Looking for guidance on a blank slate stroker build

[Fmt662]

HI Everyone,

I recently picked up winter project 1970 B5 blue Challenger and am hoping to get some ideas for shopping lists. It was originally a 318 car with a 3 speed floor stick, but it was stripped in it's past and now I have it with no engine, no trans, a worn and leaking 8-3/4 rear, worn suspension, and no interior. It's getting prepped for some time with a body shop to get new fenders, quarters, front and rear valences, cabin and trunk floors, and all new paint.

Once it comes out I need to build and drop a whole new drive train in it. Car will be primarily a pleasure cruiser/street machine with a few trips to drag nights. I know already I'll build it bigger than it needs to be, I'm ok with that. I want it to be a big block, I'm ok with it being overpowered, and it has to have a good lope. I'm planning to install a tremec 6 speed from SST, a moser/strange/? dana 60 with 3.55s and posi, and a Hotchkis suspension.

I've found a mid 70s 440 block that I want to build as a 512-ish " stroker, but need advice on sets to use (or avoid), intakes, cams, carbs, and exhausts. Would like to see high 500s hp/tq numbers at least, but really don't need more than mid-6's. Budget is not unlimited but also willing to put the $ needed to make a good build the first time around. I've been looking at the 440 source stroker kits and heads, TTI headers, and maybe a hughes cam, but not sure how to get the right set of pieces to get a good reliable engine with killer power on tap without going whole hog and building a race engine I don't need. I used to rebuild engines so I know my way around the tools, but selecting the parts is a bit out of my area. Any advice or places to go to find help?

Thanks!

[B5fourspeed]

 Just dropped off my 440 block at the machine shop.I am doing a 500  stroker kit with 440 source heads.I think I am going roller because I am doing this only once.I want 500 to 550HP.I want a cam that will leave plenty of vacuum for power brakes.With the 440 source heads I will need to have the springs,Retainers,& locks replaced with the stronger one.That will be an extra 300 dollars not counting the labor to do the exchange.I am looking at 10K or more for this type of build.The labor alone the builder said wii be between 2500 to 3k.He likes to do a custom grind cam to get the best setup.He is not a fan of comp accept for the roller rockers.

[Brads70]

I'd do the stroker kit 512
These heads https://www.trickflow.com/search/department/cylinder-heads/make/chrysler/engine-size/7-2l-440?N=4294961402%2B4294965591%2B4294961758

This  intake as its low for hood clearance
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-300-14/make/dodge

Oil pan
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/mil-31581/make/chrysler


Lunati hyd roller cam - pick your poison... I'd consider manual brakes or hydraboost  , opens up your cam selection. 

With the 6 speed, your not going to be happy with 3:55 gearing, 3:73-4:30 range.... you also will need to do some trans tunnel work ( if thats a factor in your decision?)


DrDiff for the Dana S60 .... thats where I got mine.
850 Dp or bigger carb I like quickfuel. FI would be sweet



Going fast costs money, how fast do you want to go?

[RUNCHARGER]

I'd probably do a 440 Source 512 kit, trick flow 240 heads, roller cam for sure, holley injection, 4.10 or 4.30 in a Strange S60. 4 wheel disc brakes of course. Get an intank fuel pump.

[Chryco Psycho]

 
Cam choice is the most critical part as far as making it do exactly what you want it to do , I usually use custom ground  solid flat tappet cams over roller tho .
I would test drive a car with the Tremec trans , I am not a fan unless you are using the T56 magnum or T 6060 from the Vipers

[Fmt662]

Thanks for the input everyone.

I was looking at the Tremec T-56 magnum based 6-speed, but if there's another good trans out there I should consider I'm open to options. I'd really like to keep this geared that will be comfortable on the freeways so not really interested in a 3 or 4 speed.

Surprised about the recommendations for 4.10s or greater with the torque the strokers put out. Looking at the gear ratio analyzers online, the 4.10 gears would put freeway speeds in the 2500-3000 RPM range even with the .63 6th gear. Is that a reasonable cruise RPM for these big blocks?

I'm leaning towards a solid roller cam, is there a big advantage to a solid flat cam instead? I've been reading about the bigger mopar flat tappets allowing better cams, but seems like the roller cams are better bang for the buck.

[Chryco Psycho]

I have usually used 3.7 or 3.9 gears with OD trans & I agree with big torque you do not need to rev the engines to make power ,
A 512 I built made a peak 460 RWHP on a mustang dyno with over 400 RWTQ from 2200 - 5400 RPM
Passion has the 855 trans which is a no mods bolt in but it has a long waiting list , it is a 5 spd OD based on the HD 833
The biggest thing is to keep the engine in the power band so depending how the cam is ground you want hwy speed to be a few hundred RPM into the powerband of the cam

[RUNCHARGER]

I forgot about the Passon A855. They must be getting easier to obtain, I would contact him and see what the wait time is. It is a much easier install. With my Viper I don't use 6th that much, I generally run it in 5th unless I'm on a prairie, I don't see any advantage to trying to go up a slight incline at 1400RPM worrying if it is going to detonate.

[Brads70]

I forgot about the Passon A855. They must be getting easier to obtain, I would contact him and see what the wait time is. It is a much easier install. With my Viper I don't use 6th that much, I generally run it in 5th unless I'm on a prairie, I don't see any advantage to trying to go up a slight incline at 1400RPM worrying if it is going to detonate.

Curious.... what gear is in the back of your Viper? 3:07? 

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes, 3.07. If it had a 4.10 it would be fine on the highway, it just wouldn't pull 200MPH but it would cruise nicely in 6th gear at 100MPH all day long.

[one bad fish]

You know...when I was building my car I was all about a 5 spd or 6 spd tranny. Thought I really needed that for highway cruising. Then I got my motor built, she's a nasty b#&%h, 11.2 to 1 compression with a .600 lift 259/263 solid flat tappet. And I went with a Hemi 4 Spd instead thinking I can always install a gear vendor's if I wanted. So..at 70 mph with 295/60/16 tires and a 410 Dana I'm at 3000 rpm. And that is where the motor loves to be and runs as smooth as silk. I have never even considered adding the gear vendors and have been driving my car (71 cuda) like this for 4 years.
so I moved to an acreage with a shop (finally) a year ago and my neighbor, Gary has a 70 RT SE U code Challenger (great freaking neighbor!!) and he owns a body shop and has restored lots of cars so he wants to go all protouring with his car...6 speed, alterkation front end and rear...all the good stuff money can buy and he's got lots of cash.
He drove my car... No more talk of 6 speeds...protouring..he wants what I got lol! So he's getting Bob Prouse (Neil "Chryco" knows him well I believe) to build his motor changing from an auto to a 4 speed ( I know you purests..U code RT/SE car that is a fatory auto) and keeping his Dana 410.
The moral of the story is the old stuff works really good when set up properly!!

[one bad fish]

Forgot to mention - my motor is a 512 stroker, 623 hp/649 torque. I went with a Comp solid flat tappet - 259/263 @ .50 .600 lift. 6 pack intake. Callies crank, Comp full roller valve train, promaxx heads, CP pistons.

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: For me, I've owned a few stroker street cars and I'd sooner allocate the cash wasted on an OD trans to a stroker kit for the engine and build it with a wide powerband to work with a highway oriented gear ratio. You don't need an 18 speed with a stroker, that's the benefit of them.