Are 340’s rare
I have to admit that the 340 has mystique, but I realize that any engine can be built to the same HP/CI level with appropriate parts. So a 360 will be better than a 340 and the 360 block is actually stouter than the 340 when pushed to the limit. But what cannot be replaced is the memories of all the runs I did with my 340 at SoCal drag strips in the late '60's and early '70's. I got my '68 Formula S FB 340 in June 1969 and had over 350 runs on it by the time I had 60,000 miles on it. Almost all were in the mid 13's with a best of 13.48 @ 105.38 in stock trim at OCIR (RIP!).
That is why I purchased 2 replacement 340's in the mid '70's incase I grenaded on, but never did. So now I have 2 spare engines for my 'Cuda which I still have after 54 years. The two spares were rebuilt at +0.020 as I always believed that you never remove more metal than necessary. Wish there were +0.010 over pistons, but alas!
Below is a photo of the '68 as it sits now in the shop waiting for seat tracks to complete the restoration. The second photo is some of my 300+ timing slips that I still have. Best time I found was 13.45 @ 104.65. Not bad for a stock 340. Only mods at that time were taking out the back seat (almost 50 lbs) and opening the cutouts that the original owner added way back in '68 before I bought it. I also like the 0.01 reaction time. I did cut a 0.000 once but couldn't find it.
So this is why I still like the 340 over the 360 even though the 360 can be built for less money in most cases.
I have to admit that the 340 has mystique, but I realize that any engine can be built to the same HP/CI level with appropriate parts. So a 360 will be better than a 340 and the 360 block is actually stouter than the 340 when pushed to the limit. But what cannot be replaced is the memories of all the runs I did with my 340 at SoCal drag strips in the late '60's and early '70's. I got my '68 Formula S FB 340 in June 1969 and had over 350 runs on it by the time I had 60,000 miles on it. Almost all were in the mid 13's with a best of 13.48 @ 105.38 in stock trim at OCIR (RIP!).
That is why I purchased 2 replacement 340's in the mid '70's incase I grenaded on, but never did. So now I have 2 spare engines for my 'Cuda which I still have after 54 years. The two spares were rebuilt at +0.020 as I always believed that you never remove more metal than necessary. Wish there were +0.010 over pistons, but alas!
Below is a photo of the '68 as it sits now in the shop waiting for seat tracks to complete the restoration. The second photo is some of my 300+ timing slips that I still have. Best time I found was 13.45 @ 104.65. Not bad for a stock 340. Only mods at that time were taking out the back seat (almost 50 lbs) and opening the cutouts that the original owner added way back in '68 before I bought it. I also like the 0.01 reaction time. I did cut a 0.000 once but couldn't find it.
So this is why I still like the 340 over the 360 even though the 360 can be built for less money in most cases.
