Picking up a 400 for 75 bucks!

[ramcharger]

I'm running down there tonight to pick it up. It was just running a week ago but it lost oil pressure and he pulled it. I figure that even if the bores are wasted, for that price I can have it sleeved. :read2: The guys a Ramcharger freak like I am (he has 5 of them).

Anything I should look for to be sure it's a 400 and not a 383? The guy said that the oil filter is in the front. I don't know beans about big blocks and need some identification help.

Thanks!

Edit: Found a casting number list here.... http://www.yearone.com/updatedsinglepages/id_info/mopar/mopar casting numbers/castingnumbers.html

 

[70DartMike]

Can't help you with info, maybe look on the passenger side of the block for ID?

But I was going to say, I picked up a running 440 for $250 and was going to brag about my good deal, but you definatly beat me there!

 

[ocdart]

GREAT deal, Joe. Now you can build a 451" stroker stump puller for your RC!
Let us know what you find out about the oil pressure issue.

 

[greenhornet]

Look on the pad on the front on pass side, think thay stopped making the 383 in 1971, I never did own a 400, just 383's and 440's....

 

[ramcharger]

Can't help you with info, maybe look on the passenger side of the block for ID?

But I was going to say, I picked up a running 440 for $250 and was going to brag about my good deal, but you definatly beat me there!

We'll see how the bores looks tomorrow. I just got it out of the truck and on to the stand. :cheers: I felt sorry for the kid so I gave him 80 bucks for it. :-D

GREAT deal, Joe. Now you can build a 451" stroker stump puller for your RC!
Let us know what you find out about the oil pressure issue.

The plan is a 512 at 12:1 with either a tunnel ram by Pat Fogel or a centrifugal supercharger at 8.5:1. Either way, it's going into the Duster. 8)

Look on the pad on the front on pass side, think thay stopped making the 383 in 1971, I never did own a 400, just 383's and 440's....

Yep, I checked it out before I gave him the cash: 7 T 40 should mean 1977, truck, 400. Water pump housing and exhaust manifolds were cast with a "77" too. The engine looks as though it was never apart since it left the factory. It's now coated with about 1" of "Factory Rustproofing" if you know what I mean.

The story was that he had it in his Ramcharger and was out 4 wheeling with his BIL and his new Jeep Commando. Well, he smacked his BIL's Commando and broke a motor mount which put the oil filter into the front suspension which peed oil everywhere. He drove it back to Denver after buying a case of oil and contantly topping it off, lol. He said it ran when he pulled it out but he didn't run it very long and it was smoking real bad. I turned it over and there seems to be some compression, but I'll know more once I break it open. That little stunt of his really hurt the old pocket book. Like I said, I feel bad for him. Maybe I won't feel so bad when I see a piston pin through a bore or two, lol. As I mentioned before though, at this price I'll have it sleeved if I need to. Sleeving would do nothing but strengthen the block anyway.

 

[greenhornet]

score!!!!!!!

 

[mtandrews]

:cheers: GOAL!!!!! :cheers:

 

[ramcharger]

score!!!!!!!

:cheers: GOAL!!!!! :cheers:

Thanks guys! I'm just having a beer to celebrate as I stare at this thing on my engine stand. It's flippin' huge, lol.

This was purely a chance buy. Work was slow this morning so I hit craigslist and punched in "Mopar 400" and up it popped. I called the guy right then and there and he said I could pick it up tonight...... so I did.

 

[greenhornet]

Thanks guys! I'm just having a beer to celebrate as I stare at this thing on my engine stand. It's flippin' huge, lol.

This was purely a chance buy. Work was slow this morning so I hit craigslist and punched in "Mopar 400" and up it popped. I called the guy right then and there and he said I could pick it up tonight...... so I did.

Now you see why I'm drag-assin stuffing my 383 in my 66-valiant....

 

[ramcharger]

Now you see why I'm drag-assin stuffing my 383 in my 66-valiant....

Yeah man, this is the start of a long, long project. Getting this sucker to fit with headers is going to be interesting..... Probably easier than your project though. I can't imagine wedgeing this in a early A.

 

[memike]

Congrat's on the 400 :cheers:, I have herd they are a stronger and better engine then the ol 383 but I would have to have proof of that 8) You know me:-D I loved my 383 revving machines 8)
Great score brother :happy10: A 400 in your hands should turn out to be a dandy :cheers:

 

[Bigdummy]

400's are good blocks my friend has a 517 cid from a 400 and runs 5.30's in the 1/8 th on mtr

 

[pettybludart]

Good score Joe,glad to hear you mention your Duster.:cheers:Glad to hear things are good in your life.Pics of engine and the Duster please!

 

[ramcharger]

Congrat's on the 400 :cheers:, I have herd they are a stronger and better engine then the ol 383 but I would have to have proof of that 8) You know me:-D I loved my 383 revving machines 8)
Great score brother :happy10: A 400 in your hands should turn out to be a dandy :cheers:

They were pretty much dogs as a stock smog motor but the more I've read about them, the more theoretical potential I believe they have. I pulled the heads and it appears to have a stock bore and minor rust, I think I have a winner here but I'll know more this weekend when I pull the pistons and crank, do a quicky hone just to get the rust out and measure.

400's are good blocks my friend has a 517 cid from a 400 and runs 5.30's in the 1/8 th on mtr

Good to know BD. I know a few people have gone this route but not that many.

Good score Joe,glad to hear you mention your Duster.:cheers:Glad to hear things are good in your life.Pics of engine and the Duster please!

Thanks pettyblue, pics are coming this weekend. My camera barfed so I had to get cell phone pics of the engine and it's a hassle to transfer them.

 

[ramenth]

Yup, let us know more, Joe, when you get the chance. Definitely worth it for the price you paid.

I've got one here hanging on an engine stand which came out of old '79 Ramcharger. Plans for it are to poke and stroke it to 451 for my brother's '83 2WD half ton. That should be a fun ride...:snakeman:

 

[Frankie]

For some reason, many of the older MoPar freaks, and almost all GM and Ford geeks, seems to frown on the 400. Perhaps because it's introduction meant the demise of the venerable 383, perhaps because it's long been considered a smog motor (actually it's not a motor at all, it's an engine). For what ever reason, it's never received the credit it deserves, in my opinion.

It's a MoPar "B" block, and has the same potential of of any of the "B" blocks. Build right it's very capable of being a torque monster, too.

I think you made a pretty good purchase for you money, there. The 400 is an excellent engine with tons of potential, and the best part is that many GM and ford guys look down on the 400 as a boat anchor. It's always fun to stuff one of their big blocks into the ground with a MoPar "smog motor".

Congrats on the find and purchase. It's always great to by a potential power house for under a hundred bucks. :thumbup: