opinions for price quote on short block

[adk-roadrunner]

Hey guys i picked up my 440 and tranny yesterday. Its supposedly a 25,000 mile motor out of a motor home but iwas pretty sure i wanted to rebuild it anyways. I called a local engine builder who builds race engines just to gey an idea. The guy was very nice on the phone and informative and said without knowing very much about what i want with a stock lower end rebuild it would be around 1,200 thats just reusing stock pistons and cam. he did say the cam would need to be changed which i knew he also said for a street engine running on the crappy fuel we have today he wouldnt really go over 9 on the compression. I would really like to just have him hot tank the block clean it up and balance the rotating assembly so I can rebuild myself but it makes me a liitle nervous lol.

 

[99ss]

Compression depends on the gas you want to run... but 1200 doesnt seem like a bad deal. I charge closer to 4400 for a short block but thats with forged internals and being an LSx Chevy engine. We run 11.3:1 on 91 octane but again its a different engine...

 

[adk-roadrunner]

hey another quick question for you guys the motor has 452 heads can i have these reworked and use them successfully.

 

[RustyRatRod]

hey another quick question for you guys the motor has 452 heads can i have these reworked and use them successfully.

Yes.

 

[adk-roadrunner]

what should I have done with the heads to make the most out of them

 

[RustyRatRod]

Don't know. What are you wanting out of the engine?

 

[adk-roadrunner]

street powerfull engine doesnt need to be too crazy

 

[shag766]

you can run up to 91/2;1-10;1 on the compression end of it with todays gas with out problems but your biggest power gain is in the heads.

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Compression depends on the gas you want to run... but 1200 doesnt seem like a bad deal. I charge closer to 4400 for a short block but thats with forged internals and being an LSx Chevy engine. We run 11.3:1 on 91 octane but again its a different engine...

X2

 

[adk-roadrunner]

I guess what I really want is a bit more than the 440's had in the late 60's before they detuned them through the 70's. what I have is a 79 440 out of a motor home and some guidance even sugestions on what I need to do to what I have. The car will basically be a street car pump gas 89 to 92 octane it is going in my 73 roadrunner and will have a 727 auto and a 8 3/4 sure grip rear end with 3.23 gears which I have also already purchased. I have yet to purchase cam or carb so ideas on those are welcome and I am toying with the idead of buying an msd electronic ignition. The engine came with the stock intake and also this aftermarket aluminum one if I can use it great one less thing to get . I spoke to another local engine builder who runs a machine shop and got some prices from him as well he would charge around 1500 for a short block overhaul, but also provides lots of other services. I have been thinking about assembling the engine myself Ive done a couple but usually just stock rebuild would save a little money hopefully. The price for basic block prep which includes cleaning , inspecting, blasting, new freeze plugs, new cam bearings and distributor bushing all done including parts is $140.00 if I add honeing its an additional $25.00 and if it needs boreing or I change pistons he would bore cylinders to match pistons and do ring gapping for $60.00 dollars. I also inquired about rotating assembly balancing which he said he does do and recommends if pistons are changed and said he charges $155.00 for this service. He will also disassemble, clean, crack check, make sure the decks are flat and reassemble the heads for $50.00 for the pair assuming I have nothing else done which he said he can basically do whatever I want to the heads.he also does crank polishing for $40.00 assuming it doesnt need to be cut down and rod resizing which I forgot what he charges for that. I plan on getting the block, crank and heads over to him soon to get everything cleaned and checked to see what I have to work with. He also said most people change the pistons in these later blocks as they are flat top and low compression he also said some people he knows had used six pack pistons to up comression is there such a thing. any other info you guys need feel free to ask thanks for your help

 

[womanator]

The first question on any build is what is your budget?
If we have your budget we could help with your build.

 

[adk-roadrunner]

my budget shouldnt really matter or putting a specific amount on it I should say. what I want to do should dictate what amount of money is needed and different peoples ideas of how to go there would alter the amount of money needed.I welcome all ideas and thoughts on the topic such as if I can get there with the heads I have or altering them in some way lets hear what can be done to them. Obviously saving money when possible is always a good thing but I dont want to skimp on something I should do as well.

 

[womanator]

Ok I'll step out on this and give you a couple of builds.

First one
440 out of a auction truck I bought at a towing auction.
The engine was a low comp the pistons were .160 int the hole giving about 8.2-1 comp.
Heads were 452 with 2.14 int and 1.88 ex flowed in the 245 cfm range.
Cam was a mopar .528 solid with roller rockers and springs to match.
Intake was a Performer RPM.
Carb was a Holley 780 Vacumm secondary.
MSD box
Stock Distributor.
Mallory coil
Schumacher headers.
X-pipe with a couple of turbo mufflers.
150 hp of nos.
74 Duster went 12.21 with 391 gears off the juice.
Car weight 3400 with driver.
Trans is a built 727 that is one of my back up trans for my race car.
3000 rpm stall.

Pretty cheap build.

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Here's another one.
440 .030 over
Ross pistons
Eagle rods
Stock steel crank .010-.010
Hughs .590 cam
Rhodes lifters
M-1 intake
Holley 750 double pumper
MAD ignition
Mopar roller rockers
$2000 machine work
Eldelbrock 84 cc heads with cnc port work
tti headers with exhaust from them
Girdle on the bottom end
Sho-gun cooling system
Race trans with 3500 stall
4.10 gears
Car weighs 3200 lbs with driver
68 Dart
Car went 10.71 threw the mufflers off the juice

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Here's my 67 Charger
440 source 500 stroker kit for a 440
Turned out to be 499 ci.
Comp Cam .545 hyd cam and lifters
440 source rockers
M-1 intake Holley 800 double pumper
Stok Ignition with MSD coil
Stock performer 84 cc heads
Hooker Super Comp headers
40's mufflers
727 trans with 2500 stall
3.91 gears 28 inch tall tire's
Car weighs 4200 with driver
Car went 11.90's with a 1.63 60 ft time

 

[adk-roadrunner]

nice thankyou I need all the help I can get . I am definitely thinking new pistons are in order not sure which ones yet. I also remember reading somewhere that some motor home engines had six pack rods is there any truth to this and if so what should I look for how strong are the regular rods or the six pack ones should they be replaced or are they pretty good. Ive also been keeping an eye out online for 915 heads as ive read they are great heads if im gonna pay to have heads redone might as well do it to the best ones I can find.