A 440 will work with your Ramcharger hood IF you use a stock 440 intake manifold and a stock 440 air cleaner base. But WHO builds a new engine and uses the stock intake manifold? NOBODY, that's who.
The stock 440 (RB engine) is 3/4" taller than a stock 383 (B engine), therefore the factory used an air cleaner base on the 440 that was cut down 3/4" shorter than the 383 air cleaner base. This resulted in the same overall underhood height of the two engines when used with the Ramcharger hood. There are a number of popular aftermarket intakes that can be used to increase intake flow on your new engine build. However, not many will fit and still allow you to use your Ramcharger hood. You will HAVE to use the air cleaner base from a 440, not the original from your 383. But that will just get you back to EVEN on the height if you use a 440 (RB) engine. It will not give you any additional margin for your intake manifold on an RB engine.
As previously suggested, you could stroke a 383 (B engine), or better yet get a 400 block (B engine) and stroke it. I've done both (383 to 426 with 440 crank)(400 to 499) and the 400/499 is also going in my 69 Super Bee with Ramcharger hood just like yours, so I've been where you are heading. I will include a photo of the 499 with the Ramcharger and also a table I set up with measurements of some various intake manifolds that I was considering using. Maybe it will help you decide what you want to do. Good luck!
I can't upload the info on the intake manifolds as it is in Excel format. When I try to cut and paste just the table, it gets all scrambled and makes no sense. So, I'll just try to summarize the table. Note, these measurements are all valid ONLY IF using a B engine (383 or 400).
The Edelbrock Performer RPM intake P/N 7186 (which seems to be what everyone wants to use) WILL NOT FIT under your Ramcharger hood. It will be almost an inch too tall, even when using the shorter 440 air cleaner base.
The Edelbrock Performer intake P/N 2186 WILL fit and will be almost exactly the same height as stock if you use the shorter 440 air cleaner base. This is the intake I chose to use on my 499 stroker.
The Mopar Performance M1 intake P/N MP4529117 will fit and you can use your stock 383 air cleaner base with this one.
The Edelbrock Torker 383 intake P/N 3010 looks like it will fit using the shorter 440 air cleaner base. Overall height will then end up being about 3/16" taller than stock. No guarantees here, you MIGHT have a little interference with the Ramcharger hood.
The Weiand Action +Plus intake P/N 8008 will fit if you use the shorter 440 air cleaner base. It will end up almost exactly the same height as stock (0.055" taller).
