Joined: Sun Sep 24 2006, 10:33PM
Location: Lisle, Ill.
Posts: 168
Found an ad on my local club forum for a '78 440 block, crank, rods, pistons, balancer and a set of 452 heads for the grand sum of $300! The block's even stock bore!! I'm excited. Time to slap them heads on my current 440 and drive it till the 543 is done! Well, drive it once the snow and salt is gone. [stupid Chicago] Then my old 440 can go into my '65 Dart El Cheapo Pro Street project...I was playin with that car the other day, pulled the motor and trans out together without removing the radiator support or hood! And now that thing's so light, I can lift the front end off the ground! Like a good foot! I'm excited. Time to build a street car that can stand on its hind legs!!
Joined: Mon Jan 16 2006, 02:52AM
Location: Vantaa,Finland
Posts: 379
I had a 440 (well, actually 493 and 528's) in a '66GT, and even though you could lift the front in the air without the engine adn trans, the situation changed with them installed. The engine was in the factory postion (used stock tranny mount), the car had fiberglass front end, aluminum "inner fenders", aluminum dash, aluminum heads, water pump, intake etc, and it wasn't that light. Close to 54% on the front wheels (total weight of 3370 lbs with me in) , and it didn't raise the front wheels in to the air.
Joined: Sun Sep 24 2006, 10:33PM
Location: Lisle, Ill.
Posts: 168
Aw. disappointing. I guess I'll just have to shove some boost down it's throat. Or maybe some nitrous. And maybe a trans brake. Also, what rear gear did you have, and how much tire? We're thinkin 4.56's and the biggest tires we can afford. [think like 30" slicks] And was yours setup as an all out drag car, or was it more designed for the street?
Joined: Mon Jan 16 2006, 02:52AM
Location: Vantaa,Finland
Posts: 379
Mine was a pump gas street car, 4.10 gears, 13.5/30/15 ET Street tires, 8" ATI converter, TF 727, SS springs in the rear. The best ET was 9.69/142.5 mph with a 1.40 60 ft. With that converter it actually raised the front a bit. I once asked some Stock racers, why my car doesn't do wheelies when Stockers running in the 12's do. The answer I got was "if my car run like that, I wouldn't care even if the front end was 1 ft below the pavement in the launch". Now the same engine is in our C-body, but with a way milder cam. <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Tue Jan 30 2007, 07:05AM ]</span>