My 440 Build up... for my Duster...What can I expect as far a torque and HP???

[wjaholic]

Hello every one,

Too start off, I have a '74 Duster that I am working on building up. I know its not a really cool cuda or a challenger (never could afford one) but... never the less I thought you guys would like to see it, that and I had some questions...

I guess I will start from the begining, I picked it up three years ago,
The guy that had it told me that the engine was "locked up" while I was talking to him I happen to grab a belt and was able to turn the crank backwards. So I knew the engine wasn't "locked up"  but for the amount he was asking ($560) I couldn't pass it up. It was all there,   It has a little bit of rust and body damage but nothing I don't think I can handle so, I latched on to it with a tow bar and drug it home.

The first weekend I had it I tossed a battery in it and hit the starter, all it did was hum. It didn't click it didn't do anything. I was a little confused  after trying one or two things I ended up turning the crank again by the belt and hoping back in to try it one more time. This time it turned over almost a complete revolution before making a big THUD. I thought oh crap... I dropped the oil pan only to find a destroyed rod... I pulled the heads and found that the piston had slapped the head,
bent a valve and pushrod


and apparently they kept it running after the broke the rod because the chiesled the crap out of the crank...

So I coudn't decide what I wanted to do with it. Do I pull the engine, bore it out and rebuild it? Do order a crate engine and go from there? I could always building my own small block from a junkyard block...

While I was trying to decide what I wanted to do I ended up coming across an a-body 8-3/4 rear end

I quickly ditched the 8-1/4 which housed the peg leg 2.73 gears and built up the 8-3/4 using a 742 case, limited slip, and 3.23 gears.
I used a set of HD 3" over arched springs, Moser custom alloy axles, and the biggest factory drum brakes I could get ahold of.

I decided that I wasn't going to keep that 318 that was beaten in to submission so I pulled it out and rebuilt the front end. I dropped the k-frame, replaced the ball joints, replaced all the worn bushings with poly bushings, welded up the k-frame, sand blasted it, sand blasted and welded up a some custom made lower control arm plates out of 10 Ga Stainless, and swapped in a set of 1.09 Torsion bars, and a 1" front sway bar.

Before I put all that back in there, I did a little bit of work to the engine compartment...




I replaced the master cylinder and brake booster, ran new SS brake lines to all new brakes, and so on a so forth...

I am planning on welding in sub-frame connectors and beefing it up some more as I go, but for now...

Then I found it... I found my new engine!! and transmission for that matter.

It was a '73 Chrysler Imperial that was about 500 miles away from home, the gentleman was nice enough to let me show up with a cherry picker for a 3 point hitch on his tractor too extract the engine from its grave on his farm. For $150 I scored this A complete '73 440 and 727 tranny.

I dis-assembled it and had the block hot tanked and new cam bearings pressed in.
Since I am doing this on an insane (tight) budget I have to be crafty, I retained the stock cast crank, LY rods, and stock 73 cast pistons.
I slid a Comp cams (cam specs here http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Search/CamDetails.asp?PartNumber=21-223-4) I picked up a set of 516 Closed chamber heads at a swap meet for $100 and had the exhaust seats cut out for the larger 70's valve (also hardened seat), an valve job on the intakes, new freeze plugs and guides, and a list of other things... which I plan on porting a little bit... my estimate is that with my head gaskets,and CC size I will be about a 9.0 to 1 compression ratio.

I picked up a Weiand dual plane aluminum intake... (here - http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=WND%2D8009&autoview=sku) I plan on running about a 750 - 800 CFM carb, electronic ignition, and a set of fendwell headers ... yes that is my kitchen table... I plan on running a converter with a stall slightly higher than stock but nothing to wild since I don't have a very aggressive set up.


Well... what do you think? What kind of performance range do you think I will get out of that set up? horse power and torque numbers???

Let me know what you think of the car. 

[KellysCuda aircard]

Lookin good man, i couldnt guess any power numbers, but a 440 in that little car shouldput you in the 12's in the quarter.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Nice!! 

  This thread should be "how to build a better Duster".



  Mike

[wjaholic]

Any one have an idea of how much power this engine will put out? I would love to clear 500 ft/lbs... I find it unlikely with such a tight budget and budget/factory parts...

Any help?
 

[crazy larry]

Is that a feather Duster? Sweet.

[tactransman]

Nice!! 

  This thread should be "how to build a better Duster".
  Mike

Looks great!

[Chryco Psycho]

LIke everyone else I don`twant to guess at the hP , but it will be lots in auster , the headers will hurt you though those are restrictive 
Other than that you are doing an awesome job with the car

[Jacksboys]

I agree with the others on not guessing the hp/tq but it should have good performance in that duster.   

[EVIL72]

the headers will hurt you though those are restrictive  

 Good luck with the Duster, an A body with a big block is alot of fun. 

[kingtroll]

Very impressive work you are doing there......

[Moparal]

I believe that's a small cam, and don't know how deep in the hole your pistons are, but even witht he closed chambered heads, the compression won't be there for big tq #'s.  Under 9-1 I would think.  Chryco might see the post and add in to it.  You can figure aboubt hp and tq levels close to a magnum style engine though. The 323's I don't believe will get you into the 12's, but you have a contender, it being a lighter body. The car looks great. You do good work.

I'm willing to bet your desire for speed will see an engine upgrade when your pocket is read for it.
Loose the hood insulation, it's blocking the fresh air scoop

[Alice]

The factory rated the 73 440's at 8.2:1. But if you do the measurements you will find it is actually closer to 7.8:1. Pistons are about .180 in the hole. My best guess with the close chambers heads will net you somewhere in the 8.4 to 8.5 to 1. I would venture to say your car will probably hit somewhere in the high 13's.
 Even though it's an A-body, the 73 to 76 A-bodies are heavier than most people think. The wife 73 duster 340 tips the scales at 3300 LBS with no one in it and 1/4 tank of gas. The only lightening we did was an aluminum intake. Throwing an RB motor in it will probably put you around 3500LBS with a steel water pump housing and no other lightening.

 The real differance you would see between running 3.23s and 3.91's would be less than a couple tenths.

[wjaholic]

Ohh yeah... they really lowered the lower compression ratio in the '73 ... but I am not complaining... It may be a blessing in desguise with the way the gas quality (and price) goes up and down around here  I forgot to break out my indicator and measure the deck height before I tore in to this one...  Once I get back to that point I will check it and get a closer idea of what I will be pushing as far as the compression.

Thanks for all the feed back!

I guess everyone can tell this is my first engine and I guess my first real project car... My dad came across two other 440 blocks several years ago, he soaked them in oil and rapped them up sticking them in the corner of his garage. He told my brother and I a while back that we could do what we want with them...  I am thinking that I may take what I learn with this engine and build another, improving on my first one.

Thanks again!