440 In a Dakota

[blue44]

Hey, I am new to this forum and am looking for some ideas and help. Me and a friend are going to tackle a project of sticking a 440 in a GenIII dakota ('98) club cab. It will be used for street and strip during the summer and be driven to shows. The 440 is setup right now for about 500 HP and 520 torque. We will be doing this pretty soon and I am looking to buy parts for it right now. The engine bay is stripped down already and bare. I have ideas for some parts, but would like others opinions as to what the best setup would be. I already upgraded the fuel system to a complete sx fuel system with stainless braided lines. I was wondering what people felt I should do as for an upgrade for the ignition system? I was looking for a good 4 core radiator any suggestions? Anybody have an experiences with the mopar electric water pump? Such as http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT
would this be sufficent? Any suggestions for headers and how I could make some work? I was think something with a primary pipe design of 1.75". Any recommendations for exhaust? For carb I was think of 750 Vacuum secondary, like a Holley 3310 series with a 4 hole, 1" tall, phenolic carb spacer between the carb and intake. I have a 727 tranny to go with it already and a JW Performance, 11" 2600 stall converter. The rear is 4-linked already. What will I have to do to the frame? Suggestions and opinions on anything involved in this process would be greatly appreciated. Any thoughts about anything or any parts would be great. I would just like to have a good plan going into the project. Thanks.

[dwc43]

The water pump drive you showed will be fine. A 4 core rad wont work, it will over heat for lack of air flow. You need an aluminum rad 2 core with at least a 1.5 wide tube. Get you a TCI rebuild kit for your tranny and I would get there converter too. You need a fuel cell moutned to the rear along with a battery kit to the rear. You'll need plenty of ballast weight to get the precentages right or it will never hook up. You'll need some coil overs and race shocks too. MSD will be your best ign. set up hands down. 2 1/2 pipes with flowmasters will be enough for your exhaust along with an X pipe. That should be a good start.

[racintracy]

I realize this is a performance question but there is also a Dakota forum that might draw more responses. Scroll down further on the main page and you'll see it.

I also considered a 440 swap into the 93 I used to own. Schumaker has mounts, headers and all kinds of stuff for just this. You might check them out. Don't have their url but a search engine should come up with it. I will say the frames on Dakotas are darn tuff. Don't think you'll have to worry about it. I agree with DWC that the MSD is the way to go. The 750 vac sec. carb sounds a little small though for a 500 hp engine. I would also check out the aluminum radiators available. Those 440's run pretty darn warm and there is not an abundance of airflow available with Dakota. You can probably get an aluminum one for the same price or cheaper than a custom 4 core. I personally haven't had any experience with an electric water pump but always heard their not for street use.

Good luck with your project. Sounds neat.

And welcome to Moparchat.

[4406RR]

A friend of mine is doing the exact same thing but he is using a 671 super charger on top of the 440 we put a set of the hedman shorty headers on. Use a msd 6 or 7 al with their billit distributer, and a 850 carb.A aluminum 2 row 1.5 tube radiator is a must cool project keep us up to date on your project

[blue44]

Ya Thanks alot everybody talked to a couple other people and I am going to go with a 4150 850hp holley for carb. Any suggestions for that carb are the dominators seem kind of expensive. I also thought about fluidyne alumium racing radiator they look like they would work nice, then with a CSI Red Billet Water Pump , the motor should stay pretty cool. I might be able to get a MSD 7A ignition. I was wondering though if over doing the igniton could be bad and cause more wear? A guy told me he could hook me up with some real good prices on higher end stuff maybe.

[71dart666]

Just on a side note, how the hell do you plan to legally drive that thing on the street? Is there anyway you could even get that thing to smog ?

[ehostler]

You have to remember, not everyone lives in CA and has emissions laws that would make your head spin. Now then, after a little research, it would appear that his vehicle does not have an emissions testing requirement.

[71dart666]

Well thats news to me, I didnt know some states had no smog requirements.

[skankweirdall]

Yes, in fact most states don't have emission testing.

Now as for that water pump, I have serious doubts it's going to keep a street engine with 500 horsepower cool, just not enough flow.

[71dart666]

Sounds like you guys got it made, here in Cali a cold air intake is considered an illegal modification I beleive. We smog our cars on dynos (as of Oct 03)which makes it alot harder to smog, I had a neon I tried to smog and before the dyno test it only failed the at idle nitrates test. On the new smog test it failed almost every part of the test. We get blessed with 91 octane, no 93 and we pay as of right now about 2.40-2.50 a gallon for that.

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by 71dart666

Well thats news to me, I didnt know some states had no smog requirements.

It's by county too. Rutherford just 30 mins away from me E tests, but we don't, and neither does Marshall, Moore, and many other counties where I live. It's a total waste of time and money anyway. Your time, and your money.

[4406RR]

Originally Posted by dwc43

It's by county too. Rutherford just 30 mins away from me E tests, but we don't, and neither does Marshall, Moore, and many other counties where I live. It's a total waste of time and money anyway. Your time, and your money.

I totaly agree the auto emissions are a joke here they do one town but not the other and they screw up things all the time I am fighting with them now because they screwed up the paperwork on my 70 Challenger such a nightmare I am sure it is going to end in me paying a fine for their mistake it has already cost me a day from work to go to cort and I have to go at least one more time

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by 4406RR

I totaly agree the auto emissions are a joke here they do one town but not the other and they screw up things all the time I am fighting with them now because they screwed up the paperwork on my 70 Challenger such a nightmare I am sure it is going to end in me paying a fine for their mistake it has already cost me a day from work to go to cort and I have to go at least one more time

I feel for ya man. Wished they would do away with all that mess, but they need another way to tax you out of your money without calling it a tax.

[blue44]

Sorry been gone for abit and didnt see you guys replied. As for Emissions I live in Ontario, and if you what a motor for another one which is not an option to buy when you buy it new in a 99 or lower vehicle it is not inspected under new emission laws and is considered a hotrod and has 1980 and before emission laws so I should be fine. Kinda confusing to explain, but I think you will know what I meant, I am putting a 440 into a dakota which is not an option out of the factory so it is considered a hotrod since it was built before 2000. I do not know why the year makes a difference, but it does I check it out and that is why I was looking for a dakota from 97-99 cause I wanted the genIII look and have the emissions advantage. Thanks.