When i was in Viet Nam in 1971i had planned on going to see Mr. Norm instead of flying home and buying a new Demon and driving it home in Arkansas. I was going to get a 340 sixpack. They also had a Paxton supercharged option. Things changed with the death of my father so instead i flew home to be with Mom. I did buy a 72 340 Demon that i still own today.
4-Door with 340 from the factory?
- Thread starter Super-Cuda
- Start date
-
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
Well, considering the Little Red was only built for two years...As stated above 360 only (E58 motor). Chrysler attempted to get the W2 head smog legal on the E58 for the Little Red, but they were not successful (at least how it was told to me - not really sure how a head would affect smog...). At the very least the W2 was rumored to be the head choice when they were developing the package.
A guy in town here has a 78 Lil Red. He swears up and down that his truck had W2 heads on it. Took them in for a rebuild and got a different set of heads back. He said the machine shop screwed him over. Kim
Pretty easy to prove if so . His intake wouldnt have bolted back on and his rockers/ pushrods would be wrong.
- Marvin -
Well-Known Member
In 1971 Mr. Norm offered GSS Demons with 340-6bbl, in 1972 Demons with a supercharged 340...but only Demons.
Ironracer
Gearhead
Yep! Looks like the same car I read about! Thanks Man!
Ironracer
Gearhead
I would not doubt it. I Have a Bro Here that had to call the cops to get his block and heads. He worked I. A machine shop as a kid, and still has the 71 340 Cuda, #s match. The guy at the shop here tried to pass him some BS crap... Brian is a Soild Cat too...
Super-Cuda
MOPAR .. Move Over, Plymouth Approaching Rapidly!
I stand to be corrected here but if w-2 heads, wouldn't the exhaust manifolds be different as well??
That’s true. I’ll ask him next time I see him. Kim
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
I have seen it several times, changing out good or better parts for some junk. That is why I always stamp my parts in a hidden spot and check upon return. In my early years I sent in a set of "X" heads to be freshen up and was called a couple days later and was told they were junk. I did not leave them and picked them up. Upon inspection I noticed the valve seats were pitted like they had water damage. They came out of a running 69' Dart. I learned the hard way, but have used this technique sense. I have caught others scamming this way, not only with cars, but others in doing for me. I hid a live termite in a basket of clothes during a fumigation that I felt that I did not need (another scam) and after they finished and removed the tarp, I showed the Bossman the live and kicking termite. He had his crew reinstall the trap and redid the fumigation with the Vikane gas, that should of been used at first. "Fool me 1st, it's your fault, fool me again, it's mine". I have also sold parts the same way. "SAD"
demonjim
Well-Known Member
I'm not a guru by any stretch, but one thing could be possible; did the car come through Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge? They did some things to make some models "special". You could buy a car, sign a waiver, and they would do what ever you wanted done. In 71, you could buy a 340 Demon, sign the waiver, and they would put a six pack on it. In 72, you could buy the 72 Demon, sign the waiver, and they would put a supercharger on it. Always wanted one of those. One disclaimer; with the 72 340 Demon, if you wanted the supercharger, it had to have an automatic transmission.
19DART66
Well-Known Member
Jim Lusk, You are right the W2 head was on the drawing board for the 78 Little Red Truck and was nixed for smog. My guess is that the W2 head does not have the exhaust heat crossover. Which would have made the EGR valve on the intake manifold inoperable which was a part of the smog equipment for those years. Just my guess.
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
That makes sense on the smog part. They may have tried other things to compensate. They could have gone to exhaust heat tubes like the hemi had with a special intake, but that would have increased the cost.
Hellrats
Just another dumbass
They did make some W2 heads with dual exhaust bolts holes. So if they had the ECONO style heads the manifolds would bolt on. The port mismatch would be terrible. But I assure you it never came with W2 heads. W2 was a prototype only that was not used used in production.
They also made cast iron W2 intakes with 360 PN#s on them . I have one .
Hellrats
Just another dumbass
That would not be a factory built car. That would be dealer add on.
Hellrats
Just another dumbass
You are correct. They also made a 2 barrel iron manifold for the W2. I had to run one years ago when I circle track raced. What a dumb rule that was!
Col_Steve
Well-Known Member
I wrenched at CPD dealerships 1970-1978. All new cars had to be "prepped or sale". All the techs got an equal share of them. Check for cotter pins, torque lug nuts, nail on the wheel covers, install the antenna, and check fluids and tire pressures, take short test drive (what fun!). Perhaps align a door or trunk lid etc. As far as I know you could order any combination of drive train and any combination of body accessories in any car if you had money and got a good salesman...Except a 340 in a four door or truck.
In '71 the tow truck delivered a 47,000 mile light green metallic 1967 Chrysler 300 to my hoist. It had a 383 2 barrel engine that was locked up tight due to a spun #6 rod bearing. It was all decked out on the outside like any other 300 so I was amazed upon entry to the drivers seat to find it was a 3 on the tree manual transmission car. The interior was cheap too like a /6 valiant. But it did have A/C. Back in those days you could get whatever you wanted, almost.
The car was within the 5/50,000 warranty. The service manager called in the factory rep who told me to pull the right head and #6 rod/piston, remove left bank spark plugs and the starter. I asked him about checking the #4 cam bearing and he said NO! Chrysler then sent a man to re-cut the #6 journal in the car with #5 still attached to the other half of the journal. He bolted a 120 volt motor drive into place of the starter and clamped a wooden handled connecting rod looking arrangement onto the bad journal. the tool had a cutting blade in it that he adjusted with thin strips of shim stock behind the blade. It had a foot pedal speed control like a sewing machine. In less than an hour he had that journal .020" undersized as pretty as could be. One new rod and .020" under bearing later and she was good to go. Those were different times for sure. I wonder if all the car companies were that stingy on fulfilling near end of life warranties back then?
In '71 the tow truck delivered a 47,000 mile light green metallic 1967 Chrysler 300 to my hoist. It had a 383 2 barrel engine that was locked up tight due to a spun #6 rod bearing. It was all decked out on the outside like any other 300 so I was amazed upon entry to the drivers seat to find it was a 3 on the tree manual transmission car. The interior was cheap too like a /6 valiant. But it did have A/C. Back in those days you could get whatever you wanted, almost.
The car was within the 5/50,000 warranty. The service manager called in the factory rep who told me to pull the right head and #6 rod/piston, remove left bank spark plugs and the starter. I asked him about checking the #4 cam bearing and he said NO! Chrysler then sent a man to re-cut the #6 journal in the car with #5 still attached to the other half of the journal. He bolted a 120 volt motor drive into place of the starter and clamped a wooden handled connecting rod looking arrangement onto the bad journal. the tool had a cutting blade in it that he adjusted with thin strips of shim stock behind the blade. It had a foot pedal speed control like a sewing machine. In less than an hour he had that journal .020" undersized as pretty as could be. One new rod and .020" under bearing later and she was good to go. Those were different times for sure. I wonder if all the car companies were that stingy on fulfilling near end of life warranties back then?
-
