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440 with Hemi rods

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Joined
Oct 5, 2016
Messages
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Location
Penticton, BC Canada
I am thinking about putting together a fairly cheap & kind of experimental 440.
I have a mid 70's 440 block std bore, very light use as the cylinders are still within spec.
I bought a new set of Silvolite pistons with 1.912 CH. I originally planned on shaving block & closed chamber (75cc) heads to get the CR up.
My new idea is to use a set of used Howards forged alum hemi rods which are at least .075 longer than the LY's, this should give me a CH of 1.987. Also going to cut the small end bores to 1.094 or so to float the pins and hold em in with buttons as the pistons are not grooved for clips. I may be talkin with my head up my ^%# but these parts came to me pretty cheap.
Block & crank $100, Pistons $100, Rods $50. Rods weigh about 710 grams, pistons 832 grams (pistons too heavy??). I would zero balance it and dont plan on racing or reving the crap out of it. Anybody think this will work? or should I stop dreamin.
howard rods.JPG
 
I remember looking fondly at my one and only 440 with Hemi rods, as I put it to sleep. It had a hole in the side of the block, and was bleeding oil out onto the drag strip. I was young and inexperienced. The rods were cheap (free). I got them from a guy named Junior Kaiser, who ran a Top Fueler back in the 70s. I should have known. That is the only big block I've ever had that threw a rod thru the crankcase. All others since, have been assembled with stock re conditioned 440 rods and new bolts. No rod problems since. Should you do it? That's up to you. But remember, the Hemi rods are .093" longer than 440 rods. Cecil Yother built a 440 Cuda with hemi rods that ran 10s back in the mid 70s. I tried to copy that motor. He used hemi rods, with a 750 Holley atop a TM-7 Tarantula intake, ported 915 heads, And a Racer Brown Hydraulic cam. SSH-42 I think. He ran 10s, I ended up with a 440 that met an untimely death. I was able to salvage the heads, which went on a 413 with dome pistons. That same Belvedere then ran 12s. Good luck! You'll be learning and spending alot of money.
 
The only place for USED aluminum rods is a display shelf. Aluminum rods have a life expectancy, and it is measured in runs down the track. Use iron rods, and custom pistons. I am sure Scat, Eagle, Manley, etc would have an economically priced rod solution to fit your budget.
 
If you don't know the history of the rods (like who bought them, when, and everything they have been in and been through since that date) I would not use them. New ones - no sweat. Unknown but pretty and dirt cheap - I'd pass.
 
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