Found a motor home with a Mopar big block and I have some questions

[Lonesome7.3]

I was in a motor home in a salvage yard and found a Mopar big block under the engine cover. It looks great and is complete. However I know very little about this sort of thing. I am new to the world of Mopar. I am hoping to go out there today with the camera but in the mean time can anyone tell me anything about them. I think the Motor home is a 72 and it looks like it has a 727 behind the engine. Getting it out looks like it will be quite an under taking. Considering I just want to put this engine on a stand in hopes I will get a project vehicle later for it what would be a good price for it? How can I tell if it is a 440 or a 413? If it is a 413 what are the pros and cons of running it? If I get it, it will most likely go in a big truck build later on. I have always wanted a classic Dodge truck or SUV sitting tall with big block power and shining like a new penny.

 

[towcat]

in 1972 your choices would be 383, 400, 440. the 413 went by the wayside back in the mid '60's. You're definitely bucking the trend on big-block gassers.
I'm sitting on a few ford 460's and chev 454's and a couple of Buick 455's that don't want to go find a new home. Current gas prices is killing the big block and I don't see it getting any better anytime soon. It's unfortunate, I'm prolly the last generation to know the feeling of visceral torque and acceleration generated by a gasser that equals or surpasses anything on today's market. many diesels included.
check out this link for casting number ID on your gem in the rough.......

http://www.yearone.com/updatedsinglepages/id_info/mopar/mopar casting numbers/castingnumbers.html

 

[Lonesome7.3]

I miss the feeling of that 460's and 429's I have had in the past. I have had some late 70's Fords that would lift the front tires off the ground. Now I am trying to give Mopar a go. Thanks for the link.

 

[chris142]

I'm pretty sure that they used an industrial version of the 413 in motorhomes into the 70's. The 413 is a very stout engine thats for sure. So is the 440. If I remember right The MH versions usually have peanut plugs instead of plugs with gaskets and a slightly different headgasket design. The exhaust maniifold bolts enter the water jackets and thats a big pain in the rear to deal with.

Back in the 70's I remember seeing those Class A's loaded down with camping stuf, dirt bikes and Dune buggies on double decker trailers and the 454's and 460 Fords could not keep up with the 413's and 440's on the hills.

 

[Lonesome7.3]

It sounds like a good torquer. I wonder hwo it would do in a lifted truck just for play.

 

[Roland_Jenkins]

If its a raised block, to the right of the distributor there is a machined flat surface. It will have the Cubic inches stamped on it. 440, 413, 426 wedge. If it has an AC pump it might be hard to see.

72 had low compression heads and a cast crank.

 

[Lonesome7.3]

I am new to Mopar, isn't the wedge the most desirable one to find?

 

[m885]

As posted above the block ID will tell you the displacement. Dodge usually used the steel (forged) crank in industrial/MH spec. The harmonic damper is a really quick clue which crank is in it. Approx 3/4" would be a forged crank while a 1.25" is a cast crank. And IIRC 73 was the first year for cast cranks in BBM. Wedge heads are the most common to find mopars. HEMI is equal to big power/$$$$$$$$.

 

[Lonesome7.3]

I would like to biuld a big block Mopar.

 

[paulw]

I have a verry good set of 906 heads with stainless steel valves. And was re sone and never used plus a set of truck big block motor mounts.i was into the bigblock mopars for a long time. Plus you have to have a bigblock trans you cannnot use a small block one

 

[Rug_Trucker]

Engine size is cast into the side of the block. The motorhomes frequently had special heads with extra water passages. I think some of the 413 motors had the heavy 6 pak rods. Some of the motor homes came with a turboed 440!