Car moves way better than expected (Good)

[Michael_]

It's a 1969 dodge charger r/t 440/727, stock, about 90k miles and (as far as i can tell without opening the engine) i'd say it hasn't been rebuilt.
So i figured 375hp sae gross is about 275hp sae net (looking at 72 brochures), then i have about 20% drivetrain loss and then some because of the engine
has 90k miles on it. So i took a wild guess and estimated 200whp.

That's a good number but then a few days ago i floored it at ~ 30mph and it just went off like a rocket.
I felt like i'm in a car double or more the power i estimated.
Later in the day i floored my 560 sec (which is no slouch either) but in comparison it felt very SLOW.

Well i guess there's really no replacement for displacement.

Buddy in the passenger seat was even more blown away by the acceleration than i was. He really couldn't believe what just happened.
It's my first big block car and it was the first time i floored it. ^^

Yeah i definitely underestimated the power of a healthy 69 440 hp engine.

Everything else i drove so far (except new srt 392 & hellcat challengers) feels really slow now.

 

[Budnicks]

The HP 68-70 440 was no slouch...

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Even the non hp 440s are impressive, I think its the brute low end torque that sends the car off.

 

[davek]

Glad your happy and got that radiator/fan worked out. Time to have some fun.

 

[SattyNoCar]

The later 'smog' 440's weren't too bad either once you freed them of the Lean Burn crap. My wagon has a '77 440 in it. Not the fastest thing on four wheels, but it has caught a number of people off guard. Aside from timing chain and rebuilt stock heads, I've done nothing internally. HP manifolds, pre-LB (stock) intake and ThermoQuad, and standard electronic ignition.

 

[AR67GTX]

My GTX has a stock 68 440 in it with A727/3.55 gears/suregrip. I put a scope down a few of the cylinders last year and it was bad enough I didn’t want to look at any more - ugly cylinder walls with some scores, chipped piston edges, etc. But i keep the thing tuned and it runs real strong, doesn’t smoke or use oil, will do an impressive burn out, grab rubber in second. Leave well enough alone.

 

[padam]

He's coming around...

 

[Michael_]

The HP 68-70 440 was no slouch...

I expected it's not. But it's even way more than i expected.

I think its the brute low end torque that sends the car off.

Yepp, must be that.

 

[F4R/T]

Mopar engines always run good. Chrysler was light years ahead of others in engineering. Others couldn’t beat them so they outlawed or handicapped them. New hemis and pentastars are well engineered as well.

 

[Virg464]

The later 'smog' 440's weren't too bad either once you freed them of the Lean Burn crap. My wagon has a '77 440 in it. Not the fastest thing on four wheels, but it has caught a number of people off guard. Aside from timing chain and rebuilt stock heads, I've done nothing internally. HP manifolds, pre-LB (stock) intake and ThermoQuad, and standard electronic ignition.

I always loved the wagons with big blocks. A family friend drove us to school in a new yorker wagon with a 440 (1971), and she wasn't afraid to use it either. Me and my best friend loved that big thing!

 

[Gunner1]

Loving my 76 440. Mildly built stock 452 heads, flat tops mild cam and a RPM intake with a 750 dp. First gear blows away the tires if you open the secondaries. my first big v8 mopar. Your right. The bottom end on theses is off the chart.

 

[Virg464]

Loving my 76 440. Mildly built stock 452 heads, flat tops mild cam and a RPM intake with a 750 dp. First gear blows away the tires if you open the secondaries. my first big v8 mopar. Your right. The bottom end on theses is off the chart.

Right on! I read somewhere a long time ago, "If you build for torque, the HP will be there". So, if you start with a mopar BB (especially and RB) your already ahead of the game.