Wanted: Pa Engine Builder...:0)

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jimharvard

jimharvard

JimHarvard
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
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Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The folks here on FABO are some of the smartest gear heads i've ever met ... so I just keep asking you guys questions..... :0)

I'm pretty far along in collecting parts for my project of replacing the '71 340 that's in my 68 fastback to an original date correct, painted red and "stock" looking '68 340. I want to build this motor like it was "in the old days" ... "Plymouth factory" 4 speed cam, x-heads, edelbrock "high-rise", holley 750 double pump and Hooker's best tube set. However, I am going to use a new tech rotating assembly (10:1 max), a set of alluminum needle bearing rockers, alluminum timing cover, water pump and light weight starter, along with other "modern" stuff like cloyes roller timing chain, good gaskets, etc. so ... two questions please:

1. will alluminum rockers fit under the original factory 68 340 valve covers?

2. do any of you know a good and trustworth engine builder around PIttsburgh or within about 300 miles of Pittsburgh?

as always... thanks for your time and assistance.... FABO folks are THE BEST!!!

Jim Coster, Pittsburgh
a/k/a "jimharvard" at FABO
 
Ray Barton Racing Engines
343 Belle Alto Road
Wernersville, PA 19565
610-670-8591
 
all small block timing covers are aluminum,,,,do some research on needle bearing rockers,, i choose to use factory adjustables,,,no problems ever,,
 
thanks for the quick replies guys...

i have sent ray "the man" barton a pm so we can talk about a 340 build.... i'll share the news when i get some...

didn't know that all sb timing covers were alluminum... that's why i go to the FABO wrenches first... :0)

all the articles i've read say that roller rockers are good for a little extra horsepower. the 340 for my 68 will not be seeing constant racing but i would like to take it to the track now and again and not be afraid of those 6k power shifts. so i want to build the bottom end and valve train right..

i'd be interested in hearing from you guys that are racing 340's on a regular basis and what kind of rotating assemblies and valve trains you are running and what your upper limit shift points/rpm's are...

also... i haven't been able to find a cam maker that offers a cam in the original specs of the factory one that came in my original 4 speed 68 340 cuda back in 1968. those specs were: intake duration 276; exhaust duration 284 - intake lift at 445 and exhaust lift at 455 - overlap at 52
DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN GET A CAM CLOSE TO THESE NUMBERS?

as always... thanks for your time and assistance...

jim c... the burg
 
Jim, if you are interested in selling the 71 340 (only need a bare block) and it is rebuildable I might be interested in it to go back in my 71 cuda. If you want to have a spare 340 sitting around and do not care about what year, maybe we could do some trading as I have a 72 and 73 block. Andy
 
just curious, will you be port matching?
if your going to add roller rockers and update everything
why do you want an old tech camshaft?
it is possible to use a new profile that would retain
all the sound qualities but give alot more power.
if you do stick with a stock cam duration would you consider
more lift or different rocker ratio.
i guess i'm just interested in why that particular cam for
your new engine.
 
hey longarm...

(love your avatar buy the way..:0) )

well here is where old memories and sentimentality clash with good sense and logic... i'm trying to "re-live" my high school days (yea... i'm now at that point in life...) ... and one of the great things i remember was the "wampety..wamp" of my beloved 68 formula s. i didn't know why it sounded like that way back when (i was too busy at the time showing all the chevy's in my small town the cuda's tail lites and a lot of my female high school peers the fold down rear seat to care).. then a few years ago when i started to suffer from this mid-life need for speed, i discovered that the 68 4 speed 340 came with a special cam... and that was why my formula s made that "wampety ... wamp" sound. so i figured that i would build my present 68 340 block with the same spec cam as the one that i grew so found of years ago. really, it's that simple.

now... i'm not totally adverse to "modern technology" ... so if you could suggest a "modern" profile cam that would give me "that old 68 4 speed 340 sound" and make more power... and work better with a new fangled rotating assembly... i'd seriously consider your suggestion... never thought about "port matching" but i hope the expert wrench that i find to build this contraption will be smart enough to suggest stuff like that. really .. this project is going to be a little rediculous because i'll probably end up with a pretty good race-ready 340 that's completely stock looking outside, all 68 red with a black wrinkle finish air cleaner on top..

mopar andy... yea i might consider selling the 71 block... i'll post some pics of it on my gallery ... the guys in oregon that sold me the fish said it had been completely rebuilt and it looks like it has from the outside. my other fish is a 69 H code big block (presently a 383) that i think is going to end up as a 440 "just for fun".. i'll see if i can find the date of the 71.


hey GTX.... now that i've "spilled the beans" to longarm about how idiotic my obsession is with the original factory 68 cam, maybe he's going to tell me about a modern cam that i should consider. i'll let you know about your cam if longarm can quit laughing at me long enough to send his suggestion on the cam i ought to be looking at...

THANKS AGAIN GUYS FOR ALL YOUR THOUGHTS ... YOU'RE THE BEST!!!

JC (living in the past ... and in pittsburgh)
 
Hey Jim,
I would tell your engine builder exactly what you've
told us.
He will know what will work best with your combo.
I was wondering why you were going to use that paticular grind.
If the sound is what your after their are a lot of cams that fulfil that
requirment and out perform the older grinds.
If you had to have that specific cam I was interested in seeing if you
would maximize its potential without changing the cam specs.
When you get thourgh the planning stage of your build and have all
specs and plans finalized, if you haven't chosen a cam that meets your
expectations, I would go with a custom grinder.
Everyone on here will have there favorite flavor of cam and I do to, its
the one that makes the most torque across the broadest rpm range
the engine will see, off the shelf or custom for a mainly street use car.
I hope this helps.
 
hey longarm...

thanks for the insights and great advice... i'll keep ya posted on what i end up with ... spent most of friday night down in the garage working on some newly arrived ebay parts - cleaning up and armor alling a nice original black dash pad for the 69 ... and a great set of "dog dish" hubcaps for the 68. oh how things change... the guy that ordered my original 68 left the dog dishes on the car and the first thing i did when it arrived in my driveway was to grab the tire iron out of the trunk and pry those babies off. i threw them in my garage somewhere and never did find them.

the more things change... the more they stay the same...

jim c...
 
Shady Dell is a well known small block Mopar shop in Pa. Not sure how close the shop is to you though.

Shop/Shipping Address:
Shady Dell Speed Shop
770 Shady Dell Rd.
Port Matilda, PA 16870
(814) 574-2543

http://www.shadydellspeedshop.com/
 
hey rocket...

wow... shady dell ??... just like the old smuckers jelly commercial... "with a name like that it's got to be good..." ... i'll get in touch with "shady dell" and see what he/they has to say about my 340 engine project...

thanks for the info.... it's always good to ask old mopar guys who they've had good experiences with ...

the latest in my 68 fastback's saga was a pretty nice score off of ebay today... i picked up a sure grip differential "punkin" already set up with a set of 3.91's in a 489 8 3/4 case... so i'll be swapping out the 3.23's that are in the fish presently and putting them somewhere for sale.. .probably FABO..

thanks again rocket... i'll bet old mopar big blocks just love that cold canadian air under full throttle...

jim c...
 
Go to Pittsburgh Raceway Park and us one of the companies that advertise on the fences or talk to some of the racers. Go to there web site for advertisers. Try to use a company that supports drag racing. Walt:rock:
 
hey pagilman...
good idea about reading the fence at raceway park... and if i get someone close to pittsburgh, i can stop by his shop and bother the h..l out of him while he working on my 340...

oh... dropped by your gallery... what a fine looking duster you have... i don't want to offend anyone at FABO but i think the dusters were the only cars that actually looked good painted plumb crazy...

ahhh... and what a lovely avatar you have there pagillman... is that one of your duster mechanics ??? if it is .. can i volunteer some time working on your car??? ...i won't mind even if it means some busted knuckles and suregrip greese in the hair... :0)..

maybe i'll see you at raceway park this summer...

keep on "dusting" all those bowties and fomoco's out there..

jim c... steel town
 
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