The 340 is the biggest POS V8 Chrysler ever made.

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Engines smengines.
A 318 LA will never let you down.

The engine only moves the car and it can be replaced.
The car is what moves you.
.

(Damned, I'm poetic)..

 
The differences between brands’ respective V8s pretty much comes down to how much you’ll need to spend to go fast. Any of them can be built to insane levels...and stock, they all kind of sucked by modern standards. 50 years later, it doesn’t look like there’s all that much difference between them. Sure, a 426 Hemi was better than a 455 Buick Stage 2...but how much better? Not that much, honestly.

It’s so tempting to become tribal about this garbage. Of course, we all have a favorite brand/model but that doesn’t require calling everything else “crap.”



True but stupid is forgivable. Stupid and hateful is pathetic.





Yikes. Welcome to the year 2018.

The only way I can tolerate involunatarily-celibate jackass behavior like this is to remember people who say stuff like this are just trying to get by in a world that feels threatening to them. This is fear, insecurity, impotence and inadequacy on full display.
 
Sounds like left coast physco babble soft nosed BS

Soft nosed? Yeah.

If you're standing up for that kind of trash I'm pretty sure you know all about "soft." Keep popping those blue pills.

Nice job with the quotes, by the way.
 
Sorry, I have to disagree. I have both. a 69 340 dart and a nice 68 383 Dart. They both run very well. but the difference is an Idiot can race a 340 Dart, just step on the pedal and go. but it takes skill to launch and race a 383 dart. My Brother was a service manager at a dodge dealership in 1968, and the 340 was nicknamed the "baby hemi'.
The records speak for themselves, just look at the drag records from 68-70.

View attachment 1715189259

View attachment 1715189260
That's old school ,I can more ,than appreciate that. It takes money, committed ,and WFO... to work those rounds, it get expensive, with time ,even rebuilding you're own cores . The 727 works ,for me.
 
There was some babble about "modern standards" I don't believe this discussion should go there. Back in 1970 a 13 sec. quarter time was respectable, lets use that as the standard. Bringing "modern standards" in dilutes the discussion. :)
 
There was some babble about "modern standards" I don't believe this discussion should go there. Back in 1970 a 13 sec. quarter time was respectable, lets use that as the standard. Bringing "modern standards" in dilutes the discussion. :)

I totally agree except that half a century later, it’s hard to not to look at the difference between a 14.5 car and a 14.2 car and yawn. Back then, that those 3/10 of a second were important. Now, with base model 4cyl turbo Mustangs keeping right up with the 426 Hemi’s 1/4 mile times...I can’t get too worked up about it.

Any of those old engines can be built to be competitve with (or kick the *** of) modern tech. How they compared in showroom stock condition is just car history/trivia at this point. They’re all pretty amazing with a few mods and some elbow grease.

That’s just my opinion.
 
My take on "modern " is, that the cars are too expensive, especially performance models, and that there isn't as much to choose from. back in the day, and lets stay with A body Mopar, Mustang etc. these cars had an economy "Base" model, and a performance optioned model for a few $$$ more. You could pick options, and pretty much have a 340 Swinger with nothing in it, no radio, no A/C etc. and you could take the car to the track. Now, there isn't much in choices, if you buy a Shelby Cobra, or Challenger Hellcat, you had better be making 6 figures to pull off the car payments every month. I don't suspect it was that difficult to make payments on a $3200 Dart Swinger 340 back in 1970 making $ 5-7 bucks an hour, I am not sure though wasn't a working adult then, maybe some older folk may chime in.
 
There were lots of good motors back in the day. Chrysler did not make any POS engines back in the day. The POS, to get back to the OP intent, were: SBC except the 327 and 283 and some HP 350; BBC except the 427; Vega 4 cyl; Plymouth Cricket 4 cyl; Pinto with the Ford 4 Cyl with the deleted valve train oiling. Definitely not a 340. I was working on them all, back in the day. I am talking running on the street, daily driven, not some hyped up drag racer with no Chevrolet parts in them. You can make anything run if you throw enough money at it. It also doesn't hurt when sanctioning bodies penalize anyone faster than you to boot.
 
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I totally agree except that half a century later, it’s hard to not to look at the difference between a 14.5 car and a 14.2 car and yawn. Back then, that those 3/10 of a second were important. Now, with base model 4cyl turbo Mustangs keeping right up with the 426 Hemi’s 1/4 mile times...I can’t get too worked up about it.

Any of those old engines can be built to be competitve with (or kick the *** of) modern tech. How they compared in showroom stock condition is just car history/trivia at this point. They’re all pretty amazing with a few mods and some elbow grease.

That’s just my opinion.
So you want to compare a naturally aspirated engine to a turbo charged engine? That's dumb.

Out a turbo on the V8 and it will drag that **** box 4 cylinder like the punk it is. To take the turbo off the 4 slug. And then it would be the slug it is.

It's easy to sit around and make up straw men to knock them down.
 
There were lots of good motors back in the day. Chrysler did not make any POS engines back in the day. The POS, to get back to the OP intent, were: SBC except the 327 and 283 and some HP 350; BBC except the 427; Vega 4 cyl; Plymouth Cricket 4 cyl; Pinto with the Ford 4 Cyl with the deleted valve train oiling. Definitely not a 340. I was working on them all, back in the day. I am talking running on the street, daily driven, not some hyped up drag racer with no Chevrolet parts in them. You can make anything run if you throw enough money at it. It also doesn't hurt when sanctioning bodies penalize anyone faster than you to boot.


You must be my doppelgänger!!! That's about what I say.
 
You know what's REALLY ruined it for us? (the beloved brethren of old iron) Is Street Outlaws !
2450# chassis that would have been a competitive ProStock car 15 yrs ago, 2-88mm turbos, ProChargers, 6 stages of NOS, RacePaks, and laptop tuned !! So that when all the chubby video game players of Grande Theft Auto come of age, they will have something to get excited over.
...and then listen to them regurgitate the last episode. They simply have no real-life concept racing, and willingly swallow the go-fast propoganda.
The fact is: it's been happening for DECADES.... in the magazines. Like Hot Rod, Fast Phord, or Super Shivy. ...or any other Peterson publication for that matter..
There was an old saying in the '70s, 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday'. This never held so true as in the magazines. And even today in modern day magazines on YouTube. "todays episode brought to you by Amzoil ! " Sound familiar ?
SO ! when some retard (not to demine the legitimately intellectually depressed) makes a foul comment like that.. Yeah, I'll tell them to stick their pride and joy in the apposing lane, or shut up.
 
That's what some dumbass schooled me on at the last car show I went to. :D

He says they were the most gutless unreliable POS ever made.

I didn't contest his opinion, because what would be the point?
Like I should give a crap what anybody else thinks?
 
Car shows are ok. You do have to learn to just smile and nod. The whole time wondering why you paid money to sit on a folding chair and have people judge you and your ride. But then you get to drive home and remember what it is all about as you lay down a set of 11's and drive off into the sunset.

IMG_1302.JPG
 
My take on "modern " is, that the cars are too expensive, especially performance models, and that there isn't as much to choose from. back in the day, and lets stay with A body Mopar, Mustang etc. these cars had an economy "Base" model, and a performance optioned model for a few $$$ more. You could pick options, and pretty much have a 340 Swinger with nothing in it, no radio, no A/C etc. and you could take the car to the track. Now, there isn't much in choices, if you buy a Shelby Cobra, or Challenger Hellcat, you had better be making 6 figures to pull off the car payments every month. I don't suspect it was that difficult to make payments on a $3200 Dart Swinger 340 back in 1970 making $ 5-7 bucks an hour, I am not sure though wasn't a working adult then, maybe some older folk may chime in.
yes, I was of age then, and remember them all. The muscle car era is historically significant.
Nine times out of ten back then the better driver won the race. There were many dumb kids with rich parents that bought them their favorite muscle car. I knew a guy that would win in whatever car he drove, and he was a crazy man in his 69 383 Roadrunner.
Unfortunaetly, he went to Vietnam in 70', and did not make it back.
What I like best about my Dart is it thinks it is still 1969! No Computer, no Turbo, no Supercharger, and no worries about someone hacking the GPS or an EMP exploding the electrical system.
Mechanics today can't troubleshoot a newer car without a computer. I tell them all the time: back then your brain was the computer, you had to listen to the exhaust system and engine, smell the exhaust ,and calculate everything in your head, using only a timing light and vacuum gauge!
Ah, the good ole days!

Whenever I open the garage up, Purple Haze(jimi Hendrix for the youngens here) starts playing on the radio! I went in the military in the summer of 70', and $100 bucks a month didn't go far to own anything newer than a 66 Polara. I was lucky to afford that, with a $40 dollars per month car Payment.
 
yes, I was of age then, and remember them all. The muscle car era is historically significant.
Nine times out of ten back then the better driver won the race. There were many dumb kids with rich parents that bought them their favorite muscle car. I knew a guy that would win in whatever car he drove, and he was a crazy man in his 69 383 Roadrunner.
Unfortunaetly, he went to Vietnam in 70', and did not make it back.
What I like best about my Dart is it thinks it is still 1969! No Computer, no Turbo, no Supercharger, and no worries about someone hacking the GPS or an EMP exploding the electrical system.
Mechanics today can't troubleshoot a newer car without a computer. I tell them all the time: back then your brain was the computer, you had to listen to the exhaust system and engine, smell the exhaust ,and calculate everything in your head, using only a timing light and vacuum gauge!
Ah, the good ole days!

Whenever I open the garage up, Purple Haze(jimi Hendrix for the youngens here) starts playing on the radio! I went in the military in the summer of 70', and $100 bucks a month didn't go far to own anything newer than a 66 Polara. I was lucky to afford that, with a $40 dollars per month car Payment.


That's funny. I was 17 and out making some money off my friends on the street. I was awful arrogant (as hard as that is to believe...it's true) and as it so happens I had an uncle with a 73 Gran Prix with a 400 in it. I stopped by his place and told him I'd just taken some money from a guy and told him how bad assed I really was.
He asked me if I could outrun his Pontiac. I said hell yes, blind drunk, hung over or any way you want to do it.

So he has me get some of my friends to watch and we head out to the road a few nights later. Probably 15 guys there with me. We bet 200 bucks (1981 and I was making 2.65 an hour so it was a sizable bet for me) and I proceed to get my *** waxed. That junk assed Pontiac blew my doors off.

I paid my uncle and he told me "you can't drive for ****". I'm think WTF is wrong with my uncle. I say prove it.

So we swap cars. I'm now driving his Pontiac and he's driving my Demon. He says double or nothing. Being the cocky prick I was I said perfect.

He proceeded to drag my *** by truck lengths. Absolutely smoked me. With my own car. Now I'm down 400 bucks, feeling crunchy and totally humbled in front of my friends. I said what's the deal. He said get off your high horse and I'll teach you. Right now you think you are Ronnie Sox and you ain't.

So after a week or so of reflection and being shamed at school, I let my uncle teach me how to actually drive.


BEST 400 BUCKS I EVER SPENT. Too bad he died in 2011.
 
My take on "modern " is, that the cars are too expensive, especially performance models, and that there isn't as much to choose from. back in the day, and lets stay with A body Mopar, Mustang etc. these cars had an economy "Base" model, and a performance optioned model for a few $$$ more. You could pick options, and pretty much have a 340 Swinger with nothing in it, no radio, no A/C etc. and you could take the car to the track. Now, there isn't much in choices, if you buy a Shelby Cobra, or Challenger Hellcat, you had better be making 6 figures to pull off the car payments every month. I don't suspect it was that difficult to make payments on a $3200 Dart Swinger 340 back in 1970 making $ 5-7 bucks an hour, I am not sure though wasn't a working adult then, maybe some older folk may chime in.

I remember one evening about 1968 my Dad came home and layed his monthly paycheck from his State job on the kitchen table.
I remember sneaking a peak at that $613 check that was buying 12 acres in pine tree country, a house my Mom and Dad were building and the expense of 4 kids.
$3,200 was a lot back then for most, but money did go a lot farther then.



Car shows are ok. You do have to learn to just smile and nod. The whole time wondering why you paid money to sit on a folding chair and have people judge you and your ride. But then you get to drive home and remember what it is all about as you lay down a set of 11's and drive off into the sunset.

Agreed, and one reason I don't enter shows, so I can leave when I get tired of it.
Another big reason is that literally no one knows what they are looking at besides a 73 Dart body with non stock buckets.
They don't have a clue about the Magnum hidden under all the LA motor accessories, or the EQ heads with the LA bolt pattern, or custom ground cam, or the 4 speed OD trans with a one of one custom designed fully automatic shifting system, or the fact that I built it ALL myself.
Even the judges only see a daily driven 73 low life Swinger.
I don't care really, because I go to look at other cars and see friends anyway.



yes, I was of age then, and remember them all. The muscle car era is historically significant.
Nine times out of ten back then the better driver won the race. There were many dumb kids with rich parents that bought them their favorite muscle car. I knew a guy that would win in whatever car he drove, and he was a crazy man in his 69 383 Roadrunner.
Unfortunaetly, he went to Vietnam in 70', and did not make it back.
What I like best about my Dart is it thinks it is still 1969! No Computer, no Turbo, no Supercharger, and no worries about someone hacking the GPS or an EMP exploding the electrical system.
Mechanics today can't troubleshoot a newer car without a computer. I tell them all the time: back then your brain was the computer, you had to listen to the exhaust system and engine, smell the exhaust ,and calculate everything in your head, using only a timing light and vacuum gauge!
Ah, the good ole days!

Whenever I open the garage up, Purple Haze(jimi Hendrix for the youngens here) starts playing on the radio! I went in the military in the summer of 70', and $100 bucks a month didn't go far to own anything newer than a 66 Polara. I was lucky to afford that, with a $40 dollars per month car Payment.

I totally agree.
People just don't seem to be able to put clues together anymore when it comes to mechanical stuff whether it be cars or whatever.
It seems to be because of a lack of understanding of how things work and what they do, and I'm afraid it's getting to be more and more that way with each generation.
My two middle 20's boys could tell you right off what tires work best on their video game track, but if you told them to point out a converter dust cover or a head bolt they wouldn't have a clue if it's under, on top, or even in the trunk.

I started young with no real tools other than wrenches and ratchets and pretty much zero money, so I learned to diagnose early on as I had no money to throw at it.
Later I ended up certified in multiple area's including transmissions (auto and standard both) as well as what was called bumper to bumper two wheel, front wheel and 4x4.
That early experience was priceless, because I already understood how it all worked and just needed the technical details.
Nowadays most couldn't ever tell you what specific bearing is going out in a 4-5 speed, or what clutch burned up in a BMW trans.

Fun fact:
Did you know the 5 speed Dodge colt transmission only has 4 gears, but has two input gear tooth sets on it.
Engine vacuum moves a diaphragm that switches from one gear to the other for 5th.
Loss of vacuum to that diaphragm gives you first-second-third-fourth- and fourth.:D
 
I remember one evening about 1968 my Dad came home and layed his monthly paycheck from his State job on the kitchen table.
I remember sneaking a peak at that $613 check that was buying 12 acres in pine tree country, a house my Mom and Dad were building and the expense of 4 kids.
$3,200 was a lot back then for most, but money did go a lot farther then.





Agreed, and one reason I don't enter shows, so I can leave when I get tired of it.
Another big reason is that literally no one knows what they are looking at besides a 73 Dart body with non stock buckets.
They don't have a clue about the Magnum hidden under all the LA motor accessories, or the EQ heads with the LA bolt pattern, or custom ground cam, or the 4 speed OD trans with a one of one custom designed fully automatic shifting system, or the fact that I built it ALL myself.
Even the judges only see a daily driven 73 low life Swinger.
I don't care really, because I go to look at other cars and see friends anyway.





I totally agree.
People just don't seem to be able to put clues together anymore when it comes to mechanical stuff whether it be cars or whatever.
It seems to be because of a lack of understanding of how things work and what they do, and I'm afraid it's getting to be more and more that way with each generation.
My two middle 20's boys could tell you right off what tires work best on their video game track, but if you told them to point out a converter dust cover or a head bolt they wouldn't have a clue if it's under, on top, or even in the trunk.

I started young with no real tools other than wrenches and ratchets and pretty much zero money, so I learned to diagnose early on as I had no money to throw at it.
Later I ended up certified in multiple area's including transmissions (auto and standard both) as well as what was called bumper to bumper two wheel, front wheel and 4x4.
That early experience was priceless, because I already understood how it all worked and just needed the technical details.
Nowadays most couldn't ever tell you what specific bearing is going out in a 4-5 speed, or what clutch burned up in a BMW trans.

Fun fact:
Did you know the 5 speed Dodge colt transmission only has 4 gears, but has two input gear tooth sets on it.
Engine vacuum moves a diaphragm that switches from one gear to the other for 5th.
Loss of vacuum to that diaphragm gives you first-second-third-fourth- and fourth.:D
my Youngest son is 35, and has double degrees in Physics and Astronomical engineering.But his 96' Chrysler concorde had a flat once on the highway, and he couldn't tell how to hook up the jack. So he took a picture of the underneath and sent it to me. I had to tell him where to put it under the car. So he did, but he didn't think to break the lugs loose first. so, he had to let it back down so the wheel would touch the ground again. he could fly to mars, but mechanical things just seem to baffle young people. my Grandson is 14, and was sitting in the dart when I showed him how crank windows worked. He was astounded! He had never seen such a thing. What a hoot. These kids can't even read a clock with hands any more, as it isn't taught to them.
 
yes, I was of age then, and remember them all. The muscle car era is historically significant.
Nine times out of ten back then the better driver won the race. There were many dumb kids with rich parents that bought them their favorite muscle car. I knew a guy that would win in whatever car he drove, and he was a crazy man in his 69 383 Roadrunner.
Unfortunaetly, he went to Vietnam in 70', and did not make it back.
What I like best about my Dart is it thinks it is still 1969! No Computer, no Turbo, no Supercharger, and no worries about someone hacking the GPS or an EMP exploding the electrical system.
Mechanics today can't troubleshoot a newer car without a computer. I tell them all the time: back then your brain was the computer, you had to listen to the exhaust system and engine, smell the exhaust ,and calculate everything in your head, using only a timing light and vacuum gauge!
Ah, the good ole days!
Whenever I open the garage up, Purple Haze(jimi Hendrix for the youngens here) starts playing on the radio! I went in the military in the summer of 70', and $100 bucks a month didn't go far to own anything newer than a 66 Polara. I was lucky to afford that, with a $40 dollars per month car Payment.

My older brother bought a '67 GTO. First day he had it, guy with a 375 hose SS396 Chevelle was giving him a hard time about it. Challenged him, and got spanked. That GTO didn't beat the SS, the driver did. After that, when that SS went to the track, Charlie went along as the driver.
 
my Youngest son is 35, and has double degrees in Physics and Astronomical engineering.But his 96' Chrysler concorde had a flat once on the highway, and he couldn't tell how to hook up the jack. So he took a picture of the underneath and sent it to me. I had to tell him where to put it under the car. So he did, but he didn't think to break the lugs loose first. so, he had to let it back down so the wheel would touch the ground again. he could fly to mars, but mechanical things just seem to baffle young people. my Grandson is 14, and was sitting in the dart when I showed him how crank windows worked. He was astounded! He had never seen such a thing. What a hoot. These kids can't even read a clock with hands any more, as it isn't taught to them.

I just recently went through those exact scenarios with my two Sons, and the window crank thing with the Grandson.:D
Too funny.
 
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