71 & 72 "H" code Swinger 340 Specials website launched!

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cliff guinand

cliff guinand

71&72 Cdn 340 Specials
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
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Location
Calgary, AB
swinger340specials.ca

Go ahead and check out this new website dedicated to the handful of '71 & '72 Swinger 340 Specials built for 3 dealerships out here in Western Canada. I've hi-lighted all aspects of these very rare little muscle cars and what makes them so 'special', as well as a page dedicated to the heart of these and many other A-bodies... the mighty 340.
ENJOY! Cliff Guinand
 
Very cool! Every year there is the guy who brings the one to Moparfest, always cool to see.
 
Thanks! After having to prove that in fact my '72 Swinger 340 Special did exist - I had all this research, contacts and information on the cars - so, it just made sense to design up a website to store it all. Please ask any questions because there are a number of members who have either '71's or '72's here on FABO who would love to answer, comment or just chat about these rare little A-body muscle cars.

Swinger340specials.ca-website.jpg
 
Thanks guys!
And to the handful of '71 and '72 Swinger 340 Special owners (and of course everyone else), here's your place to post a pic, ask a question or just plain chat about these rare little factory hotrods! I know Swinger340Canuc has a great thread of his build happening here and there are a number of other threads here as well on these cars... this is just another place to chat about them.
 
This is where it all started for me. It was the fall of 2004 as we pulled this poor little '72 EV2 Swinger 340 Special out of the weeds, 'eer, slough. It was very, very rough and is still in essentially the same condition today because it was so far gone. But with that said, it got me researching, poking around and bugging a number of people – to prove that these cars did in-fact exist. And exist they do...

72_in-the-weeds-Composite.jpg
 
Fantastic site, Cliff. I'm still a bit frustrated that I didn't buy that blue 72 Special that ended up being crushed. The drum brakes off of the front of Richard's 71 are still on the front of my 69 M-code though!
 
Hey Greg. Thanks and great to hear from you, up there in BC :)-
Yeah, but hindsight is always 20/20, they were just cars back then. But, as you may know, that B3 car - although crashed - it was never written off and I have the VIN along with the dash and wire harness. Kevin has the trunk lid. With that said the car is still viable and could become a ghost car. I remember you saying that the 3sp manual was still in someones shop (or am I dreaming, haha). Fill us/me if you remember anything else about these cars. Thanks!!!
 
No, when I saw that 72 it had a transplanted 4-speed in it. The owner at the time that I saw the car was the son of Don Douglas, our parts rep from Crosstown, he might know where the original 3-speed is but he is long retired and I haven't talked to him in 15 years or so.
 
Great job Cliff!!! Web site looks great and I just signed up to stay in touch. I thought there was guy in Michigan that has a project 71 FJ6 Swinger Special 340? Thanks so much for doing up the web page dedicated to these ultra rare cool Canadian A bodies :canada:
 
Very, very interesting story, especially for me, because I have an A Body, with a similar sounding history.

It seems most of these 340’s received the forged steel crank, although one did get a cast crank version. Only 4 had their original engines, so we don't know how many got each of these engines. All the 340's were painted blue since they were from a late '71 production and '72 run (according to existing engine casting dates). They also received the new for'72 Chrysler electronic ignition and all got the mandated EGR emissions system canister.
These 340's almost retained the performance numbers of the ‘71 340’s – even with the drop in compression, the smaller 1:88 J heads and slightly reworked ThermoQuad – they were now rated a 240 hp (see 340 pg), but could still achieve tire melting launches at the drop of a chevy.

My 72 Demon (built in Switzerland) has also a 'leftover' 340 mill from 1971 (even with the 71 airfilter assembly and still the same compression ratio as in 1971).
The production numbers were similar low too.
For more details:
1972 Dodge Demon 340 (swiss made)

Maybe there exist - outside of the US - some more unknown/ unexplored examples of very low production, very special Mopar muscle cars, but not only in Canada or Europe.
Maybe in Mexico, South America, Australia or South Africa...
Maybe produced in the years after 1971, when in the US the muscle mania has yet vanished...
 
01e7b9_6b5ff2a5d2094874bacd35a8a775d266~mv2_d_1407_1661_s_2.png

340 Production Numbers


In the 340 production numbers are the 'swiss' 340s missing.

They manufactured in AMAG Schinznach in 1968, 1969 and 1972 A- Bodies equipped with 340s.
But the exact numbers of cars with 340s are unknown.
I presume in sum not more than 200, but that's even more than Canadian Swingers or Savage GTs.
 
Marvin!!! That's very interesting and thanks for the link to these equally rare '72 340 Demons:
1972 Dodge Demon 340 (swiss made)
Gotta love Ma Mopar and the neat stuff they did. I PM'd you and we'll continue the conversation. Once we get to a 'close production number', I'll enter on my 340 Production Numbers page. Interesting to say the least. Thanks again. cg
 
ifishinbc said:
Interesting! I had never heard of a "Swinger Special", until now. I was 15 in 1970.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Dart Swinger 'special' was offered from '71 to '76 as the 'base' level price point version of the Swinger, so you didn't get much as far as creature comforts - vinyl floors, no trim, no rear arm rests, taxi cab seats etc.

For '71, 13,485 were made and in '72 19,210 were made, most got the 198cid slant 6 and a few got the 318 – but as this thread is about the '340' Special – only 65 of them were made with the 340 for '71 and 50-60 340 versions were made for '72, for these 3 Western Canadian Dealerships.

So, this special order (with the highly coveted Y39 'special' order code) started with this stripped down base level Swinger and dropped in the 340 along with all the go-fast goodies. Think Road Runner here.

So, there's your 'special' lesson. Also, since your from the Abbotsford area, there are a couple of these cars over in your vicinity. Oh, and in '70, I was 9. Haha.
 
QUOTE= Great job Cliff!!! Web site looks great and I just signed up to stay in touch. I thought there was guy in Michigan that has a project 71 FJ6 Swinger Special 340? Thanks so much for doing up the web page dedicated to these ultra rare cool Canadian A bodies

Thanks and yes, there is one in Michigan. In fact, there are 4 that made it state side. Along with this one, there are 2 in Connecticut and 1 in Massachusetts and back in the '80's, Galen Govier received a tag from Montana from one that was supposedly wrecked. Hey, you never know when one might pop-up so keep an eye out.
 
I really enjoyed the website , well laid out and informative. I've been looking for a 71 or a 72 SWINGER 340 to add as a stablemate for my 70 Swinger 340. I was always a big fan of the 340's .I'm signed up Thanks
 
Thanks Steve, and I'll put a note by your 'sign-up' that your possibly interested if one of them came up on the market. What shape would you want it to be in? Just to let you know, most of the existing ones are in rough shape. No body really knew they weren't supposed to exist back in '71 and '72 so they were just another hot little A-body that you drove the sh*t out of - so most took a beating. Then there was winter out here, where they put down a lot of salt and a lot of the roads were 'gravel' back in those days so these poor cars were almost guaranteed to wreck or rust - which most of them did. Only in Canada, eh!
 
cliff guinand said:
Thanks Steve, and I'll put a note by your 'sign-up' that your possibly interested if one of them came up on the market. What shape would you want it to be in? Just to let you know, most of the existing ones are in rough shape. No body really knew they weren't supposed to exist back in '71 and '72 so they were just another hot little A-body that you drove the sh*t out of - so most took a beating. Then there was winter out here, where they put down a lot of salt and a lot of the roads were 'gravel' back in those days so these poor cars were almost guaranteed to wreck or rust - which most of them did. Only in Canada, eh![/QUOTE

Rusty and wrecked are okay with me, complete ground up restoration , or in between , any condition will do .
Thanks Cliff
Click to expand...
 
cliff guinand said:
Yes, the Dart Swinger 'special' was offered from '71 to '76 as the 'base' level price point version of the Swinger, so you didn't get much as far as creature comforts - vinyl floors, no trim, no rear arm rests, taxi cab seats etc.

For '71, 13,485 were made and in '72 19,210 were made, most got the 198cid slant 6 and a few got the 318 – but as this thread is about the '340' Special – only 65 of them were made with the 340 for '71 and 50-60 340 versions were made for '72, for these 3 Western Canadian Dealerships.

So, this special order (with the highly coveted Y39 'special' order code) started with this stripped down base level Swinger and dropped in the 340 along with all the go-fast goodies. Think Road Runner here.

So, there's your 'special' lesson. Also, since your from the Abbotsford area, there are a couple of these cars over in your vicinity. Oh, and in '70, I was 9. Haha.
Click to expand...
I was more into Motorcycles at 15. Still am. It took me a few more years to get into the 340 Mopars. Owned a '72 Demon 340 in '74. I didn't like having the detuned 340, bought a '69 Fastback Barracuda in '79, owned for 18 yrs. Marriage, Mortgage, and kids, sold in '97 for $1400.00 Canadian. Needed restoration. No money to spare then.
Back in the game with a '67 Dart 270, 273, 4 barrel, 4 spd. Building a 360, and 8 3/4 to go in.
 
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