Let’s hear a 340 story

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K.O. SWINGER said:
These stories could go on forever. That is the giant killer that was 340. The 68 barracuda with the four-speed camshaft made hot rods top 10 all-time slicks and tricks list for fastest tested production cars of the time all big blocks and small blocks. The 340 always punched above its weight class, I have had one for 40 years and have more stories than I can remember...
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I worked at a gas station when I got out of school in 1974. It was a very busy full service station that our record was 58000 gallons in one week. Well I bought my duster from a customer in 1975 and I got a couple of my buddies a job there. One had a red 1967 camero (327 but ver slow) and my other buddy bought a 1968 Formula S 340 four speed Barracuda and had it painted black (beautiful car). We would get customers every night asking to race. They both would point to me and say “he will”. Lol. People still come up to me today saying they remember me racing on the street back then. Great times.
 
I ran my swinger stock for a couple of years till I threw a rod at about 130+ racing a Mach 1 Cleveland. Who I slapped around pretty good but when I pulled over to let him catch up he was pissed and took off with the girls I jumped in and held it to the floor down a 2 mile straight away to catch up, it was the original motor with over100,000 miles. Here is a list of some of the cars I remember that I beat. ProBuild Oldsmobile 400 442, 302-69z Camaro, 70 383 Challenger 4 speed, 1970 383 roadrunner 4 speed, 72 AMX 402 4-speed, 72 350 El Camino SS built, 289 high pro built 66 mustang 4 speed, 66 GTO tri-power, 68 GTO 400 4 speed, that's just some of the ones I remember so I guess you can see why I loved the 340 it made me a star LOL after we built it well that's a whole another list.
 
We tried to avoid anything stupid. No drinking or drugs and I mean nothing. No damn roll-racing, and absolutely no racing past 1/4 mile.
 
My younger brother by three years, bought a 1970 340 Fish from questionable dealer in Jacksonville,FL around 1986. The car was pretty bare inside with a great body but the Motor was stout! He would never listen to me and run higher octane gas!

First issue was a pushrod through a rocker! No biggie and the lifter survived! fixed it in our apartment parking lot.

About a month later he came home and said more issues! Checked it out and big issues! They never listen to good advice!

Tore it down in the same parking lot and two pistons had the ring lands busted out. They came out in three pieces! The windage tray damn near fell out in my hands when the pan was removed! Only one bolt held it in! Amazing there was no cylinder Bore scaring!

Ordered two replacement 10.5 standard bore TRW pistons as to the originals. Honed the all the cylinders with a brush style hone re-ringed and re-assembled! Added a 484 purple cam, All in the parking lot. That little 340 was an awesome engine!!!!!!!!!

I had to de-tune him from there for two reasons! His stupidity and there was no way his 340 was going to beat my A-body with 383/727/3500 stall 4.56 geared car!

We later put 5.23 gears in that 70 fish and it was a killer!!!

He ended up selling it to my next older brother in Nashville, Tn. He tried to sell the car a year later and was scammed by the buyer as his accomplish took it for a test drive and hauled *** away with it while my older older brother was getting the title!

Both of my brothers are idiots! That 340 was a pure badass though!
 
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great stories, in the early 80's we had a blown 40 Willy's in Lewiston that would slay all challengers.
full slicks and wheelie bars. The guy was originally from Cali and opened a combo muffler and speed shop in the valley.
There were 4 cars from that shop all built by him, none of which were Mopar's
These guy's were serious, easy 10 sec cars
 
fishmens67 said:
great stories, in the early 80's we had a blown 40 Willy's in Lewiston that would slay all challengers.
full slicks and wheelie bars. The guy was originally from Cali and opened a combo muffler and speed shop in the valley.
There were 4 cars from that shop all built by him, none of which were Mopar's
These guy's were serious, easy 10 sec cars
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That’s what was nice around here in the 70’s and 80’s. All NA cars.

dog gone spellcheck
 
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pittsburghracer said:
That’s what was nice aroma here in the 70’s and 80’s. All NA cars.
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They were here until he moved here. We got our first taste of California and it's been growing ever since.
Not for the good either. lol
 
Back in the day, after a night of beer and BS, we decided to see who had the fast car. One friend had a 1969 369 Chevelle, the other one (the rich guy) had 1969 440 Charger. I had my Mister Norm's GSS340 1971 Demon 6pack. I went out to race the 396 and the rich 440 said he would race the loser. I beat the 396. Nobody wanted to race me after that.
 
Man it’s no wonder so many nice cars are crashed up. It’s like guys gotta get drunk to race or go fast. Man all we wanted to do is race. 5-7 nights on the street and two at the track. I sure wish we had these street races back then like they do at keystone now.
 
Doing donuts on the freeway isn't street racing. Loved me some light to light back in the day.
 
If I knew then what I know now. In my 69 Dart Swinger 340 I swapped in a better cam and put on a Weiand intake. Should have completed the build with headers and replaced the 323 with 391s. Still won a bunch, even more after the upgrade.
 
Who remembers this bad boy? All you needed was an LD 340 a 750 Holly and 410s & headers and this stick and you were ready to start breaking hearts!

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The story is, we never worried about a 340 or 350 Chevy. :lol:
stop light to stop light, 1/8 or 1/4 the street was no place for small blocks to flex muscle. N/A
 
fishmens67 said:
The story is, we never worried about a 340 or 350 Chevy. :lol:
stop light to stop light, 1/8 or 1/4 the street was no place for small blocks to flex muscle. N/A
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So a few negative posts about small blocks and 340s what is this super badass machine that you used to drive?
 
It was the old fireball 300 crane haha, I still have it in grease rags kind of a touchstone. I think it was probably worth about 25 horsepower up on top. Not a big deal but it sure had a nice little chop.
 
K.O. SWINGER said:
So a few negative posts about small blocks and 340s what is this super badass machine that you used to drive?
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I had a 383 powered 67 Fastback with auto and 4.57 gears and a 440 powered 71 Charger with 4.10 gears.
I did the big block A-body swap when I was 16. lol
still have the car but It now sports a 451. lol
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1977 Dad and I getting ready to install the 440 in the 71 Charger.

No hate for the small block
 
fishmens67 said:
My dads cousin ran a 340 Duster in the early 70's around Youngstown ,Ohio. I heard plenty of stories.
I have East coast gear oil running in my veins, transplanted in Idaho in 1975.
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That's cool then it should be a 9 second car Pittsburgh small blocks are nothing super fancy just a little small block.451 so the math should put you around 9 seconds flat if it's anywhere close.
 
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K.O. SWINGER said:
That's cool then it should be a 9 second car Pittsburgh small blocks are nothing super fancy just a little small block.451 so the math should put you around 9 seconds flat if it's anywhere close.
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Pittsburghracers small blocks get it done for sure. I'm not in competition with him.
I'm just the big brother to all the 318 fans, the forgotten engine where the small block Mopar started.
Like I said, no hate for the 340 , but I learned at an early age from my dad and uncle, it's easy to make power with a big block.
 
fishmens67 said:
Pittsburghracers small blocks get it done for sure. I'm not in competition with him.
I'm just the big brother to all the 318 fans, the forgotten engine where the small block Mopar started.
Like I said, no hate for the 340 , but I learned at an early age from my dad and uncle, it's easy to make power with a big block.
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Honestly in this day and age is so much easier to make anything run good. Just the knowledge floating around on the internet and the parts availability is so much nicer.
 
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