Author Topic: Edlebrock 440 Top end kit?  (Read 5363 times)

Offline Red R/T

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Edlebrock 440 Top end kit?
« on: April 10, 2010 - 02:12:46 PM »
While I wait for paint on my car I was thinking about the motor.  While the motor is out this is the time to pick things up a bit.  I was looking at Edlebrocks page and found this top end kit.  I'm wondering what the motorheads think.  I want to keep the motor pretty much maintenance free but still have the omph to to have fun.  Anyway, what do you think about this package?  Seems pretty simple wiwthout going overboard.  All comments welcome.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/2087/10002/-1#moreDetails
1970 Challenger U code R/T SE




Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Edlebrock 440 Top end kit?
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2010 - 11:17:55 AM »
My experience is this
1 - you need 1 more point of compression to make up for the heat loss to alum as the heads have a too large combustion chamber to compensate
2 - We only made 2 HP on the dyno  more with the RPM heads over a properly ported set of Iron heads
3 - There are far better cam choices then the Chev based Eddy designs
 So in my opinion spend approx $3200 & get the Indy EZ heads & intake & a better cam

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline Red R/T

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Re: Edlebrock 440 Top end kit?
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2010 - 03:50:32 PM »
Thanks for the comments Neil.  I guess I was looking for the easy way out but as usual I may have been caught up in the advertising hype.  Since I know nothing about motors and really don't want to have the motor built by a shop I'm caught in a quandry.  I wish there was a simple kit to just put the motor together and get some decent results.  I have a couple of weeks before the shop is ready to reassemble the car and I might just leave the motor as is, just paint and go.  I actually don't know enough about my motor since it came with the car and I can't get any info from the guy that built it.  I know it's a 1975 block and I believe iron heads (no idea which ones) and what I think is a purple cam with an eddy performer RPM intake.  I know I want to change the carb and will probably go with a proform or demon based on what I've read here on the forum.  Would it do any good to put the 440 source stealth heads on?  If nothing else I guess it would dress up the motor a little.  Anyway, still looking for some easy bolt on help so specific comments are still welcome.  The Indy package is still an option but I was hoping to keep the money at a reasonable level since the paint and body are biting into my wallet pretty deep. As always though, this forum has helped out with many decisions and I thank all that give their time to help folks like me.
1970 Challenger U code R/T SE

Offline Red R/T

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Re: Edlebrock 440 Top end kit?
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2010 - 02:56:43 PM »
Ok, an update on what I know about the motor.  Finally got hold of the guy that built the motor and heres what he remembers. 
1975 block (bored .010)
forged flat top pistons
forged crank
iron heads (no head work and not 906/915s)
comp 8.5-1
Eddy performer RPM intake
Eddy 770 carb
Purple cam (280 474)

I just ordered tti headers with 3" exhaust all the way back.  Still trying to figure out what else to do before we put the car back together.  Thanks Neil for the info and like I said before, "I'm a knucklehead so specifics are welcome.
Chuck
1970 Challenger U code R/T SE

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Edlebrock 440 Top end kit?
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2010 - 07:36:23 PM »
Well any alum head will kill your power , you only have 8.5:1 compression now & alum will cost you another point  of compression bring you down to 7.5:1 effectively so you would need to get into the 10.5:1 with pistons before considering any Alum head . The better route would be to locate a set of the 516 or 915 closed chamber heads & get back into the 9.5 range  , you could swap out the cam as well but my find you have good power with just the closed chamber heads properly ported , you will see a power gain moving to a Proform Carb , I would avoid the Demon carb , they are too Problematic

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t