74 RV 440 acquired.

[Squeezy]

Well as of now I finally got the engine off the pickup and in the garage. Trying to clean things up in here, new lighting, some ceiling corrections, ect. Before tearing into it.
I had to brace up a ceiling joist with jack studs to safely get it off the truck, and am going to get a used engine stand so I can get to cleaning.

So far this is something I’ve been eyeballing, as it seems to be slightly outside of budget but a complete package. Not sure though as the whiplash cam is on back order, so there’s a strong chance that I’ll just put an intake and carb on it, with headers, and run it as is for now.

https://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=category&level0=RS0gQmlnIEJsb2NrICAoUmFpc2VkIERlY2sp&partid=33741

Now I was told I could get a longer driveshaft rather than convert the transmission to the longer car-type. Is this true? My cars a column shift but if anyone knows of a good center shift I’m all ears.

I also acquired some bucket seats from a 73 duster I plan to install after the floor pans are in. I would like a center console but no need to be original. Just something functional and cheap, but I think doing a center console shifter would be better than trying to find linkage for the column shift, as portions of mine have been robbed out.

 

[Squeezy]

The engine is the least important thing for this car. It's now all original I assume. Keep it so! Indeed the interior, body (original color?), breaks, trim is far more important and are huge value creators for a real classic nowadays and years to come. Opening a hood and to see shining Chinese 'Edelbrock' stuff makes me always wondering what went wrong along the way. It's not about the power it's all about presentation and originality nowadays and will always be from now on. Use genesis from the bible as written on the tag and buildsheet as your guide. It gives you peace, purpose and pride in an era of 'f@ke and g@y' and big boobs and big pipes. If you want more torque in your life you better buy any electric car. Just my two cents to chew on.

I agree for the most part, but this appears to be a parts car, as there’s a lot of things missing.
Being that it’s a slant 6 auto, nothing really special, 130k of them made, no major options, I figured it was a perfect learners build as I don’t want to butcher a numbers matching 71 cuda. Someday I would like to restore a nice one to its all original glory, but for my own sanity I’m going to have to wing it on this one and make it my own.
So the goals are as follows and in order of priority:
1. Reliable
2. Strong enough to wear the “muscle car” badge
3. Start and run good
4. Minor modern improvements, while embracing the techno of the past, and the look and feel of the past
5. Sleek and shiny.

I put sleek and shiny last because it’s gonna be awhile. I really didn’t want to tie up any money in the slant 6 as that money would better benefit elsewhere. A part of me wants to keep the setup for a ratrod build in the future though, so I will be keeping a lot of parts just in case I find a nice roller to drop it into. But for a 71, yep, I like the way “big block” tastes when I say it.

More and more I’m leaning to just swap the intake for now, upgraded distributor, get it running and driving, and making plans for that top end kit in the future, and just getting it in the car and running. I know there is going to be a lot of turmoil trying to get brackets and linkages and such, so this might be the best option for the time being.

I don’t have any money, and everyone keeps asking “what’s my budget” and my budget is to go broke with a cool car. I can’t budget for this. I’m in a constant state of panic and begging for overtime. Does anyone know a trick to the lottery?! I will find a way though! HOPEFULLY!

 

[RemCharger]

What car do you have?
You don't want to make some monster long driveshaft( most shops won't do it beyond a certain length- dangerous). You could do a 2 PC and a center bearing.. but with all that time ,money and f'ing around, you'll find the right answer is build the proper trans / get a long tailshaft. And correct driveshaft.
I've seen this situation a few times.

Edit see it's a cuda

 

[PRHeads]

More and more I’m leaning to just swap the intake for now, upgraded distributor, get it running and driving, and making plans for that top end kit in the future, and just getting it in the car and running. I know there is going to be a lot of turmoil trying to get brackets and linkages and such, so this might be the best option for the time being.

Seems like a good plan.
They’re way more fun, and can be a better source of motivation, when they’re running and driving……. Even if they aren’t perfect.

 

[68-500]

I say get it running and driving with what you got, aside from finding a long tail shaft snd housing that will be money well spent rather than spending money getting a bastard drive shaft made. Nix the intake and distributor. When you got it on the road and driving then throw some money at hot rod parts. Thats the route I went on my car, I call it a road-storation.

 

[RemCharger]

Just acquired a 74 440 from an EV with trans, all ran good when he drove it home last year. There’s always the future to go crazy and build it to pull hard but what would you do?

This is a 77. Should be a twin to yours, with the pistons .154 in the hole. I've ran it in 3 different cars around the 12.0 area . It's got ported 906's(82cc) .528 mopar cam/ 1.5 roller rockers. I could straight swap in your shortblock and it would do the exact same thing. Saying motorhome motors are crap is a complete falsehood. They just make slightly less power than an expensive rebuild with a bit taller pistons.

 

[Squeezy]

Good info! Well **update** I’ve found a guy willing to trade my truck trans for one of his car trans, it’s on its way to the tranny shop to get redone.
He recommended this torque converter and flex plate for my build, which again is straight street and burnout car.

TCI breakaway 141200
Flex plate 1844001

He said the flex plate is needed as my engine is externally balanced.
So these and a fresh tranny, I have a water pump kit, oil pan kit, kickdown linkage, dipsticks, radiator hoses, thermostat and housing, and I threw in a dual plane intake ALL in the shopping cart on 440source.

After that, a carb, distributor, headers, mini starter, plugs and wires and I should be working out random brackets and linkages to get her to roar. I might wind up staying with the stock cam for now, as I would really like a roller cam, and Hughes whiplash is sold out indefinitely the way it sounds.

The way it sounded from another guy with flat tappet cams is “ever since 2019 it got really hard to keep them from going flat.” But if I do rollers I’d like to do heads at the same time. The guy at the tranny shop is gonna beef up the 727 to be good for 5-600hp, so hopefully with that torque converter I should be all set transmission-wise.

 

[1967coronet]

I’m thinking of some simple mods just to put it in the car and getting it running, fixing the interior, body, brakes, ect. And when it comes time, dumping some money into making it a beast. But for now, I’m thinking of mods just before I put it in and make a fun driving car. Don’t want to get into rebuilding or anything yet, but maybe a cam and intake swap? Eventually I wanna do aluminum heads, maybe a striker kit, but for now, how bad is it to replace the pistons for a temporary build? Worth it? Idk I’m fishing deep here.
But I’m tickled pink knowing that my car is getting an engine I never knew I could make happen. I’m excited to say the least, but before i stuff it in there without extensive modification, without going crazy, what should i do? I’m pretty sold on tti headers, but should I leave it alone or throw a whiplash cam in from Hughes as I might drive this car for 2-5 years before going through it?

Before you pull it or tear it down let's toss a battery on it ,pull the plugs and run a compression test. I know the they are low, I run one myself.
Let's see if you have a sound engine to start with.
They are decent running engines that have a good low end if not over cammed.
Plus you can buy fuel anyplace.
Use the search on here for low compression / motor home 440 builds.
If you wish to build a higher hp engine i get it.
Good luck , I hope its in good shape.

 

[Squeezy]

Well now that the holidays are winding down a bit I finally got some time to get her on the stand and get to work.
I’ve got the 440 source intake manifold, gonna order an eddy 1905 carb, mid sump oil pan and pickup as well as dipsticks and all the gaskets.

Upon opening it up I see I have 452 heads, after some reading they don’t seem bad, but still a toss up with going aluminum head route mainly for the weight savings, (plus 3 exhaust manifold bolts broke off in the head and I’m still on the fence is I’m gonna bother getting them out.) I most likely will as I’ve gotten pretty good at that over the years.

At this stage I’m just trying to clean off grime and gasket material. I most likely will pull the heads just for a visual inspection and new head gaskets while I’m this far.

I forgot all about doing the compression test I should have done before I took the transmission off, but for how far I’m going in, why bother. It’s soooo much easier doing this stuff on a stand I kind of went a little crazy.

 

[ckessel]

If you use the 452's, pay attention to the spark plug type they have. Peanut plug[ 5/8" hex, tapered seat] or regular 13/16" hex with gasket.

 

[Squeezy]

If you use the 452's, pay attention to the spark plug type they have. Peanut plug[ 5/8" hex, tapered seat] or regular 13/16" hex with gasket.

Mine has peanut plugs. Is that good/bad?

 

[Kern Dog]

They are fine. I think Carl was just suggesting to familiarize yourself with the design since most classic Big Block engines used the 13/16" size with the metal ring/gasket. ALL LA, Magnum and later model engines are what he called the "Peanut" style and 5/8" hex.

 

[ckessel]

Knowing which plug you have helps on replacements later. If you reuse those heads that is.

 

[qkcuda]

I have a vague recollection from back in the 80's that motor home peanut plug heads were considered more desirable for performance. Not exactly sure why.