Opinion on engine options

[66bluewhale]

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pts/4334615387.html

This gentleman has a 440 and a 383. They have surface rust but possible that they may have rust pitting. What do you guys think?

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

I am curiouse to know how much he wants for the blocks. We have a guy near me (in Oklahoma) that has a complete take out 440 for 300 bucks. This will give you all of your brackets, pulleys, oil pan and everything else. Most of the complete engines around here all run or ran when pulled and are around 500 with all accessaries in include an alternator, sometimes an AC compressor, and power steering pump.

The more complete it is the less nickle and diming it will do to you later for small parts.

 

[66bluewhale]

He said 350 for both. I'm wondering if any one has rebuilt engines in the condition these are in.

Jim bob could you give me some info on those motors your talking about

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/pts/4373962840.html

This is a good deal in my book.

 

[66bluewhale]

440 and 383 pics

Here are some more pics of the 383 and 440. Let me know what you guys think. Can I work with these.
Thank you

 

[furyus]

Looks too rusty, and doesn't have the main caps. Even if he has them, the mating surface is rusted up. As was said before, buy as complete an engine as possible. you will need all the accessories, and hardware otherwise, you will be hunting down every one of the missing items. Also, a cast crank is fine. I've had a cast crank 440 in my car for 14 years with no issues. Motor home engines will need everything changed. they are only good for the short block.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Furyous is spot on. That deep rust is an issue not only for the machined surfaces but inside the oil passages too. Those fine rust particles will most likely get washed off the surface over time. If it was a numbers project I'd be saving it with muriatic acid, but in your case find another block.

 

[sleepar]

Bang for the buck would be a roached out motor home there low miles and usually well maintained while it was running and have the heavy duty parts

 

[66bluewhale]

I have two 440s for sale locally. One is a rebuilt engine still in the motor home and the other is just a 440 idk what car it came out of yet. That guy wants 1500 and the motor home 440 wants 800.

I'm wondering if the other 440 came out of a motor home. Is there a way to tell?

 

[HYRDGOON]

Once you purchase a motor is your plan to rebuild it yourself or take it to a shop? Have you considered a crate motor? If you do a search under "crate" on here several examples come up.

 

[66bluewhale]

I would like to rebuild it my self and use the money I saved on something else for the for the charger.

I will check out crate engines.

 

[66bluewhale]

What is a fair price for a 400 CID motor?
The guy on craigs says it ran rough possibly due to the carb.

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

What year? Cast or forged crank? Same ball park 250-750 depending on completness and condition.

 

[66bluewhale]

Engine code says it is a 1978 400 CID Chrysler engine with cast iron crank.

 

[66bluewhale]

Engine code says it is a 1978 400 CID Chrysler engine with cast iron crank.

What's a fair price for the motor?

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

What condition? comeplete from oil pan to carb and belts to flex plate?

long block Short block, Condition of the block?

it comes down to how much you are willing to pay. Is it a true core or is it just a rebuilder?

I would try and get it as close to 250 as I could.

 

[66bluewhale]

The gentle man is willing to let it go for 250.

I was talking to my manager about the 400 and making it into a striker, he told me I should stick with the 360 and add a stroker.

What are your guys thoughts ???

 

[SaskRunner]

The gentle man is willing to let it go for 250.

I was talking to my manager about the 400 and making it into a striker, he told me I should stick with the 360 and add a stroker.

What are your guys thoughts ???

$250 for a running 400? That seems like a fair price, if its mechanically sound.

Is it still in the vehicle? Can you hear it run?

The nice thing about the 400 is once installed it looks identical to the 361.

 

[66bluewhale]

$250 for a running 400? That seems like a fair price, if its mechanically sound.

Is it still in the vehicle? Can you hear it run?

The nice thing about the 400 is once installed it looks identical to the 361.

Currently it's out of the vehicle. It was running before pulled and it ran a bit rough. He believes it's the old carb. I'm debating wether to rebuild my 360 or both.

Opinions?
I've been doing reading on other posts about staying with 360. They all seem to stick with it. The car can handle the motor, but if I go bigger I may run into clearance issues and upgrade the suspension. I could just stick with the 360 until I save enough to upgrade motor & suspension

 

[AMX364]

Transmission. Do you have a b-rb transmission or is it a a engine transmission? Pricing depends on your current transmission.