I found a '64 two-door Dodge 440 close by. What body style is it considered, A, B, or what? How common are those cars, and is it easy to find parts, if needed?

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

That would "B" a "B-body"

The Dodge B-body progression for 1964, in terms of price level, luxury and trim appointments is (from Low to Premium):

330 (2-door sedan, 4-door sedan, 6 and 9 passenger station wagons)
440 (2-door sedan, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, 6 and 9 passenger station wagons)
Polara (2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible, 4-door sedan, 4-door hardtop)
Polara 500 (2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible)

Since this is a great looking body style, and very popular for drag racing (also, along with the '64 Plymouth, the first home for the 426 Hemi), many parts are available, although not to the degree of a Roadrunner or Challenger or the like. Also, four-door parts cars seem to abound.

Please note that when most people think of a Polara, they think of a "C-body" - That did not become the case until 1965... likewise, the Plymouth Fury was "B-body" from '62-'64. Incidentally, the Plymouth B-body lineup from 1964 is:

Savoy (2-door sedan, 4-door sedan, 6 and 9 passenger station wagons)
Belvedere (2-door sedan, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, 6 and 9 passenger station wagons)
Fury (2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible, 4-door sedan, 4-door hardtop, 6 and 9 passenger station wagons)
Sport Fury (2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible)

Notice that there is a comparable Plymouth model and body style availability for every Dodge model, except the Plymouth wagon could be had at the Fury trim level. Also, the '64 Dodge B-body rode on an unusually long (for a "B-body") 119" wheelbase, while Plymouths had the standard 116" which was kept for years. All B-body wagons in '64 (Dodge and Plymouth) were 116" wheelbase.

I know, more than you asked!

D/W

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

If you get this car, check out the 62-65 Mopar list at www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com site.

I found a local '64 Dodge 440 with a 318 and pushbutton tranny. Car has been sitting under a carport for two years, because it dumped oil and lost oil pressure. The owner shut it off and never did anything about it. He is the original owner and says he bought it from our local Dodge dealer in Oct. '63 when they first came out. Said something about it being a "Golden Anniversary" car, for what that is worth. It has factory A/C, drum brakes, and a nice interior. He had it freshly painted just before the oil pressure problem and said it looks like new. It was covered in dust when I saw it.

I know you probably see questions like this all the time, but I don't have any experience with these "B" body cars. I am looking at buying this car for my son to drive until we complete his Dart Sport project we are building. I didn't want to spend a lot on this one, get it running (don't know what the problem is yet), and not be able to sell it later. We live in central Texas. Anyone have any idea what might be a reasonable price to pay?

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

He will probably fall in love with the 440 and leave you with the Dart. The 440 looks cool in the first place but with a big block your sons car will become king of the streets.

_________________
82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Is it a 2-door or a 4-door? That makes a big difference in value because there is far less demand for the 4-door (except wagons since they've been hyped up by all the car mags). Just a guess, not knowing anything about the overall condition of this car (original owner is a plus), I'd say anywhere from $1000 to $2000 would be reasonable for a car like this if it's a 2-door ($500 to $1000 if it's a four door) if it is in decent shape with a non-running engine. Of course it could be worth paying more if the body is outstanding. The cowl area is a bad area for rust on these cars. The drain behind the fenders backs up and the bottom side of the cowl under the dash rusts out which in turn leaks and rots out the floor pans. Solid, no rust is a big plus and adds some real value.

All '64 Dodges are "Golden Anniversary" editions, by the way (1914-1964). It calls it out on the horn ring hub. I'm not sure if the A and C bodies for '64 are so emblazoned, but I suspect they are. The '62-'65 B-bodies are outstanding cars (my favorite), and '64's and '65's are arguably much more refined and attractive looking than the somewhat odd '62 and '63 models, but it's all in what you like and what yer shootin' fer.

D/W

EDIT: I now see where you said "2 door" at the very outset, duh Anyway, everything above still applies...

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

Guess I should have mentioned that it is a two-door hardtop.
The old gentleman who owns it told me he has a paper from
someone who gave it a value a few years ago of $3000. He
also said that he told a guy a couple of years ago he would
take $2500 for it, but that was when it was running.

I haven't been back to see if I can tell where the oil came
from. I plan to go back and give it a good going over, inside and out,
top to bottom. I wouldn't have a problem spending a little to fix
the 318, but the idea is to keep it a few months and sell it.

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

I think the guy sounds reasonable. Of course not running is going to drive the value down, but $2500 when it was running sounds right if it is in pretty good shape, so he is probably not going to get ridiculous with you.

The hardtop looks great. I have had several, I have a '65 Belvedere II 2-door hardtop now along with a '64 Dodge 330 2-door sedan ("post") and a couple parts cars. I am always interested in these cars, so drop me a PM if you get it and get ready to sell.

Keep in mind that 318 is going to be a "polyspherical", not the LA 318 we all know and love. Many people swear by them, there is at least one decent web site dedicated to them and they are good motors. Most of the bottom end is interchangable with later 318's, also distributors (though the curve is different), water pumps (iron), timing chains, etc. The heads, valvetrain, intake and exhaust manifolds are completely different and are not interchangeable with later 318's. You can still get most everything for the old style 318 at your local Idiot Auto Partz, plus vintage speed parts are not all that hard to find at your larger swap meets and on ebay. Personally, I think the polyspherical 318's were outstanding engines (sort of a compromise between expensive to produce, more complicated Hemis, and cheap but crummy flowing wedges), but for various reasons they ended up being a dead-end path for factory performance. A 2-four version was even offered in the late fifties.

Again, more than you asked!

D/W

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

More than I care, not at all. I'm always up for learning something from you guys with the knowledge and experience. For now, I'm only familiar with the A-body, since Aaron and I have spent the past two years on his Dart Sport. I will admit, that B-body 440 has caught my attention. I downloaded a few photos of some nice ones, and they are slick-looking when cleaned up. It certainly would be a unique ride for a 16-year old high school student in central Texas.

Thanks for the info. I'll keep you posted on the results of my decision.

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

The wideblock 318 is pretty powerful engine too. With the right carburation it can easily get over 300 horses.

_________________
82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

One important point (well three ): An old style 318 is not a "wideblock", nor a "big-block" or a "Y-block"... The block has the exact same dimensions as a late-style 318, it's definitely not a big-block (350, 361, 383, 400, 413, 426, 440), and a Y-block (ya hear that one all the time too) is a Phord.

D/W

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

Why has it been called a wideblock so often?

_________________
82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Most people don't know much about them, think it's a boat anchor and it looks wider because of the heads. The assembled motor is wider, so if you called it a "wide 318" you'd be accurate. The old-style ("A" engine) block itself is nearly identical to a late-style 318 block, but the cooling passages for the head are laid out differently. You can physically bolt a late-style small block head on an old-style block (and vice-versa), but the coolant passages won't line up. It's also a much heavier (thicker) casting. Chrysler developed the "LA" (Light "A") 273 wedge-head motor (which evolved into the late-style 318 etc.) based on the old-style polyspherical 318 basic platform to fit compact cars, i.e. Dart and Valiant in '64. It was also cheaper to produce which is why the LA superceded the old-style 318 in all body styles for '67 in the United States. Motor mount lugs, bellhousing bolt pattern are all the same, early or late. (not including the LA 340/360).

It's just one of those things that people hear, and they repeat it without knowing any better. Now you know

D/W

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/4164/

*There are a few little minor inaccuracies there, such as when the LA engine was introduced (1964 is the right answer, the LA 318 was introduced in 1967), also polyspherical production (or at least application)went on beyond 1966 in Canada and possibly other export, industrial and marine applications, but I don't have a discontinuation date for those (any of our Canadian friends know?). But all in all, this is a good site and there is much good info about the old style 318 there.
D/W

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!