Garage find 340 4 spd Dart... keep it 440/727 or go 340 4 speed as OEM ?

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Jimmy G

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So here goes, my first real post to FABO. Looking for a bit of feed back.... or words of reason..
A good dilemma to be in, I have two 73 Dart sports. My orange car was an old drag car in the late 70's with a warmed over 440 that was put back on the street in the late 80's.. that old 440 now has 16 years of hard labor under its belt... and still runs 11.8s with 90 psi of OP... it was a /6 car. But the heart of this thread is my blue 73 Dart, its an OEM TB3 340 4 speed car with black stripes and a deluxe white bench interior (it was repainted white then B7ish). Has all the tags but no build sheet. Since I already have a big block Dart, I am on the fence as to swapping out the 440/727 for a refreshed 360 commando along with a cast iron over drive 4 speed, the car has a stout 8.75 diff with good axles and 4.10 guts. All original panels with minimal rust... Going small block manual means putting a floor hump back in along with patching of the inner fenders.... keeping the big block means re-installing the frame connectors, 6 point cage and some electronics that came with the car. What would you do with this car ? Thanks. Jimmy

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So here goes, my first real post to FABO. Looking for a bit of feed back.... or words of reason..
A good dilemma to be in, I have two 73 Dart sports. My orange car was an old drag car in the late 70's with a warmed over 440 that was put back on the street in the late 80's.. that old 440 now has 16 years of hard labor under its belt... and still runs 11.8s with 90 psi of OP... it was a /6 car. But the heart of this thread is my blue 73 Dart, its an OEM TB3 340 4 speed car with black stripes and a deluxe white bench interior (it was repainted white then B7ish). Has all the tags but no build sheet. Since I already have a big block Dart, I am on the fence as to swapping out the 440/727 for a refreshed 360 commando along with a cast iron over drive 4 speed, the car has a stout 8.75 diff with good axles and 4.10 guts. All original panels with minimal rust... Going small block manual means putting a floor hump back in along with patching of the inner fenders.... keeping the big block means re-installing the frame connectors, 6 point cage and some electronics that came with the car. What would you do with this car ? Thanks. Jimmy

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Nice dilemma to have! It's your car you do what YOU want !

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Thanks... the reason I posted this up is due to some heat I was getting for not putting the car back to its OEM config. since these folks know I have all the pieces to do it... maybe also it seems to be a somewhat rare car up here North of the border.. about a 100 4spds as the rumour goes. I just might sell it.. All the best !
 
Thanks... the reason I posted this up is due to some heat I was getting for not putting the car back to its OEM config. since these folks know I have all the pieces to do it... maybe also it seems to be a somewhat rare car up here North of the border.. about a 100 4spds as the rumour goes. I just might sell it.. All the best !
Well that changed course rather quickly. Good luck with whatever you do.
 
It's your car. Do what you want with it. Unless those opinions are coughing up cash and labor then they can.....well.... you know.
 
Thanks... the reason I posted this up is due to some heat I was getting for not putting the car back to its OEM config. since these folks know I have all the pieces to do it... maybe also it seems to be a somewhat rare car up here North of the border.. about a 100 4spds as the rumour goes. I just might sell it.. All the best !

People worrying about what I am going to do with my car is just all the reason more to go in the other direction.... Seriously, do they feed your dog, sleep with your spouse, and do your dishes also....

You have the luxury of doing either or neither, or whatever with the car. Think it over, and think it over some more. As for the rarity, to put it into stratosphere levels of the market it sounds to me like you have alot of work ahead of you. If one on your constituents are so concerned put a price on it and see if they will bite. Most are just talk...

73 Dart sport 340 was my first A body so I envy you owning it lol....

JW
 
I had a 69 Dart with transplanted 440/727. Drove that for awhile. Swapped in a early 340/4-speed. No comparison, the small block and 4-speed were a ball to drive anywhere. But that is just my opinion.
 
Can only say what I would do if I had that 'dilemma'

Put a 340 with a TQ back in the (now) blue car and drive it.
 
They built around 1700 73 4sp 340 Sports .
I used to know the exact number when I had one . That is pretty rare ! Considering Chevy sold 66,000 SS Chevelles in 69 !
I would put it back to 340 4sp... maybe a mild build and an OD 833 with 3.91s so you could drive it everywhere !
Mine was B5 but B3 is even better !

You said "all the tags" is it a 2 tag car ?
 
They built around 1700 73 4sp 340 Sports .
I used to know the exact number when I had one . That is pretty rare ! Considering Chevy sold 66,000 SS Chevelles in 69 !
I would put it back to 340 4sp... maybe a mild build and an OD 833 with 3.91s so you could drive it everywhere !
Mine was B5 but B3 is even better !

You said "all the tags" is it a 2 tag car ?

I don't believe its a 2 tag car... although there is a tab of metal jutting out from the bottom corner of the original tag in place, I will have to check the tag again I guess. This car is a bit of a stripper... manual steering and manual discs for brakes. Bench seat with arm rest and no fold down rear seat. Wood grain on the upper panels. 340 4 spd, 3.55 gear as ordered. Some info on this site quotes the GG book at 1099 US delivered 340 4 spd cars, with no mention of Canadian cars being part of the total number. Other GG info indicated Less than half of the H code Dart cars were equipped with the J54 hood scoop pkg... the numbers look to be getting smaller I guess. I decide this cars fate once I get my H code 4 speed 70 Challenger back together. Cheers. Jimmy
 
Does anyone on FABO have any idea if the reported production numbers for the 73 Dart Sport 340 do indeed include Canadian "export" or "C" tagged cars? Thanks a bunch. JIMMY
 
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