74 Charger 440 - Six Pack Rods???

[RTRMC]

I'm beginning the restoration of my 74 Charger and when I began tearing down the original 440 motor for a rebuild I noticed it has the beefier six pack connecting rods. The motor has never been apart and had never been opened up until me. I didn't think that six packs were an option in 74, so how did the six pack rods end up in this motor? The motor has a casting date of 10/26/73. Is this a special motor or just another example of Chrysler using up their remaining parts they had on the shelves when putting together the motor? Has anyone else seen or heard of this? Thanks.

 

[PettyBlue72]

I'm beginning the restoration of my 74 Charger and when I began tearing down the original 440 motor for a rebuild I noticed it has the beefier six pack connecting rods. The motor has never been apart and had never been opened up until me. I didn't think that six packs were an option in 74, so how did the six pack rods end up in this motor? The motor has a casting date of 10/26/73. Is this a special motor or just another example of Chrysler using up their remaining parts they had on the shelves when putting together the motor? Has anyone else seen or heard of this? Thanks.

I would have to guess that mopar was just using up some leftover parts that were on the shelf in your motor.

 

[moparmarks]

6-pack rods were used in truck motors through 78.

 

[Cranky]

In 70, the hipo 440 4V's got them. The rods were supposed to be used in cop cars too but so far, all the ones I've opened up had the LY rods. If you plan on spooling the engine up, make sure you go back with high strength rod bolts. When 'mom' decided to upgrade the rods in the high performance 440 engines, they didn't do anything about the rod bolts and all they did was create a worse problem.

 

[scotts74birds]

Unless you are in love with them, or on a budget, newer rods are much lighter and equally, if not stronger, than the old six-pac ones. Some people like them correct. For a 74, I would go with newer and lighter. JMHO.

 

[73HEMI_RR_GTX]

According to the Bulletin #2 of the Direct Connection Racing Manual the 72-73 440 HP was the last 440 engines to use a forged crank (pn 3671283) with six pac rods. It was a special forged internal balanced crank because of the light weight pistons. The standard 74 440 crank was cast iron (pn 3751889) which was externally balanced using a special vibration damper and torque converter.

I would guess that your Charger came with a left over 73 440 HP engine.