360 casting # question

[planenut]

I have a 360 with a casting # I haven't seen any help would be appreciated. The block is date coded 6-25-70, casting # 3418496-7-360 is this a desireable or not so desireable block. I have a 68 barracuda convertible with this engine in it and am debating to go ahead and rebuild this engine , possibly stroke it, or try to find the correct 340 for the car. Any thoughts are appreciated

 

[fishy68]

That's the casting # for 71-74 360's. Your build date is june of 70 but it was made for a 71 vehicle. I have a 73 by that casting and had it sonic tested to make sure it was good enough to overbore and still have strong walls cause I'm building a stroker out of it. It was very thick. I could have bored it .060 over with no problem but I just went .030 because I got a screamin deal on a set of forged pistons.

Supposedly the early castings are the best to get and the one I have suggests that they are plenty thick so you should have a good one there.

As far as what to do, stroke it or find the original 340. Finding the original 340 may be like trying to find a needle in the proverbial haystack. For good street manners and house pulling torque a stroker is the way to go. 340's sell for so much anymore you can probably build a stroker with your 360 block cheaper. The best part is it'll still look like a 340.

 

[planenut]

Appreciate your thoughts fishy, You hit on my very dilemna about the 340. I could go to the trouble of finding the 340, of which I have the "X" heads for but if I don't get the correct date code it's still incorrect, so should I just stroke this one. Maybe the better question would be does any body have a mid year 340 block for sale? If so I have your 360. Thanks!