motor home 440

[farmertan]

A friends 79, 80, or 81 I'm not sure, caught on fire the other night, I have not seen the damage yet but he knows I like mopar stuff so he asked if I wanted the engine and 727 trans. Engine runs great low miles but the tranny would not go into reverse when he tried to move it. Are these worth anything or not worth the trouble to pull them out?

[tactransman]

I love the motor home 727's. You can't usually use the output shafts and extension housings but the other internal parts are usually H.D. 

[426HEMI]

   The trans is made HD and would be worth getting and the engine if you want that also.   

[whitesatinmopar]

Depending how much/where the fire affected things, may have just burnt up a reverse safty switch........? As far as the block goes, I built one about 4 years ago, have had no problems, 

[farmertan]

Just got off the phone w/the guy. He just reinstalled the tranny after rebuild, and was trying to get it running for a guy to come look at it to buy it. well the engine backfired through the carb flames shooting up, he went back in the house for something and a neighbor noticed the smoke. whole interior is burnt firemen use a lot of water some probably went into the engine through the carb, no aircleaner on, next week insurance adjuster will tell him what there willing to pay and that could affect the deal. I'm suprised he still had ins. on it.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Yeah,

  You should never start a cold engine with that air-cleaner off. I had a scare or two.   

[hebeegbz]

The trans is a keeper but engine dead weight .cast crank wide ballancer pully issues .also the pump housing is truck wrong side ,thin cast block . upside is if the engines on the ground the small parts are good like rocker spacers slinger and bolts the rest is 9cents a pound .

[72cudamaan]

Sorry, gotta disagree with that one.  No reason not to keep the big block if your'e gonna do a stock rebuild.  Not so good for high horsepower though.

[tactransman]

Complete 440's are getting harder to find. If the price is right I would take it! 

[73Chally]

Motor home blocks run about 10-20 degrees hotter when set up with the stock cooling, plus like was said above requires modification or a new radiator.  They also should not be bored out during a rebuild because that will make the walls too thin.  I'd go for the trans but skip the block  .