and headers its not a bad deal. but We'll see.
smitty:
Thats true, I was thinking about leaving it but if the internals look decent I'll have some money to spend making a little power... I was trying to think don't the cams in the later years play a little part to the low comp? Or is it all in the pistons?

 

[Moparsmitty]

Thanks the price is near that ball park. I figured with the holly carb, torker intake and headers its not a bad deal. but We'll see.
smitty:
Thats true, I was thinking about leaving it but if the internals look decent I'll have some money to spend making a little power... I was trying to think don't the cams in the later years play a little part to the low comp? Or is it all in the pistons?

The later engines have lower compression mostly due to piston design and somewhat different heads. It's also true that a cam with more overlap and lift will lower cylinder pressures all contributing to lower compression.

 

[69clone]

Thanks Smitty, I didn't realize the piston design changed... anyway, I wasn't able to check out the 440 today but it just so happened another 440 that is closer was listed on craigslist and it is 68' dated. It's already dissembled and all that. suppose to get pictures and more info tomorrow.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Go with the 68-440. At TDC the pistons come closer to the block deck in that year. Plus it should have a better cam and 906 heads. Try to pull a cyl head before you buy it. See what the bores look like.

 

[69clone]

Just a little update I picked up the 68' 440 today. Steel crank, 906 heads. Looks really clean, was rebuilt recently... Only problem is the pistons need replaced they have a big pocket (they look like this)

Oh... it also used to run backwards :eusa_think: It was a reverse boat engine.. I did a little research and it basically isn't that hard to right, if that is the correct term... I thought it was pretty cool, the valve springs are stainless steel, the cam and distributor gears are backwards (he included the proper gear for the distributor and I'm not using the cam anyways). Heard the cranks are weighted differently on some but we compared it to the one in the 383 and they look the same although if its balanced I don't see why it wouldn't be balanced in the other direction? Anyways, I'm now off to shop for some go fast parts
I know you guys have been waiting... Check out the before and after paint.
Those white letters are factory aren't they?

The 383 has the headers and the 440 doesn't. Ignore the mess had to move stuff around to make room...

 

[Garys1969RR]

Wow that car looks really nice. Could you post some pics of the Purple A 12 clone 69 RR? I may paint mine that color, and get a F/G hood like you have. Those pistons in the 440 look pretty low compression. I understand the 69 440 - 6 pak engines had the highest compression. Thats due to the fact that the C/H is higher. Piston top comes closer to the deck of the block. And they are flat top. Which ones did you get?

 

[terzmo]

10 to 1 compression and a street friendly cam and that will run as well as a 67 HP motor....or stroke it and hang on

 

[YY1]

Marine motors may have had different compression than car motors.

Those don't look like dishes...more like bowls.

 

[69Bee]

Make sure to replace the valve springs for ones to match the cam. The stainless ones are for the marine (obviously), but might not hold up in car duty. Boat motors don't rev as high, so they could fatigue and break. Flush the block good also as the marine uses seawater for cooling.

 

[69clone]

Thanks Gary, I do have more pictures around here. Here's this one,

I don't have many since wetsanding/polishing the paint but there's some before in my album http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j247/xskaternickx/

Trez, I hope so. :3gears:

YY1, you're correct the original valve cover stickers say it was rated 300hp.

69bee, Thanks for the info if I use the heads I will be replacing those otherwise I was going to use the already rebuilt 906 heads sitting on the 383. In the first picture you can see we were flushing it, it still needs a lot more. I called it a night after the water came out pretty clean, it had a lot of rusty flakes and handfuls of corn came out... mice must of stored up for winter...