440 from 1974

[xroadrunnerx]

What must be done to a 440 engine from 1974 to get it to have the same horsepower and torque as a 440 from 1971? Thanks.

[jimbo7074]

The only real big difference was the drop in compression from 71 to 74.The earlier motor may have had better exh manifolds,but most of the parts are the same including the hi-po cam.To get more power,just do the usual mods:intake,exhaust,and possibly a modern cam profile.

[bbaspense]

Lets look at it another way.....

I took a stock 440 out of a '78 New yorker, swapped it into my 3800 lb aspen added 1 3/4 headers and 3.91 gears and no other changes.... it ran 13.96 @ 98 mph through the mufflers...

That's pretty good horspower..... now added a 509 cam, a decent intake, loose the thermobog and add a 750 holley and a 3000 converter and it would have easily ran 13.50's... put that in a 2800lb Dart or Duster and it would have ran 12's....

There is no lack of power from the smog 440's

I run a smog 400 with ported heads, 484 cam, M-1 intake and 750 holley at 8 to 1 comp... I run 12.90's at 106 in the same 3800 lb Aspen.....

Jason