In need of an education..340 vs 360.

Now, you asked which is the better engine... In stock form it's the 340, hands down. You would have to be nuts to claim otherwise. The 340 has a forged crank, forged pistons, bigger intake valves (in the early ones), bigger cam, floating wrist pins, and higher compression. The stock 360 has none of those.

I built a 340 because that's what I had. The only stock parts are the block, crank, flywheel, and timing chain cover. If you're going to get silly and replace damn near everything like I did, then you might as well start with a 360. Like Joe says, you can get a decent buck for the 340. Open your wallet and either one can kick ***.