Crate vs Rebuild

[Srobinson4]

What is the opinion of the experts?  440 Crate, or rebuild existing 340 in 73 Challenger Rallye?

SRR

[4Cruizn]

 Is it the original motor for the car?? If it is, I would go for the 440   

[inot2old]

Is it the original motor for the car?? If it is, I would go for the 440   

Dave, I would say just the opposite, if it is the original motor, rebuild it.  If it isn't, then go with the 440.

[4Cruizn]

I guess I should give alittle more info . . . I just had the same decision to make.  I had a choice of rebuilding my original 340 motor or put together a 440 for my hardtop cuda.  I decided to build the 440 to beat on and safely store the original drive train for the car.  I thought if I destroy the 440 from massive abuse, I will always have the original guts to the car . . but if I was to build the original 340 and destroy it (from massive abuse), it would be gone forever and I would lose the value of having an original numbers car.   

[MEK-Dangerfield]

What is the opinion of the experts?  440 Crate, or rebuild existing 340 in 73 Challenger Rallye?

SRR

Is price an issue here? I'm not sure what the 440 crate sells for, but I'm sure it would be fun to drop that baby in.  It would be cheaper to rebuild the 340, and beef it up a little.

  Mike

[Robb]

why get a crate ?

just find a 440 block, and then STROKE it !!!   

[Street_Challenged73]

I guess I'd have to know more about the 340, like is it the original engine to the car?  If not, I'd build the snot out of that just to get a very quick small block combination.  If it is the original engine, I'd build something else, this case a 440, and have some fun with that for the same reason 4Cruzin has already stated.   I have a 318 car (w/all #'s matching drivetrain, etc), but I found an era correct 340 that will be painted the same color and appear mostly stock on the outside, but I'm going to go pretty stout inside.  I'd like to hear more about what your plans are for this car.

[pink panther]

if it is original I say rebuild it, if not I would wait for one of the new  "big"small blocks. 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=18665.msg188136#msg188136

[71383bee]

I guess I am getting old fashiobned, but after wrestling with a big block in a B body I was delighted about how easy a small block is to work on in another B body I had for awhile.

Put it this way the 340 requires no modifications to the drivetrain.  It will run on your existing linkage, tranny, radiator, wiring, throttle, suspension, etc.  A big block will require changes to just about everything mentioned. 

Will a 340 out accelerate a 440.  On most equal terms yes, but a stroked 340 or even a 360 can be had for the same price and you will save a ton by not having to modify the entire car to slip in a 440 to make up the additional cost for a stroker kit. 

I have the same argument with the 383 in my bee.  Folks tell me to drop a 440 in and my response is why...I would rather stroke it or drop in a 451 rather than add a ton more nose weight, and make it even more frustrating to change plugs with headers....    Now a HEMI though....  

[Robb]

Folks tell me to drop a 440 in and my response is...  why

re-sale value

 

[71383bee]

Well they can buy the car off me then and put whatever they want in it I guess.   

Seriously though HP cars that stick closer to their original drivetrain tend to yield better resale values then modified ones.  Unless they are done well which few were/are. 

Most 440 post 71 ebodies I have seen have hacked up tranny tunnels and/or mismatched parts that make the restoration more difficult then it needs to be.   When it's done right it is pretty cool though.