340 Engine

-
T

todkub71

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Lawrence, Mich.
I have a 1970 340 engine complete but disassembled. Heads have been gone through and are ready to bolt on. Cylinders need some cleaning up. What should be the asking price?
 
$200 , I'll take it now . Could be 1,500.00 to 3,000.00 depending on how bad someone wants it for a matching car or wants that magical 340 for the magic . I picked up a 340 for 800.00 .
 
I paid $600 for a freshly machined block, new pistons, and some odds and ends. These things are getting harder and harder to find... but I wanted a real 340 and not a 360 that looked like a 340. If you don't NEED to sell it you might as well hang on to it. The price is only going to go up.
 
I've seen complete motors go for $1000 to $1200 down here in the South.
 
I sold a bare block for $200, needed a hone. heads went for $400. All the rest sans pistons are cross platform parts and are usually ought seperately anyway. $600?
 
Thanks, that gives me a good idea. I was rebuilding it for my 68 Dart, but decided to use a 360 instead due to the mods to be done. did not want to destroy an original 340.
 
The big two following the block are the crank and the heads. If it's got X heads- that's a huge deal. If it's got 915 Js then you should make sure whether they're later replacements or T/A heads- T/As would be more of a homerun than Xs. Basically no inexpensive 340s have X heads on them- even the ones that came with them...

The "average" 340 needs work, has later J or other heads on it, or is a late production cast motor. Price is gonna depend on your parts. If you've actually got X heads, it's still got the steel crank, you've got the windage tray, well then it could be just over a K. (those heads go for a lot) On the otherhand if it's not got the windage tray or 90 adapter, the heads are 587 or other later heads, the cylinders need honed or bored, and its got a cast crank in it, and its had cracks in the lifter galleys- well then you're probably looking at something much closer to $400.
 
BARE Block maybe $300 to $600, April 71 and earlier casting date little more money. Warranty block = several hundred more. 72 and later 340 right around $200 to $300. j heads around $100, X heads around $300, ready to bolt on heads mean nothing, old valves and springs with a lap job? Or new ferra nail head valves with a 5 angle VJ and beehive springs?
 
EL5DEMON340 said:
BARE Block maybe $300 to $600, April 71 and earlier casting date little more money. Warranty block = several hundred more. 72 and later 340 right around $200 to $300. j heads around $100, X heads around $300, ready to bolt on heads mean nothing, old valves and springs with a lap job? Or new ferra nail head valves with a 5 angle VJ and beehive springs?
Click to expand...

Why would a 72-73 bare block be worth less than the 71 -older?
 
dano said:
Why would a 72-73 bare block be worth less than the 71 -older?
Click to expand...
The cars are worth less, their parts are worth less, the motors assembled are worth less, so the blocks are worth less too. '71 motors (with '71 dated VINs, not with '71 cast numbers necessarily) have forged cranks and 2.02 valve J heads stock with high comp pistons. '72 and '73 motors had cast cranks, '73s had 587 instead of 915 heads, and both had 1.88 intakes. I've got a June '71 dated '72 block cast crank motor- most of the June or later motors I've seen are the next model year. The VIN pads aren't hard to find and it's a good thing to look at the pad to make sure the year it was.

Notice- less. Less isn't bad- means when you go to sell, you won't get the same money but when you go to buy you won't have to spend as much.
 
dano said:
Why would a 72-73 bare block be worth less than the 71 -older?
Click to expand...

Because the 71 and earlier 340's came with forged cranks, 10.5 compression, 2.02 intake valves and put out more horsepower...

But it doesn't mean that a 72-73 block can be built to the earlier specs....

They are not worthless....
 
Agreed-my brother bought a 73 340 out of the classifieds here. It needed to be bored, but it's still a 340, now with KB pistons a Lunati solid cam and aluminum heads. If you're only building a street or mild bracket engine, there's nothing truly "wrong" with a cast crankshaft.
 
Considering I have seen cast cranks raced for a long time and hold over 500HP, there fine! Most people never see the half way limit on a forged crank. Even when they think there on the edge.
 
I picked up a freshly rebuilt complete 69' 340 with about 300 miles on it .....x heads, little hotter than stock cam, headers and carb for 2k and I thought I got a decent deal ..... I haven't seen another for sale around my neck of the woods for a long time ...lot's of 318's ,360's and 440's though....
 
rumblefish360 said:
Considering I have seen cast cranks raced for a long time and hold over 500HP, there fine! Most people never see the half way limit on a forged crank. Even when they think there on the edge.
Click to expand...
What's more, most people who want a forged crank will never have need for it. You "need" a crank that'll hold over 500HP at over 6500RPM but don't want the motor to peak above 5800 or like to have it over 4500 ever? Why waste the money on a forged crank?

Heck, if you're building a motor significantly hotter than a stock 340 a later motor's still a fine choice even stock with cast crank.

Sully_PA said:
I picked up a freshly rebuilt complete 69' 340 with about 300 miles on it .....x heads, little hotter than stock cam, headers and carb for 2k and I thought I got a decent deal ..... I haven't seen another for sale around my neck of the woods for a long time ...lot's of 318's ,360's and 440's though....
Click to expand...
I'd say so. That sounds altogether fair for a rebuilt, assembled, X-head, '69 motor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top