Replacement 68 340 four speed cams

-

FWDLK Frank

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
196
Reaction score
142
Location
Baltimore
Hello, by a stroke of luck and timing, I purchased an early removal 68 340 four speed cam from a retired Chrysler engineer who owned the cam since late 68/early 69. I also was able to get the original blueprint. I happen to be friends with the owner of Racer Brown Cams and we talked about making a run of these. We checked the cam on the cam doctor and it has been confirmed 100% authentic and almost all of the lobes have zero wear. I'm just curious about how many of you would legitimately say you would like one and follow through with payment. I will front the cost of making the masters so no up front cost to the buyers. Overall, the final cost for the cam (without lifters) would be $245 plus shipping. If you are interested and would be committed to buying, please reply below and add your name to the list. Thanks for your interest.
 
Ken at Oregon Cam has that grind on file as well and will regrind a core for 89 bucks, so I think if Racer Brown wants to be competitive.......I really like Jim, but that's pretty steep for a hydraulic flat regrind.
 
Hello, by a stroke of luck and timing, I purchased an early removal 68 340 four speed cam from a retired Chrysler engineer who owned the cam since late 68/early 69. I also was able to get the original blueprint. I happen to be friends with the owner of Racer Brown Cams and we talked about making a run of these. We checked the cam on the cam doctor and it has been confirmed 100% authentic and almost all of the lobes have zero wear. I'm just curious about how many of you would legitimately say you would like one and follow through with payment. I will front the cost of making the masters so no up front cost to the buyers. Overall, the final cost for the cam (without lifters) would be $245 plus shipping. If you are interested and would be committed to buying, please reply below and add your name to the list. Thanks for your interest.
This is a repost from "How To Articles":
For those of you that want to run a factory 68 340 4-speed cam...

I worked with another member here and we sent one of my cams that was custom ground to be a clone of the 68 340 4-speed cam to Ken Heard at Oregon Cams and they measured it so they can duplicate it and now have it available for sale.

Here are the Oregon Cam specs/details:

#2120

221/227 @ .050”, 276/286 adv, .438”/.456” lift, 114 sep


Per the 68 Plymouth service manual, the factory specs are:

276/284 dur, .444"/.453" lift

Int op = 26° BTC
Int cl = 70° ABC
Exh op = 78° BBC
Exh cl = 26° ATC

From calculations:

Intake centerline = 112° ATC
Exhaust centerline = 116 BTC
Lobe separation = 114°



This is the grind we have been using that is supposed to be the cam you are inquiring about. We made this master from a cam that a customer supplied us that was supposed to be the factory Mopar cam. We have made quite a lot of them. We can do a regrind for $79 on your core or make a new one for $179.

Thanks

Ken
1-800-539-9165
Share This Article
 
Last edited:
Hello, by a stroke of luck and timing, I purchased an early removal 68 340 four speed cam from a retired Chrysler engineer who owned the cam since late 68/early 69. I also was able to get the original blueprint. I happen to be friends with the owner of Racer Brown Cams and we talked about making a run of these. We checked the cam on the cam doctor and it has been confirmed 100% authentic and almost all of the lobes have zero wear. I'm just curious about how many of you would legitimately say you would like one and follow through with payment. I will front the cost of making the masters so no up front cost to the buyers. Overall, the final cost for the cam (without lifters) would be $245 plus shipping. If you are interested and would be committed to buying, please reply below and add your name to the list. Thanks for your interest.
Are your specs comparable?
 
Ken has many,many available @ Oregon already made for 1968/340/4speed grind....
 
Hello, by a stroke of luck and timing, I purchased an early removal 68 340 four speed cam from a retired Chrysler engineer who owned the cam since late 68/early 69. I also was able to get the original blueprint. I happen to be friends with the owner of Racer Brown Cams and we talked about making a run of these. We checked the cam on the cam doctor and it has been confirmed 100% authentic and almost all of the lobes have zero wear. I'm just curious about how many of you would legitimately say you would like one and follow through with payment. I will front the cost of making the masters so no up front cost to the buyers. Overall, the final cost for the cam (without lifters) would be $245 plus shipping. If you are interested and would be committed to buying, please reply below and add your name to the list. Thanks for your interest.

Obviously not worth my time. I'll keep the blueprints and specs. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
 
This:
For those of you that want to run a factory 68 340 4-speed cam...

I worked with another member here and we sent one of my cams that was custom ground to be a clone of the 68 340 4-speed cam to Ken Heard at Oregon Cams and they measured it so they can duplicate it and now have it available for sale.

Here are the Oregon Cam specs/details:

#2120

221/227 @ .050”, 276/286 adv, .438”/.456” lift, 114 sep


Per the 68 Plymouth service manual, the factory specs are:

276/284 dur, .444"/.453" lift

Int op = 26° BTC
Int cl = 70° ABC
Exh op = 78° BBC
Exh cl = 26° ATC

From calculations:

Intake centerline = 112° ATC
Exhaust centerline = 116 BTC
Lobe separation = 114°



This is the grind we have been using that is supposed to be the cam you are inquiring about. We made this master from a cam that a customer supplied us that was supposed to be the factory Mopar cam. We have made quite a lot of them. We can do a regrind for $79 on your core or make a new one for $179.

Thanks

Ken
1-800-539-9165
Share This Article


can you get this cam in a solid ?
 
Does anyone know if Ken has these available now..? i keep hearing about supply chain shortages and parts not being available. i have a 340 ready to build and would like to use the 68-4 speed cam
 
Does anyone know if Ken has these available now..? i keep hearing about supply chain shortages and parts not being available. i have a 340 ready to build and would like to use the 68-4 speed cam
If you have a cam core to send him no need to be concerned with supply on his end, pretty sure the cost for a regrind being bandied about here is based on you supplying the core?
 
If you have a cam core to send him no need to be concerned with supply on his end, pretty sure the cost for a regrind being bandied about here is based on you supplying the core?
See post #3 and #5
 
See post #3 and #5
Well having a core to send still eliminates any concern about supply. But yes, I still have eye boogers this morning and need to wake up some more!:lol:
 
Hello, by a stroke of luck and timing, I purchased an early removal 68 340 four speed cam from a retired Chrysler engineer who owned the cam since late 68/early 69. I also was able to get the original blueprint. I happen to be friends with the owner of Racer Brown Cams and we talked about making a run of these. We checked the cam on the cam doctor and it has been confirmed 100% authentic and almost all of the lobes have zero wear. I'm just curious about how many of you would legitimately say you would like one and follow through with payment. I will front the cost of making the masters so no up front cost to the buyers. Overall, the final cost for the cam (without lifters) would be $245 plus shipping. If you are interested and would be committed to buying, please reply below and add your name to the list. Thanks for your interest.


Ken at Oregon Cam has that grind on file as well and will regrind a core for 89 bucks, so I think if Racer Brown wants to be competitive.......I really like Jim, but that's pretty steep for a hydraulic flat regrind.




The one that we worked with Oregon cams is close, but not exact...

It would be interesting to see how the two compare...

There's nothing like an OEM original.... Especially if you have a virgin cam and the blueprints to go with it.... :thumbsup:
 
I'm "cam"inally challenged, so to speak/slur. These were one of the "best " sb factory mopar cams correct? My 340 build will have oem 273 adjustable rockers and I would like to go solid flat tappet.
By doing this, how(if any) will this alter the cams "performance"? Will the cam specs need changing to a solid?
Thanks
Hello, by a stroke of luck and timing, I purchased an early removal 68 340 four speed cam from a retired Chrysler engineer who owned the cam since late 68/early 69. I also was able to get the original blueprint. I happen to be friends with the owner of Racer Brown Cams and we talked about making a run of these. We checked the cam on the cam doctor and it has been confirmed 100% authentic and almost all of the lobes have zero wear. I'm just curious about how many of you would legitimately say you would like one and follow through with payment. I will front the cost of making the masters so no up front cost to the buyers. Overall, the final cost for the cam (without lifters) would be $245 plus shipping. If you are interested and would be committed to buying, please reply below and add your name to the list. Thanks for your interest.
 
I'm "cam"inally challenged, so to speak/slur. These were one of the "best " sb factory mopar cams correct? My 340 build will have oem 273 adjustable rockers and I would like to go solid flat tappet.
By doing this, how(if any) will this alter the cams "performance"? Will the cam specs need changing to a solid?
Thanks


i can't answer your questions but in my opinion i think it will be AWESOME in a solid and is the one i plan to use in my 340 cruiser ,
a rust free 73 Duster .
 
That's my plan too Aaron, but not sure how "changing" to a solid valve train "alters" anything?
i can't answer your questions but in my opinion i think it will be AWESOME in a solid and is the one i plan to use in my 340 cruiser ,
a rust free 73 Duster .
 
Obviously not worth my time. I'll keep the blueprints and specs. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Oh so then you don't get what you want so throw the piece of candy on the ground. Probably for the best anyway, then.
 
Oh so then you don't get what you want so throw the piece of candy on the ground. Probably for the best anyway, then.

Not throwing the candy on the ground, just saving it for myself/later time. When I posted a wanted ad this cam a year ago... [WANTED] - 68 340 4 speed Cam
There was quite a bit of response and then a debate of whether or not the Oregon cam was 100% correct or not to the point where a moderator had to get control of the thread and delete the commentary. So, since I didn't find what I wanted on fabo, I decided to keep looking. I happen to know a retired Chrysler engineer and when I spoke with him about it, he contacted his fellow retired engineers. It just so happened one of his friends was in small blocks and he had this cam, another engineer had the blue prints. Both of them were very humble and sold me what I now have for a reasonable price... initial investment. Jim at Racer Brown is a friend of mine and we discussed making a run of these. To do an exact copy, masters need to be made and there's a cost associated with that. If Jim knew with certainly that he'd sell 50-100 or so of these in a short time I'm sure the cost of the masters could be written off...but I'm not going to put a friend's money on the line for an uncertain venture. This is why I said I would front the money for the masters, not to mention my original investment for the cam/blueprints. All I was asking for is a list of committed buyers. If I seen the list was 50-100 strong and all of the members had good feedback/integrity, perhaps the price could be lowered, but again, I'm taking the risk. If close enough is good enough for everyone, so be it, enjoy what's close enough for the price you want. I'm not going to debate specs/knock another cam manufacturer/speak poorly of anyone's manufacturing processes, that's for the purchaser to decide. More often than not in this hobby, making replacement or reproduction parts is not worth the time unless you are a well established company with a shop full of equipment. My goal was to take care of a want that I had. I thought with my find maybe others would want the same and perhaps over time, I would possibly break even. From the responses I read, it would appear the majority is happy with what's available so this is not a venture worth my efforts. I'm also not going to put a friendship with Jim on the line if no one is interested. Jim has a well established company but you all need to understand, for the most part, he's basically a one man operation and works literally every day to keep up with orders. Since there is no interest, the cam and the blueprints will sit on a shelf in my garage...maybe someday there will be enough interest to make it worthwhile. I digress.
 
Last edited:
Frank, thanks for all your efforts, I for one dont buy into the concept that close is good enough, i thought Oregon had the original exact blueprints for the 68 cam so thats what i was going to use, if you reach the 50-100 quota i would love to be a part of that, my build is right around the corner so time may be a factor,again thanks for all your efforts in trying to bring an exact copy of this cam to us 340 fans...Rich
 
Ken at Oregon Cam has that grind on file as well and will regrind a core for 89 bucks, so I think if Racer Brown wants to be competitive.......I really like Jim, but that's pretty steep for a hydraulic flat regrind.
New core not a regrind.
 
Last edited:
New core not s regrind.
I have been out of the Loop for some time. In 87' I bought a Purple Direct Connection cam from them with the 68' manual specs to go into my 69' 4-speed Dart Swinger that I still have (see photo). I also have a DC cam (auto specs) in my Van. Both run well. Hard to compare, due to the apps. Just last year I tossed a good Crain cam "Fireball" cam that I had sitting around 35 years. My Bad!!!!
 
-
Back
Top