Muscle Car/A bodies/ 340

[MountainMoparRobin]

The 340 got its respect with the Speed Channel Muscle Car show on the Duster and Demon special. Yes it brought back memories when I first saw the 340 Dusters at the Race track, I couldn't believe these stock 340's were dusting the Big Blocks, I lost money betting they would loose, and worse yet they were stock and beating up on slightly built big blocks, Chevy and Fords, even Mopar, I stood in disbelief as my little sister kept winning money off of me and my friends because the 340's kept winning and winning. The 340 made the Duster a legend, as did the 383 make the Roadrunner, it was very inspiring to see this on Christmas Eve, and refreshened some idea's for the future

[steven]

Any well running 340/727 car should beat a B/RB stick, stock for stock. A B/RB auto would be closer, but the 340 should still win. Too many r's in them 340's, they wind up so fast.

[poorboy]

You guys have forgotten the most important element in any discussion about the performance cars of yesterday, the driver. I have seen real fast cars with poor drivers get stomped by good drivers with average cars. Back in the day, you put me in a stick big block and some guy running a 340 anything better know what he was doing. Same token, when I had my 340 4-speed in a 70 r runner, look out. Although that 69 Charger with the 340/904 was pretty quick while the 904 lived. That one was fun for a while too.

These days, its been so long since I've been in a 4-speed ride, I'd probably embarass myself Gene

[motomatt383]

i had a 340/4spd dart sport, w/ 3.55 gears in it back in the late '80's. what a great car that was. it surprised many a big block cars & me more times than i can recall! even tho i've had a bunch of big blocks since, that little STOCK 340 earned a place in my heart forevever!


matt

[MountainMoparRobin]

I built a 340/Dart GTS 69, and then sold it and ended up racing it in my 383/4 speed Formula "S" Barracuda, the 383 was pretty stock and the 340 wasn't, I won but we were neck-n-neck for a long while, If or when I do a Small block build the 340 would be right at the top, I like it over the 360

[DocsTruck]

I saw that episode of American Muscle Car also. Those cars followed the original rule of Hot Rodding, big engine in a light weight no frills car. I remember in the early 70's, a teacher at the high school where my Mother taught had a black 340 Duster with white trim stripes and those 340 numbers on the rear quarters, from what I remember it was a bad ass little car.

[plydus340]

The 340 duster held the title fastest stock production car until the grand national knocked it off it's perch some years later. The duster I have was a 340 car when I got it. If I had put the same money into the 340 as I have in the 440, it would have been faster, and better handling car. No I had to build a big block A-body. Theres just sonething about that 440...

[MountainMoparRobin]

I believe it would depend on what year engine block of 440 you race, the 66-70 with the compression of 9:50:1 440's are pushin enough stock horsepower to make up the difference of weight, I'm running at least 9:2:1 compression and I truely believe me and a 340 would be ONE HELL OF A RACE, takeoff would be almost identical, but when we hit the 1/8 mile my 440 would then really hit its power band and 5500 rpms for me would put me somewhere around 110 mph, with 1000 rpm left over in case I need them, I would prefer though to race a bow tie or ferd, as opposed to Mopar, but sometimes it happens, have had a couple here since I've been here

[greenmachine318]

you guys need to check out the stink this duster throws

Duster, high gear pull in tunnel, fast

Duster flyby in tunnel

[CSS-Registry]

340 are fun engines. i had one in a 65 Valiant with a 4 speed, 3.23 sure grip and front disc brakes with big bolt wheels all around.

here are some pics of it - http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/simonsb65.html

[MountainMoparRobin]

Cool Link Greenmachine318
Do you still have the Valiant Ben???

[CSS-Registry]

nope - sold it to some madman out of flagstaff. he flew to fla and drove it 42 hours non stop back to arizona... i think he sold it.

[MountainMoparRobin]

I would not, would not, want to come across that car at a stoplight, just with a stock early 70's 340, I'm willing to bet that car could run the 1/4mile in under 13.5 Well that is also if the driver could consistanly speed shift or even powershift adn then control it as it breaks them loose in every gear, maybe it would be a good race afterall