Numbers Matching?

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d1zzy_duster

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Ok so I have a dilemma I am hoping to get some advice on. I have a 73 duster that was originally a 340 4speed. I bought it a few weeks ago and it has a 318 that has shot rings and smokes pretty good, the weather is really nice and I want to drive this thing so I want to get something in the car that doesn't smoke so much so I found a 30 over 68 340 bare block w/the caps. I sent it to the machine shop and it has pitting in 2 cylinders. He says it might come clean at 40 over other wise I have to decide on 60 over or sleeving it. so I starting looking around for other engine options and found a complete 73 340, just needs the top end put back on I guess. but he wants $3000.

SO, does having a date correct 340 increase the value in the car over the 68? the serial numbers won't match?? so does that really matter? I could save that $3000 for a stroker kit and cam, then later on do ported edelbrocks/w2's ? I just don't know enough about the numbers game to really make this decision alone. Any help is appreciated.
 
To be honest in a 73 I don't think it would add a whole lot at all. I would probably look for a 360 dress it like a 340 if you want.
 
3000 for a completely rebuilt motor? If so, that's not too bad. As far as the the two motors adding value to your car not really. The 68 is a better motor unless it is too far gone. As long as you have a 340 in it that is what people care about.
 
Either way still not a numbers matching engine and would not add value to the car.

If a a rare car then a date code engine might mean something to someone.

Since you know nothing about the $3,000 73 engine I would think putting that money into the 68 would be best if the block will clean up.

My 71 340 had to be bored .040 over to clean up a couple of cylinders. It sat for years without heads.

If you want a running non smoking engine get a cheap 360 for the time being from a running wreck so you can see it run, switch them out and then build the 340 stroker you really want.

Good luck
 
I wouldn't pay 3k for a 73 340. Way to high priced, I've paid half that for a virgin never opened 68 340 with a trans from intake to oil pan including pulleys, and the 68 340 is a much more desirable engine.

73 is the only hear that the 340 had a CAST crank. It's like the 'bastard' of the 340's. Not to knock anybody with a 73 340, but why pay that much for a low compression cast crank engine when there is better out there for less...

The date correct 340 will not make your car as valuable as the ORIGINAL NUMBERS MATCHING 340 for your car. It's not worth that kind of money. Once your roiginal engine is gone, it really doesn't matter what you put in there to replace it. It would be a little better with a same year engine, but it still won't be worth as much as the original engine...

As Wildcat has said, you can get a 360 much cheaper, and it will have more torque with the longer stroke. Put a set of 340 heads on it, and it will run just as good for much less money.
 
Why not just pay to have your 318 re-ringed! It would cost waaaay less to refurb that motor and just run it for now, and work on building something up at your leisure for later! Geof
 
too bad you weren't closer.
I have a perfect running 360 for $200.00
intake to pan.
 
Wow thanks for all the help guys. I'm going to pass on the 73 340 and stick with the 68 unless it doesn't clean up at 40 over then I don't know. But I also have a 400 block that is supposed to be nice and clean may needs boring but it's only $150 so a 498 stoker might be in the future ��
 
don't be too quick to knock that cast crank '73.There are not many around and someone that wants to keep his '73 correct would probably pay you well for one.Rebuilt you can treat it like an early block internally and the cast crank will be fine.
..as for the best blocks i have read the '70 blocks had the highest nickel content and are the most desirable but don't know if it's true.
$3000 for a used 340 is a crapshoot!
 
I would not spend 3K on a used 340.
Spend the money on the engine you have now, nothing wrong with .040 over.

Also if it is going in a 73 duster, look at where the timing marks are at on your current engine.
The timing marks on a 68 are on the passenger side, 73 are on the drivers side.
 
I have a 40 over 360. I call it my stroker 340.It makes people happy. Ive had 5, 340 blocks sitting here, since the 80s.Never considered em when I started my project.My cast crank 360 has been to 7200, hundreds of times.Hundreds and hundreds....
 
Either it's numbers matching original or not. There is no in between.

What I wanna know is, why in the world would you spend 3K on a used 340? You could put that money toward a nice stroker built from a 200 dollar 360 core. But that's none of my business.
 
From what I have seen the stroker kits are about the same for a 340 and 360 and the 340 block was only $400 so I will just stick with that and do a 418 stroker
 
The '68 casting date 340 in my Duster is .060" over and is putting out north of 400hp without any problems. Not saying every single one that left the factory will go .060", but it wasn't an issue on mine. And I would suspect it wouldn't be an issue on the majority of them.

As far as the number matching thing, unless that '73 340 is your long lost engine, it won't add much if anything to the value. On some of the high dollar auction cars having a date code correct, non-numbers engine might add enough to be worthwhile, but on a '73 Duster it won't be enough to bother.
 
Good info and thanks again for all the help once I get a little closer to the 340 block being finished and get a budget setup I will start a thread for my build to get some more advice thanks again everyone!!!
 
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