340 with mo stamping of vin or anything?

[bobthewelder]

I just picked up a 1969 340. After cleaning and examining the block face under the driver side head I found no stamping whatsoever. Is this how factory replacement blocks were? I was hoping to figure out what it started as.

 

[Bad Sport]

I do believe so.

 

[Demon 408]

I've got an over the counter 73 340 and the VIN pad is blank. Are you sure it's a 69 block? Here's a thread that might help you:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=144436

 

[bobthewelder]

Yes, I'm sure. Got it yesterday in a 1974 PW 200 3/4t 4x4. Someone needed a motor and that is what they had. They topped it with te original to the truck 360 heads, intake and 2bbl carb. I bought the truck for the block. The truck is in really good shape, I'll 360 it and use it for work.

 

[green1]

Head milling will take the # off.

 

[bobthewelder]

I was wrong. I used a can of brake cleaner and a wire brush to clean the side of the block. What I thought under all the greasy buidlup to be a 69 is actually 7-1-70. Still can't find any stampings, maybe once it's out of the truck.

 

[4spdragtop]

there should be a vin stamped on machined surface, pass side, directly above the oil pan near the front

 

[pishta]

warranty block has no VIN..

 

[owatajrkiam]

My 71' 340 block has no number also and i KNOW that this was a warranty engine

 

[bobthewelder]

I was admiring my block (still in the truck) when I noticed that the passenger side motor mounting ear had been re-welded to the block. is it common for these ears to break off? Does this mean that my block now has zero value to a restorer? It also looks more like they brazed it than welded it. Looks like goose-poop and the color is that of brazing. I'll need to clean it up better to tell for sure. There is an art to welding cast iron successfully, they got it to stick I give them that much. They likely knew that if they were to weld it without the proper pre-heat/cooling technique could have casued more issues, hence the braze-job. Still, will this ruin the value of the block as far as using it for anything but fun?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

You can cut one off of another motor have it spray welded on and remachined. I have had alot of blocks welded with no issues. Anything can be repaired without notice if its done by a professional. Shadydell broke both rear corners off a X-block. and I had a exhaust manifold broke in half. They were both fixed without being able to see the welds. Spray weld its not cheap but the correct way. Your motor tab is an easy repair.

 

[bobthewelder]

Yea, I passed up a good deal on a set-up because I thought I would never need it. Stuffs great, we used it to build up crank journals then had them machined.

 

[Lonewolf3165]

Ask yourself the question. Would you want a block that had been repaired before? Even if professionally done I would think it would have to have an effect on the value.