My 340 story

[Richard Reardon]

I was reminded and prompted by Hoov's 340 story of this race that happened in the summer of '72. A little background will set the stage. A buddy of mine, who I helped build his engine, challenged me to a "street race" one Saturday afternoon in early summer.
He had a '62 'Vette w/ a .030 over 283, =ing 287 cu.in. capable of 8,000 rpm action! He had turned 12.5 @ 115 @ the drags prior to this. Okay, I'm @ this pond where I use to hang out, swim, etc. years past. I had bought a Heath Kit to put together a metal detector. I'm all business w/ the head phones 'n all, when I hear this rumble, even w. the phones on. It's Ray and Steve out for a Saturday afternoon jaunt in the 'Vette, open headers and all. They didn't see me, but I jumped in the Duster and in about 2 miles I caught up to them on the back roads between Hudson (our home town) MA and Marlboro. They wanted to go over to "A&M" and race. There is a longgggg story over the years of the action @ A&M. It's all marked off, even to this day. I must mention that these guys were drinking and driving-NOT GOOD-under any circumstances. But that was the way it was, as the stiff penalties-designed to protect us all-were quite lax, back then. Anyway, up to the line and Steve says- GO! All he saw was the back of my '70 Duster for the whole 1,320 feet! My car was stock except for a few things I did to it. No after market headers or anything of that nature. Auto 727 and 3.91 to 1 limited slip. I really have to say that the drinking had some affect on his ability to run the car to it's full potential. We slowed and turn around to talk about what had just happen when a cruiser pulls up. He must have been coming over the rise just before the starting line and saw us "leave!" He read us the riot act big time, cooled off and talked to us like "one of the guys" and left saying, hook up those headers, take it easy and I don't believe you beat him!
Steve bought the 'Vette off Ray a few years later and I traded in the Duster in '79 w/ 116 thousand miles on it.
Steve got married, sold the 'Vette, got divorced and neither of us know where he is now.
I'm still friends with Ray today and we still bring that race up now 'n then in conversation.

Happy Days, Richard ;-)

[Christopher]

I don't know why,but everybody says a 340 can't run with the big boys,but here's another instance where the "little giant killer" prevails again!!!

[Hoov]

Amen Christopher

[PDQ340]

I bracket race a '68 340-S Barracuda, that runs well into the 11s (11.34 best). Back when it was in the 11.6s, people often thought I had a 440 under the hood. NOT!
In fact, the engine isn't all THAT wild; I have a great machinist (former SS/A racer) and have made the most out of what I have to work with. Look at EVERYTHING from bumper to bumper, when you're looking for improvements - all those little things add up!
-Bryan

[Richard Reardon]

Hey, PDQ340, that little 340 of yours sounds interesting. What did you do to it and what body style have you got it in?
At 11.34 ets it's no slouch.
Richard

[340king]

Hey Richard your story reminded me of something that happened to me in my '72 340 Duster with 43k.

I was at college pursuing an engineering degree, the first of two attempts, the second being successful. I was coming back from a friends house when I came to this little secluded stretch that I used to light up my lil' 340. After making this little pass about half a block from the school, I noticed a friends car going by ahead of me at the four lane in front of the school.

I tried to catch up with him only to be pulled over about a block from where I had turned onto the four lane. It seems a police officer was clocking traffic on St. Joe. After writing the ticket, he said "Just between you and me, that car sounds totally awesome, whata ya got in it?"

Later, I went to court and explained to the judge how I planned to be speeding, but only by 5 mph. The speed limit changed right where I was picked up. It seems the officer noted this fact and the judge dropped over 10 mph off the ticket. I thinked he liked my honesty when I told him I was trying to speed. All the other people were rolling in the aisles when I said it.

This wasn't the most memorable event in the Duster, but other one is really out of this world.

[PRO]

Hey all MOPARS are feats of engineering,the 340 has what is considered the "PERFECT" rod to stroke relationship!!I know of a nine sec. duster with no n2o!!!R.E.S.P.E.C.T.!!!!...PRO...

[johnjdodge]

Don't pay any attention to those Chilton published books. The 68-71 340's weren't 275 hp but rather 325 in stock 4bl form. Chrysler didn't want to overshadow their bread&butter motors, like the 335hp 383's at the time. They were also "factored" at the time to qualift to complete in racing. A nice running 340 will take-out a stock 383 & give a 440 a run for it's money.
Chrysler "engineered" on two performance engines into the production market: the hemi & the 340.

[Elwenil]

Let's not forget the 69 1/2 440 6 Pak cars. If they weren't performance engine, I dunno what one is! The Max Wedge engines make the grade in my opinion also. The 340 was without a doubt, a terrific engine, but I think it was more just a good combination of power and weight. Mopar put out a lot of engines with pretty trick stuff in them, but the 340 was pretty basic. Still it made great power for it's size and weight. The T/A was pretty trick, but it also made more power. Can you imagine if all the 340's were made like the 340 T/A? I wonder how many big blocks would have been sold then...
~Elwenil~ ~.\|/.~

[DAKMAN]

ALWAYS LIKE THE PLASTIC CAR VICTORY STORIES. MY LITTLE HAD A 67 FORMULA S WITCH WAS WITHOUT AN ENGINE, SO IN WENT THE 340. THIS WAS A 4 SPEED CAR. ENGINE WAS +40, 11 TO 1, 750 EDELBROCK PERFORMER CARB, SUPER COMPS, AND A GOLD BOX. THE FIRST TIME IN IT I WANTED O-U-T OUT. THIS THING WAS SICK. LITTLE BROTHER WOULD RATHER HAVE HIS TEETH DRILLED THAN TAKE SHIT FROM A CHEVY. AND SO IT WENT, UNTIL NO MORE TAKERS CAME.IT SLOWED DOWN SOME WHEN HE CLICKED A COPS RADAR UNIT AT 118 AND REALLY PISSED OFF THE JUDGE. BUT IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED. DONT YA HATE WHEN GUYS GET RESPONSIBILITY IN THEIR LIVES.

[Richard Reardon]

JohnJ is pretty much correct in saying the 340 actually had closer to 325 HP. The 340 was under rated as a lot of potent machines were, just to passify the insurance regulations. The factory just printed the horse power rating they took @ less than peak by taking the reading @ a different than peak rpm.
Back in the late 60s, early 70's one of the Rod mags of the day printed just that about the 340. They had taken a stock engine and came up w/ 325 horse power.
It was claimed a 340 would out-do a 383.
As for giving a 440 a run for it, well I can personally vouch for this.
I was @ a stop light behind a friend that had a 440 Super Bee, auto w/ shure grip. He didn't bake the tires ,as we were just leaving the main street via the last stop light on the way outa town. He got on it @ 20 or 30 mph and I stayed right on his bumper 'till his cubic inches took over after 50 mph. We didn't go much faster as we'd both proved what we wanted to know.
I had a bone stock '70 Plum Purple Duster 727 auto w/ 3.90 to 1 shure-grip.

Richard

[JLSHUTE]

OK GUYS! I been working in a Chrysler delearship for a few years. ive seen some really awesome engines come and go. i just wish mr daimler mopar dude would get his head out of wherever and relize that bringing the 340 back would boost sales!! tell me if im wrong. they have no big block. all small blocks.(though that V-10 aint no joke) they got rid of the 318 thats ok but now use a 4.7 liter v-8. the 360 has improved but no where near the 340's horsepower or durability and actually pound the hell out of and not blow!! try that with a 360 or a 4.7 ltr. im not putting those 2 engines down there good engines but nothing compared to a 340. LET ME KNOW WHO AGREES WITH THIS!!!!! ur 5 star mopar man