Miller mopar project

[jetboatperformance]

This was the culmination of what we called "Project Miller , the Goal was to build a budget boat from a hull destined for the land fill that would run 70 mph for 7k , the boat (equipt with a BBC "434" stroker ran just shy of 80 (2 people) the little motor turns a Jacuzzi PW "AA" 5100 (Fast forward) ... This past season we sold the stroker motor to repower a customers Sleekcraft boat and left the Miller boat "ripe" for another repower .Many Years back I worked for Chrysler , Josh teased me into repowering the Miller Project with a 440 , the the "quest was to try to do this on a strict budget all machine and other work was done "in house" (nothing farmed out) we shopped ebay and classifieds and scrounged for almost all our parts and pieces total investment will be around 2k (minus the boat and our labor) Tom

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[Gelcoater]

how about an update? would love to hear more about this 440,i always believed them a superior engine to a chevy,just more money

 

[jetboatperformance]

how about an update? would love to hear more about this 440,i always believed them a superior engine to a chevy,just more money

Heres some pictures and info from some prior postings

Good news /Bad news you can easily rebuild the Mopar BB oil pump But when you add a "shim" (80 psi with 15/40 , this is at "Dewalt speed") This motor should be a "runner" by Saturday got all I need to finish just need some more ambition Tom

The Rail Mounts are done , 440 motor is in , down to the plumbing , still under 2K swear were going to finish it tommorow!

Finishing the NOS arming switch and Steering wheel button , stole a curly cord from an old set of headphones

Well lit the Mopar tonite for a second or two without water plumbing (couldn't stand the suspense) , hopefully if the weather holds we'll get to whats left of Naci or S/A lakes for a "Hot Lap" after cam breakin , Admittedly not real exciting (little cam/stock valve train,10.5 to 1 ) kind of sounds like a 69' GTX with open headers but it was fun,cheap,educational and a real departure from the Ford/Chevy,Olds stuff we do routinely Start to finsh just under 3 weeks from "greasy long block" core to "almost turn key" .Investment (minus labor) well under 2K (mostly "scrounged parts") Tom

PS the little "Sneaky Pete Nitrous comes Monday

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[Gelcoater]

bitchen! so at under 2k maybe a mopar isnt mo money. what kind of hp do you think? im guessing around 425/450? maybe 475?off the bottle,and why the pete?why not a biggun? and stock valve train:thumbsup good to 6250 no problemo and with that comp/mild cam combo... purrrrfect. love seeing someone running the wedge for a change.show us more!show us more!

 

[jetboatperformance]

bitchen! so at under 2k maybe a mopar isnt mo money. what kind of hp do you think? im guessing around 425/450? maybe 475?off the bottle,and why the pete?why not a biggun? and stock valve train:thumbsup good to 6250 no problemo and with that comp/mild cam combo... purrrrfect. love seeing someone running the wedge for a change.show us more!show us more!

"Guessing" the Mopar makes 400 to 425 , when I worked for Chrysler (70's) The 440's (Cudas, RR and GTX) were rated high 300's on premium Bought the Sneek from Joe Shelfo SR from the PB brds on a "whim" other wize I wouldn't the literature says 25 hp + or - just something to entertain ourselves with kind of a bus drivers holiday Kind of fun to find time to play with our stuff occasionally Tom

BTW a great resource for the Mopar stuff is The 440 source in Landcaster area word is Landy is no longer ?

 

[IRRebel]

Jezzuz Christ Tom! Is that what you hit first time out with it?!?! 78.7????? :bowdown:

That's it!!! I need sumpin I can drop a blown Hemi in now........Everyone in the free world is faster than me, lol.

Ray

 

[Gelcoater]

"Guessing" the Mopar makes 400 to 425 , when I worked for Chrysler (70's) The 440's (Cudas, RR and GTX) were rated high 300's on premium Bought the Sneek from Joe Shelfo SR from the PB brds on a "whim" other wize I wouldn't the literature says 25 hp + or - just something to entertain ourselves with kind of a bus drivers holiday Kind of fun to find time to play with our stuff occasionally Tom

BTW a great resource for the Mopar stuff is The 440 source in Landcaster area word is Landy is no longer ?

Landy passed?had not heard of this another great mopar source here in riverside is Bob Mazzolini racing, hellova nice guy,races nostalga ss,has tons of used parts[blocks/heads,oldie intakes etc.] as well as loads of new stuff, and tons of info on any combo one would think to build. i stay away from that place to preserve my bank acct. and marriage:grumble:

 

[Gelcoater]

400-425? modesty question, bbc434 stroker? did you mean 534? and nitrous kit 25hp? 125?, and on the 440, whats done to the heads? valve size? cant get enough of this:bowdown:

 

[maxwedge]

Nice work. I need to build something Mopar again. It's been way too long.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Nice work. I need to build something Mopar again. It's been way too long.

Thanx Max Love the Mopars (at least till Renualt got them :grumble More pics to follow ! Tom

400-425? modesty question, bbc434 stroker? did you mean 534? and nitrous kit 25hp? 125?, and on the 440, whats done to the heads? valve size? cant get enough of this:bowdown:

Gelcoater yes re HP without a dyno I'd much rather "guess" conservative re the NOS , the specs from the kit say 25 to 50 hp and.... re the "434" its a very cool set up (apparently popular in the "number correct" muscle car crowd as I understand it , it is a 454 Crank in a 396 BBC it with special KB pistons (the combo) requires serious "balancing" to compensate for the smaller pistons.I have to tell you my kid did a "stellar job" on that motor it was an extreme pleasure to Flat foot that little motor Tom
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[jetboatperformance]

OK I know lots of folks had interest in the Miller Mopar and beyond cam breakin it never hit the water but ......business is business and I got a call "hey you know anyone with a 440 Mopar , bnang its off the Washington state soooo.... what to do with the JBP test boat ? heres what we did in the last 72 hrs. We took a 2 bolt main 048 head deal BBC (rusted/stuck) that was setting 6 years and rebuilt it , this means we "old school rebuilt the motor" we disassembled, inspected, cleaned, mic'd, honed and turned and did all work in house , minus the core we have a whopping $500 investment (rings, bearings ,small Howard cam and gaskets) we even rebuilt the oil pump (even a smidge of rust for good measure :-\ why ? to prove once more that this stuff can be done (and fun) on a tight budget , so heres some pics of the mighty Mopar headed north to Washington and the "budjet" BBC goin in (tommorow) We estimate 75 mph (with a little NOS shot) Tom

Bye to the Chrysler:

Empty nest:

the rebuilt BBC:

 

[Dave Wettlaufer]

So you never ran the 440 on the water?

 

[jetboatperformance]

So you never ran the 440 on the water?

Regretably no, it was a fun build and Josh and I really enjoy the build/rigging as much as we do the use of these boats The fresh Chevy will also part of a general plan and somewhat of another "experiment" for us The offer of purchase on the Chrysler exceeded the desire to run it to be honest Tom

I remember a quote once from the movie Tom Horn as I recall , someone complimented him on his horse and ask what the horses name was , Horn said something like "Ya dont put a name on something you might have to eat"

 

[Dave Wettlaufer]

I remember that!

 

[jetboatperformance]

Heres a quick shot of cam breakin and some tune up , Again to prove a point the unique thing about this BBC is that we stripped down a Hardin Marine BBC (setting for years) and did an "Old school" budget build using only the bare neccesity of parts (rings bearings etc) Only real new stuff is the Howard flat tappet can , lifters and timing set investment was around $500 Tom

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miller project 2 :: MOV09932.mp4 video by jetboatperformance - Photobucket

 

[Outlaw]

I guess I better go snag up that 67 Chrysler 440 I found awhile back

Nice to see you do the "Old School rebuild":thumbsup

several years ago my buddy blew his $$ race motor the day before a big local lake party, he had some BBC stuff lying around and I talked him into throwing something together about 5pm on a Friday, we had it in the boat, running about midnight, we figured if we were lucky and he took it easy on it, it would make it thru the weekend. He planned on taking his
professionally built engine to get rebuilt the next week.

he never did and is still running that 454 we put in that night, he swears
it runs faster than the good engine did and gets better mileage

 

[jetboatperformance]

I guess I better go snag up that 67 Chrysler 440 I found awhile back

Nice to see you do the "Old School rebuild":thumbsup

several years ago my buddy blew his $$ race motor the day before a big local lake party, he had some BBC stuff lying around and I talked him into throwing something together about 5pm on a Friday, we had it in the boat, running about midnight, we figured if we were lucky and he took it easy on it, it would make it thru the weekend. He planned on taking his
professionally built engine to get rebuilt the next week.

he never did and is still running that 454 we put in that night, he swears
it runs faster than the good engine did and gets better mileage

Its admittedly easy sometimes to "plunk" down the old Credit card and start with all new stuff , much harder to stay within a budget and "make do" (Mic,measure clean, repair) I have to turn key boats with Blower motors where to some degree $$ were not at issue. This motor was an great exercise in restraint for me and as said I did it to prove something to myself and to those out there who want to pick up a "Yard sale boat" and get it running for a little fun and R&R . When I worked as a line Tech in the 70's we (the dealer) had a full machine shop and did all work (Valve grinds , boring etc) in house ,what this did for us was reaffirmed and helped us decide to take the financial plunge and buy the equiptment we need to do the majority of our own engine work in Our shop (not sublet to someone where we can't control the quality) Heres the pics from today , found some used welded valve covers to complete the deal ! Tom