My ol lady has a nice little projuect truck, its a Dodge (of course) ramcharger, vintage is 1978, removable top and full time 4x4. Now, this ol gal has been abused. the 360 in it threw a rod shortly after i go it. The 727 tranny seems to be good, the transfer case need rebuilt, and the body/interior is pretty much a lost cause for anythoing nice......she is to be rebuilt as a true 4x4 truck, just without all the "make it original and nice" bullshyte. it will be used for hil climbing, rock crawling, going through creeks, and the occasional drunk nights in the west 80 acres venting off steam......thanks to the 440 i will be shoving under the hood. Chances are, it will never be tagged, and always treailered to it POD..... Krpto Kids thread got me thinkin on this. This thing needs a stereo in it. It MUST be mud proof, water proof, rock proof, and most of all, drunk proof!!!!! LOL!!!!! I have several ideas, lots of glasse, lots of plastic and plenty of silicone in the connections with the heat shrink that emits the odd sealant that causes cancer in california. The sytem must play hank williams jr. "a country boy can survive" at at least 135 dB in open air, and must have enough bottom end in the lower registers to get the ol lady wet without jumping in the creek. I am thinkin that the thing will have a couple of 12 inchers of some brnd in the rear within a single reflex enclosure, all fibreglassed up, with the ports pointing down to prevent water entry, then the amps will be enclosed in a nice housing of some sorts, not sure on that yet. the HU will be an EL CHEAPO deck, cuase i bet it wont last long in the enviorment it sees!!!!!! Probably some freeking cheep ass dual, walmart crap, hell, pyle would work....This aint about SQ, it aint about SPL, its about tearing up the woods, creeks, feilds and then bedding dwon in the middle of no-where while cranikng out tunes to what ever is on my mind. I think next week i will pull the ol truck into the shop and start the work 9motivation is required, as is cash) At lest i can pull the motor and go from there. damn, that 440 is gunna be a pain in the butt to get out of that old 72 winnebago.......cuting torch be ready!!!!!!!!!!
just make sure you get the marine grade speakers and you should be good to go. I know Polk speakers are marine certified.. although their crossovers are not just so you know.
The old motorhome block were the way to go. They had stiffening ribs cast into the side of the block. Large hourglass shaped cooling passeges kept these blocks cool under all situations. But you need to replace those heads. The heads from a 68 to 70 440 is the way you need to go. These heads have a casting number of "906" last three. You can get some huge valves in these heads. 2.14 on intake and 1.81 on exhaust, if you don't mind notching the block, a set of max wedge 1.88 would be the way to go. 440's dont need a lot of compression to make monster power, 9.5 : 1 is usually good to around 500, with mildly modded heads and a mild cam. I love 440
well well...... looks like we have a fellow mopar fan!!!!! YAY!!!! I am probably gunna keep it stock. aint lookin for high rpm horsepower. Just need good ol fashioned stump pullin, tree climbing torque. i want longevity over high HP. With a stock 440 (only 70k miles on it) it will do just fine. My theory on motors is that the more HP available, the quicker they fail. I like good low end power, from about 1500 rpm up to about 3500 rpm, thats al i want, and need. In the dirt, rocks, creeks and hills, low end torgue is what is needed. BUT, if this damned truck gets smashed tonight ( we have a SERIOUS ice storm rolling through, and a nice big 60 foot hickory leaning over the ramcharger about to smash it) the 440 will go into a 78 aspen, THEN we will talk about HP mods..................if and when....I will race for pink slips.....BRING ON THE RICE GRINDERS!!!!!!!!!
ah heck, its just a camper on a really big chassis. It even has a nice 727 behind the motor. what is to fear?
I guess I have never had to just take one out, Viking. Back in the day, we would see one of those behemoths rumble in, and we would all rumble the other way.
The Aspen can easily handle the weight of the 440. If I remember right, it uses a translateral tortion bar front suspension. But that also creates the problem. The K-Member you need for a big block mopar is no longer available. Elephant ears would be the only viable way to mount a big block in that car. Oh, did I mention that I'm A Huge Mopar Nut Same cold front came through here yesterday, its been nice all winter, temps in the 60's. And Bamm, today it did not get above freezing, I can't stand it.
you are correct on the torsion bars, adjustable, and makes for a VERY nice handling car in the corners. With a stripped out car, it weighs what? 1500 pds. tops......throw in a stock 440 and a nice dana in the ass with a 727, and you got a car that will stomp the crap outta most anything, might outta think about wheelie bars if this turns into an option! Hmmmmmmm? seriously built 440. in a car that weighs notta.......tag it and make it a shine runner!!!!!!! (think steve earl) LOL!!!! ( hell, think Dukes of Hazzerd) We had freezing rain today again, tunrned to rain, helped get rid of ice, a little. Used birdshot with my 870 to get rid of ice on upper level branches that were threatening my house. it actually works OK, just need a box or so!!!
Now your gonna have to build the Aspen, but its gonna be a little work. Lets start at the rear end, if you think that the 8-1/4 rear (if your lucky, most had a 7-1/4) will stand behind a 440, your drinking to much. Minimum you need an 8-3/4. Now I'm not sure if an A-Body 8-3/4 housing will fit but if it does, problem 1 is solved. Axles, most 70-72 C-Body axles can be cold splined to fit the A-Body housing (Greg Moser Engineering). This will ensure maximum strength at a minimum of cost. Stock leaf springs are OK, but we need to clamp the front part of the leaf. Now with the wheel hop problem taken care of, a simple set of traction bars and a pinion snubber round out the rear. We can now launch like a rocket. Hell, you dont think I've been here before do you? Its been a while isn't the Aspen/Volare considered an F body
Actually ,the only real damge to the Ramcharger is a broken out side window, Its not as bad as the photo makes it out to be. The Ol Aspen would take some SERIOUS work to make into a runner. ITs originally from up north, and the body is ate up with cancer really bad, the sub frame (k-member) is not hooked to theunibody very well cause of it. The rear floor is gone too. The car is actually gunna get a few parts stripped from it and then sent to the crusher. Its more work that I would care to deal with actually. We are gunna stick with the Charger i suspect! I would rather turn a wrench than do body work! Thinking of that rear end in the aspen, ya, its a 71/4", and get this, the gears are 2.23 if i remember right. Would easily do 70 in 1st.....never was able to get it to float the valves in 3rd!!!!! But it was fast once she was movin, damned nascar rear end!!!!!
Nothing a little lexan can't take care of, right? Good nothing or no one got hurt real bad. We've had our fair share of weather since around Christmas, so I can sure relate.
Yep, this weather SUCKS! Right now, and for the past 6 hrs, since power went away, again, i have been on my genereator. Still have internet though, go figure? Lots of damage around here, lost my ham radio 2meter ant. Tv ant. and rotor, lost countless trees, and my small storage shed is trashed with limbs in it. Been eyeing one tree for the past day, its leaning over the swimmin pool......very nervous about that one. Power lines are down evrywhere, trees from my property are lying in the road ( I live in the woods) really ****ed too cause my mulberry tree in the back yard is done for. Love mulberry pies and watching the birds and squirells have fun in that thing. Probably gunna shut down the generator around 1 or 2 am and call it a night. Need to start watching my fuel usage, as i am not sure what gas stations around here have power, or fuel for that matter. Got plaenty of wood for the stove os thats not an issue, can cook on it also. Probably wont start seeing a thaw till the middle of this week.
