Let’s hear a 340 story

A story my oldest brother told me years ago, he graduated high school in 1970 and bought a 67 GTO, 400 4 speed. All his buddies had muscle cars, including a 69 427 4 speed Chevelle and a 70 428 SCJ Mustang with a auto. There were others too, Camaros, Chevelles, Novas and Olds and Buicks too. The Chevelle was the fastest then the Mustang. I was a kid and still remember the sound of that high compression 427.

In the summer of 71 one of the guys had a cousin from Chicago visit, he was driving a 71 Demon, 340 4 speed from Grand-Spalding Dodge. My brother said it was Plain with a rubber mat instead of carpet. Now street racing was huge here at that time and it didn't take long for the guys to start on the visitor wanting to race him. He had just driven in and wanted to rest and change the plugs and check the car over before he raced anyone but would race them the next night.

My brother said the guys started making fun of him, calling him chicken $hit and such. Finally he said I'll race but I'm putting my slicks on first. The only thing in the trunk was a floor jack and a pair of slicks so he came expecting some action. After the tire change he loads up the jack and tires and said lets go.

According to my brother there were about 15 cars that headed out to the spot. The guy with the mustang had been running his mouth the most and wanted to run the Demon first and the guy with the Chevelle wouldn't run him until he ran the Mustang. My brother said the Demon got out about two cars on the Mustang at the hit and drove off from him. He said before they could get back to the starting line it looked like a wagon train leaving and the guy with the Chevelle wouldn't race him. LOL

The guy with the Demon was here for a week and couldn't get another race. Not first hand but my brother has told the story many times over the years. He was very impressed with the little 340.