Someone needs to start re-casting 340 blocks
- Thread starter stroked340
- Start date
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I'm not into them either, but just read the forums and look around at shows, many hundreds are swapping them into classic cars.
Yeah Hemi's and 360 Magnums are filling the gap
???? The Cleveland engine was the performance alternative to the Windsor period. If You mean swapping a crank w/Cleveland size bearings, & spacer/shim shells, yes, there is less friction. The 360 was designed ground-up as a cast crank unit, & in typical over-engineering fashion, Mopar probably made the mains larger to maintain crankpin/main overlap.
maybe it produces less heat and is helps the engine survive so even if it does not add HP it might be good????
Yes sir...and 300K would be a DEAL for all the tooling it would take, too.
I'd love to see back to back dyno testing of different size main bearings in automotive engines. I just bet there wouldn't be much difference.
Yea I heard that story before. lolWhy would I want a big block my small blocks kicked the snot out of them
I went down this Mopar rabbit hole when I retired because it was a great memory from my teenage years. I could never afford a 340 car, but always wanted (dreamed) of one. As my build winds down, she's pretty much finished in stock form. I passed on a freshly built and hot rodded 360 in favor of building my own 340 for more money......I had a 360 in a cargo van.
I think it was a worthwhile investment, in the end, it'll run great & have more value as such.I went down this Mopar rabbit hole when I retired because it was a great memory from my teenage years. I could never afford a 340 car, but always wanted (dreamed) of one. As my build winds down, she's pretty much finished in stock form. I passed on a freshly built and hot rodded 360 in favor of building my own 340 for more money......I had a 360 in a cargo van.
Oh, You can be sure there has been, just not Nick's or the like....the teams doing it had a reason for doing so, would the avg. Rodder benefit?....not enough to justify the $$$$ for sure.
your choice
my choice
Dan the man
Well-Known Member
I thought that the 318 main bearings are the same as the 340's?
I just looked up didn't find any dyno evidence, but one thing I seen Nascar put a limit how small they can go with main of 2" or other wise the teams would just keep going smaller, so obviously there's room for gains at that level but like you said doubt an average guy builds gonna matter. One other interesting thing the guy said if your bearing look good when it's rebuild time your leaving power on the table
obviously meant for engines gone through all the time.I don't think he thinks 318s are worthy alternative, I could be wrong
Two redesigns if you count the Magnum and the 5.7 as redesigns. Maybe three redesigns if you consider the W2 heads and the 48 degree blocks as a redesign.
I had a really nice 340 block for sale a few years back coupled with a set of new in the box W2 heads. Actually took me a while to sell that stuff and I wasn't asking super high prices.
As many of you know I design, make and sell parts for big blocks and small blocks. Big block stuff outsells small block stuff by a wide margin. At least 3 to 1 and maybe 4 to 1 ratio. I've given up on designing new parts for the SB since the volume is so low. It just isn't worth it for me to invest money into making SB parts because there aren't enough buyers to justify the investment. I've done a production run of SB parts before and had to wait several years to get my money back. When that happens I delete the part number and focus my energy elsewhere.
As many of you know I design, make and sell parts for big blocks and small blocks. Big block stuff outsells small block stuff by a wide margin. At least 3 to 1 and maybe 4 to 1 ratio. I've given up on designing new parts for the SB since the volume is so low. It just isn't worth it for me to invest money into making SB parts because there aren't enough buyers to justify the investment. I've done a production run of SB parts before and had to wait several years to get my money back. When that happens I delete the part number and focus my energy elsewhere.
Demonic
Well-Known Member
Run a thermocouple off the side of the main caps, or something similar. and compare heat rise at the same time.
That’s a great price! If local id be all over it… can never have to many 340s
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
that's a super bummer. i've been quite pleased with anything i've ever bought that you designed and i'd love if there was more trick small block stuff.
but i understand completely. make a $60 alternator kit and everybody bitches about about it and then wind up paying $40 for some shitty repop that you have dick around with to fit. meanwhile they coulda just spent the extra jackson for the trick piece of kit that actually works and is made well.
Newbomb Turk
Well-Known Member
They are the same. 273 is the same too.
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