Woody's 70 Road Runner

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Thu Jun 19, 08 11:30 am

I've just bought one of these lifter bore hones, no doubt works just as well.

http://www.competitionproducts.com/prod ... umber=8534

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jun 19, 08 11:42 am

The only thing with that though Blue is;

a) Making sure it is straight as it hones.
b) You are making the bore rounder by taking it out to the max diameter rather than burnishing it into shape.

On the plus side though it is half the price of the .906 diameter
burnishing ball.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Jun 19, 08 11:55 am

Cheers Si, Dave.

Dave I have been offered 2 engines this last week.

1. A 73 440 hp short motor from Cannonball.

2. A complete unmolested 440 from a motor home (drop in and turn the key).

As I allready have 906 heads. Plus all or most of the ancillaries, including oil pick up and Miladon sump pan. Even the A R P head bolts from my 383 (I think) can be reused on this motor. Blue has told me I will need a dizzy and intake, and making sure it got the right flywheel for my 4 speed if it's a cast crank.

The second one from Richard is a complete unit out of a motor home, but will it have 906 heads ? or is it a commercial engine with low compression heads ??

which will mean I have to change the header's or would they fit to different heads other than 906's?

Personally I'd rather go for a performance set up. Don't care about fuel consumption as the car will never be relied upon for every day transport.

I would buy both if I had the room, but for now the rebuild will be about performance or the potential for it.

Also with mine being a 4 speed car, will the crank and or fly wheel need to be changed or drilled out for the precise measurements for the spigot bearing?

What ever other considerations need to be taken I don't know.

But for the asking price of both units, I deffo think I want to go the 440 route rather than start messin' about with the 383 again. And I want to do the conversion myself, with help and advise from you guy's of course.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jun 19, 08 12:25 pm

Good idea.

The motorhome 440 might be low compression but it will probably have the 452 heads which flow as almost as good as 906s but have hardened valve seats.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jun 19, 08 12:30 pm

So many questions in there.

If the motor home is low compression that is the pistons and not the heads.

RB blocks are taller than the 383 blocks so check if your headers will still fit.

The bearing for the end of the crank can be done two ways. There is a cheater bearing that fits in the un-machined hole.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Thu Jun 19, 08 12:51 pm

IMO I wouldn't worry which stock heads you use as the difference in flow between a "good" head and the rest is so small it really isn't worth mentioning. None of the iron heads flow very well in stock form. 906 and 452 are the ones to use if you are getting into serious porting, but that just isn't cost effective anymore in these days of cheap aftermarket heads.

Agree with you on the ball Dave, I would have gone for that had I known it was available

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Thu Jun 19, 08 1:00 pm

just give the lifter bores a quick whistle through with that hone blue, just long enough to remove any light rust from sitting etc, that wont misshape them or enlarge them

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Jun 19, 08 1:04 pm

Dave wrote:RB blocks are taller than the 383 blocks so check if your headers will still fit.

Thats something Dave, I hadnt considered. How much taller is the 440 over the 383 in deck hieght? And the Hooker headers, will they now catch on the underside of the front floor pan. There was a good 3" clearance with the 383 in the car and exhaust fastened up. If I need to bend the exhaust to suit a differant position, it wont be a problem to cut the "H" pipe and extend it and bend it up a bit.

I'm only assuming this motorhome unit is a low comp. commercial motor if there is such a thing, I may have jumped the gun a bit there.

It's not like I've been told so.

Other question is would my hooker headers that were attached to my 906's, mate up with the 452's?

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Thu Jun 19, 08 1:08 pm

Woody wrote:
Dave wrote:RB blocks are taller than the 383 blocks so check if your headers will still fit.

Thats something Dave, I hadnt considered. How much taller is the 440 over the 383 in deck hieght? And the Hooker headers, will they now catch on the underside of the front floor pan. There was a good 3" clearance with the 383 in the car and exhaust fastened up. If I need to bend the exhaust to suit a differant position, it wont be a problem to cut the "H" pipe and extend it and bend it up a bit.

I'm only assuming this motorhome unit is a low comp. commercial motor if there is such a thing, I may have jumped the gun a bit there. It's not like I've been told so.

Other question is would my hooker headers that were attached to my 906, mate up with the 452's?

your headers will hook up there is not much height difference and most headers are sold as 383/440 fitment, they will bolt up to all mopar b/rb heads cept maybe real early versions,
the motor home mtr will be cast crank, you need a special flywheel, and very low compression= poo performance, steel crank 440,s as far as i am aware are all drilled ready for the 4 speed spigot,

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Jun 19, 08 2:01 pm

Poo performance = no good to me, I want something that will scare the poo out of me.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jun 19, 08 2:18 pm

Cannonball wrote:your headers will hook up there is not much height difference and most headers are sold as 383/440 fitment

I think there are a couple of exceptions on some models and types or header which is why I said to check but normally there should not be a problem.

the motor home mtr will be cast crank, you need a special flywheel,

Not if internally balanced surely?

and very low compression= poo performance

Probably the same compression than the '73 440 if stock.

steel crank 440,s as far as i am aware are all drilled ready for the 4 speed spigot,

Pretty sure most were too but you can get a bush for the cast crank that fits.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jun 19, 08 2:22 pm

These spec sheets might help. don't know how accurate they are though.
Just change the year at the end of the URL to get any year from 1967-76.

http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/engine/b ... HRY-73.rtf

http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/engine/b ... HRY-76.rtf

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Jun 19, 08 3:59 pm

Cheers Dave all the letters and number's

Does that table mean that the '73 440 was down to 280 miserible ponies.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Thu Jun 19, 08 4:39 pm

Net HP rather than gross though.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Jun 19, 08 7:30 pm

John , go with the motorhome 440 & gas it , will love you for it

, see how much spray you can give it before it goes BANG , will take a fair bit with the pistons half way down the bores , least there good for something.

.