Mopar 440 racers - time to legalize that shortblock!

[bill dedman]

Wayne,
Charlie would be flattered that somebody remembered his 383/400-Hemis, even if you didn't spell his name (Malyuke) quite right... LOL!

But, he didn't build them to get a lighter, or more advantageouly-configured piston. He liked the shorter rods, shorter stroke, and ensuing, lighter reciprocating weight,.. NONE of which is allowable in the so-called 440 low-deck engines now running.

NHRA has "440" specs on all that stuff that are non-negotiable.

The weight of the block, itself, is a different story.

Anyone wanting to build their own 383/400 Hemi can read all about it in the June, 1980 Super Stock and DRAG ILLUSTRATED, starting on page 57... if you can find one.

Bill

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by Lynn A McCarty

No it screws up the water hole in the front. So, I was told certain "Hemi" teams were allowed to go into the foundry and massage the foundry cores.

Lynn

It does not affect the water pump mounts. If this was the case, then the 383/400 engine would have the same problem. The camshaft bore C/L to crankshaft C/L is the same for both the RB and B blocks and they share the same timing sets. When the RB block was created, they just added material to the deck height in the same fashion that there are different deck heights for the Chevy big block engine: there is a standard deck and tall deck. Was the 1959/1960 383 block with the 3.75 stroke cast with an RB or B block deck height? It appears they are rare and hard to find. Therefore, if the 1959/1960, 383 block was cast with the B block deck height, has an OEM 3.75 stroke, what would preclude its use in SS class as a 440 engine?

[Paul Precht]

The Golden Lion 383 is a raised block. It is physically identical to a 440, just a very small bore and a different crank flange to fit the cast iron torqueflites.

[SStockDart]

Originally Posted by Wayne Kerr

440 (RB) Deck Height 10.720"
400 (B) Deck Height 9.970"
Difference .750"
There is no way that you can deck THREE QUARTERS of an inch off of a production Chrysler block. (page 66 "same year and make for car used") The head bolt holes are barely this deep.
If this were true, Charlie Maluke (sp.) went through a heck of a lot of trouble to build his short deck Hemi blocks for nothing.
Quit lying to yourselves trying to justify what just isn't true.

See you at the races,
Wayne Kerr

Hey Wayne.....Hope to see you at the races too. Your calculations are a little different than mine, and I don't quite know why. I believe that decking the 440 block .620 is the right number. I have room to take .900 off the deck, comfortably. Current head bolt depth is 1.32.............yea you run into some water jacket problems that can be solved with block filler. Am I going to attempt this? Probably not. But, I am glad I can still get a chuckle out of this entire conversation when I have several thousand dollars going down the drain. (don't tell my wife)

My whole point is: It can be done using a 440 block, using the same pistons, rods and 440 crank......and it would be perfectly legal under the existing rules... So, why change using the 400 (or 383 sleeved) blocks........the only difference will be the weight of about 20 pounds. Additionally, the 375 HP - 440 got hit with 5 HP. If we can not use the low deck block, does the horsepower go back? I really don't want that answered. This entire conversation is silly. Enough people have made their cases to NHRA. Make a decision. If I don't like it, I can either live with it, change engine combinations, or I can easily get back out of drag racing (I just got back racing last year after being away from it since 1972).

[Speedracer]

I really don't think the situation would require you to get out of Drag Racing.Instead of running SS/FA,you might do well in the Pinks All Out 9.60 class!

[LouisJeffery]

Originally Posted by herbjr

Chris we know each other from 20 years ago. Dont give to much info as soon as Rocket tells his real name Ill chime back in. He is in left field. And yes a Ray Charles could tell the difference between the two blocks. Can you Rocket without tools just your eyes.

Herb Jr

Rocket Block is aka Jeff Lee. Rocketblock is his altered ego tough guy name. The name in which he blurts out HATE, ignorance and any other mud racking nonsense. A few months back he posted on a Ford guys post using the Rocketblock name saying he had a 8.8 axle for sale and to contact Jeff Lee and his ph#. Within hours he noticed his mistake and edited it away.

[herbjr]

The AMC Jeff Lee, Hell you probably run MOPAR DECALS on your AMC to collect cont. money even though they werent bought out until when like the late 80's. AMC parts, hell they crossbreaded everything.

Is this true Jeff.


Herb Jr

[LouisJeffery]

Herb jr. Check post in S/SS tech originally posted 10-07-07 " Newbie building a Ford Maverick" Rocketblock posted 10-09-07 then realizing that he exposed his REAL identity as Jeff Lee he edited the info. Sometimes both of his names post in the same subjects with differnt opinions.

[Jeff Lee]

I know three different people that know RocketBlock and they'll all tell you it isn't Jeff Lee. But thanks for thinking so highly of me...
And I do have a 4.30 8.8 Traction-Lok center section for sale @ $250.00. Interested? And yes, I've had numerous disagreements with RocketBlock (coincidently RB?) on this forum. Maybe I'm a Dr. Jekl / Mr. Hyde psycho and don't know it? Guess I'd better see somebody about that! Now can I get back to that short deck 390 I was working on?

[herbjr]

Rocket made a comment one time a few years ago about my dad on something. I'm going to have to see if I can find it in the archives.

Herb Jr