Need 440 advice

[bigowhiteboy]

Okay, so I picked up a 75 truck block 440 the other day. Pulled valve covers and identified the heads as 346 casting.
I am wanting to build this 440 to go in my 66 Belvedere wagon which is currently a 318 Poly. It will stay a column shift automatic.
I would like the 440 to be a well mannered street engine with roughly 400 hp, really would love alot of torque.
I also have a chance to pick up a set of 68 440 heads that just came from the machine shop for $500. Would it be better to have my 346 heads worked over, or would the 68 heads be a better performing set of heads. This is going to be a budget build, so aluminum heads are not an option right now.
Looking for an advice at all on what combos have worked for anyone else.
Not wanting compression to be over 10:1 must be able to run on pump gas

 

[terzmo]

500 for ready to go heads is good. If on a budget I can't see anything done to your heads that would make them better. My friends shop just built a 10 to one compression 30 over 440 with stock 915 heads. Runs 11.78 in qtr. If you want lots of torque...600 to 800 for a stroker crank.

 

[WileE]

Ask if the 906 heads had hardened seats put in, which the 346 already have. Performance-wise on a street engine 906 or 346 no difference.

 

[MoparBill]

Check what springs are on the fresh heads and see if they match the cam you decide on

 

[bigowhiteboy]

I haven't picked a cam yet, but the fresh 906 heads have stock springs and hardened seats, no porting just freshened up in stock form.

 

[Cranky]

Don't worry about 10-1 compression with a 75 model 440 unless the pistons are upgraded to something other than the ones that are around .100 in the hole with either head. Both the 906's and the 346's produce right around 90cc unless they've been milled and unless you use the factory type steel shim gaskets, you probably will have around 8-1 or so.

 

[bigowhiteboy]

What's the best way to bump compression up to 10:1 on a stock 440? Port the heads?

 

[WileE]

Head porting is totally irrelevant, its for air flow. To raise compression, you must reduce cylinder volume. Thinner head gasket, Milling head, changing to a smaller chamber head, changing pistons, which way depends on your wallet.

- - - Updated - - -

I haven't picked a cam yet, but the fresh 906 heads have stock springs and hardened seats, no porting just freshened up in stock form.

Then it sounds like a good deal. Springs: see what Bill said. If you want a compression bump, you may consider having these heads milled, make sure they cut the intake side as well for intake geometry.

 

[bigowhiteboy]

So what is the best bang for the buck as far as performance goes on a stock 440?
Pistons or milling the heads?
What would be a good cam with stock springs?

 

[Meep-Meep]

I have your low buck good running 440 build right here -

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?25225-Post-your-12-second-combos

A couple of notes. I missed on the pump gas streetability with the 10.1:1 compression - at least with the factory iron intake and 750 AFB. 9.5:1 might have been better and that could be done easily with the 906 heads. My recommendation is to use a zero deck piston with the 906 head and possibly a steel shim head gasket.

The cam I'm running is a slight tweak over a Road Runner cam and it only needs a good single spring providing about 100 lbs on the seat. Stock low perf springs won't cut it. I would also run a strong valve train.

It's not the fastest thing around but it will be trouble free for many years. Some of the highlights are:

It can be driven every day
Out of the box components work well with minimal tuning headaches
Good idle vacuum
It will burn the tires down as long as you have gas in the tank.

 

[ykf7b0]

Low Buck Performer

So what is the best bang for the buck as far as performance goes on a stock 440?
Pistons or milling the heads?
What would be a good cam with stock springs?

Your best bang will be a good set of pistons to get you up close to 10:1. An inexpensive cam that will work with the stock springs would be the Summit 224/234. I ran one for a short while and it was a decent cam.