340 block- Casting #s, Vin#s, And Assy #s

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AZ-Nick

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I purchased a 69 Swinger recently
Last weekend I started checking the block out with the help from some of the members here and I found that the
Casting number 2780930-340-8: = 68-73yr

Casting date is 7*70 this had me thinking wrong year motor, but not sure if it could have been a replacement Block by the Dealer.

Today I managed to remove layers of turquoise blue paint and only turquoise blue paint on the pad just below the head on the drivers side and then I was able to read numbers finally,
FW340P32250498.
This tells me it’s a 340 Performance Block
3225 = (May 27, 1970 which is the Build Date)
0498 = Sales Order# or Service Order# not sure what those numbers mean?
I’m Definitely convinced that this is NOT the original Block or motor.

Next I removed the front right tire and crawled under the car and cleaned the vin pad as best as I could and there are only two or three numbers stamped there and NO more and they are really unrecognizable, they vaguely look like 013 or 12, just to hard to identify. The numbers start at the very left side of the pad and after the second or third number is nothing else. Do you think it could be a Replacement block from the Dealer?

It does have X heads on it.

What is confusing about it still is that I removed the Blue/Turquoise paint in a couple of areas right down to bare casting and found no hint of Red paint on the block.

And the lack of vin# on the pan rail.
I guess that there may be additional numbers on the pan rail if there is multiple layers of paint covering it but I probably will need to get the car on a lift to get to that area.

Could this be a Replacement Block?
 
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When you say blue are you talking about the later Chrysler blue or are you talking about the early turquoise blue?
However I think it would be pretty hard to put a 70 motor in a 69 car at the factory seeing as how 70 would not have occurred yet but a dealer could at any time.
 
69 340's were turquoise blue.

Also, check the area around the VIN pad. I've seen the stamping in the casting above the pad and even on the oil pan rail (car below).

This is a 66K mile original 340 auto swinger from the LA plant. History known from 2nd owners from early 90's. Absolutely originally turquoise before repaint.

1969 Dodge dart 340 Swinger

1701237753327.png
 
 
It would be interesting to know the casting dates on the heads. Did somebody put a short block in that car? And use the original cylinder heads. Or was just the complete engine changed out. We know that block did not come in that car originally.
 
MW340P32250498.
This number on the block, under the driver's head, from what I understand...........

The letter in front of the "W" denotes the build date.
D = 1968
E = 1969
F = 1970
G =1971

Etc.

Maybe the M is for Marine, or replacement? Just spit balling.
 
This number on the block, under the driver's head, from what I understand...........

The letter in front of the "W" denotes the build date.
D = 1968
E = 1969
F = 1970
G =1971

Etc.

Maybe the M is for Marine, or replacement? Just spit balling.
I’ve corrected the original post with a F instead of M, I have no idea how I keyed M instead of F, I guess it was a Senior Moment.
FW340P32250498

IMG_4448.jpeg
 
Original '70 block. Not a factory/dealer replacement block. If the engine has been rebuilt at any point, the block was probably "hot tanked" or jet blasted to bare metal and then painted that color.
 
Original '70 block. Not a factory/dealer replacement block. If the engine has been rebuilt at any point, the block was probably "hot tanked" or jet blasted to bare metal and then painted that color.
Good point you made, I never thought about that.
Looks like I have someone else’s engine or block for sure.
Next thing I am going to too is pull the valve covers off to repaint and I will check the casting numbers on the heads to see if they are 69 or 70.
Thanks again
 
If they're X heads (894 casting), it won't be a '70 casting. They went to the 915 casting that year.
 
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