article from 2017... How Bad Did Mopar’s 340 beat Ford & Chevy?

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Motor Trend tested a Dart GTS 340 vs. a Nova SS...and despite the Nova has 50 - advertised - HP more the Dart blew the doors off the Nova...
 
I had a 72 Demon 340, three speed, which meant it came with a rev limiter in the control box. it was pure stock, all the way down to the tires. Ran 14.80's at the drag strip. A friend had a 71 Duster 340, 4 speed, with a curve kit in the distributor and a set of Hooker headers. Other than that, it was a stock 340. I watched this guy beat a lot of brand X cars. He was a great driver and so smooth on the shift. After he built the engine, with a Crane cam, and six pack set up, it was scary fast. I would love to build my Demon to run like the Duster did.
 
demonjim said:
I had a 72 Demon 340, three speed, which meant it came with a rev limiter in the control box. it was pure stock, all the way down to the tires. Ran 14.80's at the drag strip. A friend had a 71 Duster 340, 4 speed, with a curve kit in the distributor and a set of Hooker headers. Other than that, it was a stock 340. I watched this guy beat a lot of brand X cars. He was a great driver and so smooth on the shift. After he built the engine, with a Crane cam, and six pack set up, it was scary fast. I would love to build my Demon to run like the Duster did.
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That's a cool story. My best friend in high school got a 73 340 Duster when we got out of school, because he was always impressed with my 73 340 Charger. Even though that car was the low horse power 340, it was unusually fast. 79K original miles. We always figured maybe it was blueprinted or some such....you know the rumors.

Anyway, he found that 73 original 340 Duster. It was tired. We pulled it and built it to 68 340 specs with X heads with the exception of a Holley Strip Dominator, 750 DP and a set of hooker headers. It was a 4 speed, 3.91 sure grip car. His other car was a 69 Chevelle, mild 350 and a 4 speed. Our trick was to cruise the town in the Chevelle. When asked to race, we'd go back and get the Duster. Nobody wanted a piece of that car. It ran consistent 12.70s and neither of us was a very "good" driver. lol That was a fun car. It was triple black with a white 340 stripe. It was bad to the bone for what it was. Kirk's still my best friend...I don't remember what happened to that car. I'll ask him next time we talk.
 
My '64 tri-power GTO saw nothin' but tail lights more than once racing my buddies 340 Baccaruda... we were about even in total wins but sometimes I got the right lane and had to contend with sewer drains, more dirt and leaves and generally a rougher road.
 
Speaking of GTOs, I had a buddy with a 66 Royal Bobcat clone, 421 tri power 4 speed. I raced him a few times with my 70 Dart 360/727 and beat him every time. His biggest problem was lack of traction, that car made plenty of power, but all he did was smoke the tires. I would leave abouts 100 to 125 feet of rubber, but he would have 300 feet of rubber and smoke billowing off the tires. He would usually be beside me, his front bumper at my door, man he was pissed!
 
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