426 Street Wedge vs 440 - Opinions wanted

wsutard · Sep 14, 2016

I am specifically keeping this topic separate from the 426 wedge education thread since this will be more about opinions and the other thread is about 426 info.

If you owned a 69 Coronet and someone said you can pick one motor, stock 426 Street Wedge (NOT MAX) or stock 440, which would you pick and why?

Backstory, I'm looking at trading my 340 for a BB. I was approached with a potential trade for a 426 Street Wedge. I originally thought I would land with a 440 but this wedge has me curious.

Lionized · Sep 14, 2016

I really don't believe there would be too much difference "seat of the pants" wise.
Having said that I've never driven a 426 wedge car. Could be an entirely different animal.
Others will chime in.

miller · Sep 15, 2016

Agree, or dis-agree. Besides bore size, depending on how either motor is built, both were/are known as 'torque' motors. The earlier 426 block has more nickel content than the later 440 blocks. To me, that's a plus...but only for what it's worth. Just better material.
Example...while I was building my 69 model 440, made noises about my 'black' block. Water pump housing, rusty inside and out, had bead blasted, cleaned it up, and painted the outside. Before painting, I wanted to protect the inside, so a good coat of WD-40 (just like I do all my inside motor parts)...day later...the inside of the housing had turned black! Almost like some kind of treatment to the bare metal.
Bet that 426 won't do that! All earlier motors I've worked, stayed just bare, clean metal.

lewtot184 · Sep 15, 2016

440's can be cheaper to build due to available off the shelf pistons. the only off the shelf 426 pistons i know of are the factory cast type that hughs sells. everything else is the same, cams, headers, intakes, between the two.

e-440 · Sep 15, 2016

take the 440

forphorty · Sep 17, 2016

coloradodave · Sep 17, 2016

The 440 makes more sense for a lot of reasons but the biggest one is for resale. I would think it would be much harder to resell a 69 car with a 63-64 motor.

wsutard · Sep 17, 2016

coloradodave said:
The 440 makes more sense for a lot of reasons but the biggest one is for resale. I would think it would be much harder to resell a 69 car with a 63-64 motor.

Yep, one of the the reasons I asked the question here. Notice all the replies, you are correct sir.

6t4polara · Sep 18, 2016

440 would be more period correct.

dvw · Sep 19, 2016

Lets see. 440 4.320 bore, 426 4.250 bore. Heads 440 906/452 2.08/1.76 Valves, 516 2.08/1.60, Cam 440 268/284 .450/.458, 426 268/.430. Compression, both mid 10-1 advertised. The 906 ports are superior to the 516. So more bore size, more cubes, better heads, bigger exhaust valve, bigger cam, more plentiful. And the answer is?
Doug

5.7 hemi · Sep 20, 2016

No one will know if it's a 440 or 426 wedge. Only difference is bore.

rumblefish360 · Sep 21, 2016

I think the bottom line is if there equally built the only difference is really the 14 cubic inches. And how much more power is that?

moper · Sep 22, 2016

Piston availability is limited for the 426W. I would just go with a 440. IMO a 340 is worth more than a plain 426 because the 426 needs $800 pistons.

426 Street Wedge vs 440 - Opinions wanted

In a 69 Coronet I would rather have a...

Stock 440

Stock 426 Street Wedge (not a MAX)

wsutard

Well-Known Member

Lionized

Well-Known Member

miller

Well-Known Member

lewtot184

Well-Known Member

e-440

Well-Known Member

forphorty

Well-Known Member

coloradodave

FBBO Gold Member

wsutard

Well-Known Member

6t4polara

Well-Known Member

dvw

FBBO Gold Member

5.7 hemi

FBBO Gold Member

rumblefish360

Well-Known Member

moper

Well-Known Member

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