3forty
"Raw Power"
Disc brakes were an option in '71 for 340 dusters
71 340 4 speed . Can i prove it to be 4 speed?
- Thread starter 340plot
- Start date
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Disc brakes were an option in '71 for 340 dusters
SleeperScamp
Well-Known Member
Thanks... I did not know that.
Dartnut
Don't hate me because i'm beautiful
I have never seen a 4 speed car without the "reverse" dash light.
I have never seen a 3 speed manual car with the reverse light unless it's an overdrive car. ('75 '76) Same shift pattern as a 4 speed.
The factory put the reverse lights in 4 speed cars so that people could tell at a glance if they are in 1st or reverse.
If it has the original dash with the serial number on it, and the hole is drilled out for the light and there was evedence of a reverse light being there, then it's more than likely a factory 4 speed car.
I have seen 4speed, 3 speed, and automatic 340 cars with the torque boxes, so that is not proof.
I have a '74 duster that is a factory 318 4 speed and it has the light under the dash. Also, i have a 318 3 speed floor mount '71 duster without the light. No torque boxes on either. I have a slant 6 4 speed o/d '75 Dart Sport and it has the light. I just sold a '71 340 4 speed Duster and it had the light and the torque boxes. My '71 Demon that i had years ago was a 318 3 speed on the floor and didn't have the light or torque boxes, but it had an 8 3/4 rear end.
Do you see where i'm going here?
I have owned and seen a lot of A-Body cars in my lifetime and i am really into 4 speeds.
4 speeds have the reverse light under the dash for sure above all else.
Automatics did not have the light under the dash at all.
Not to say that some cars that were 3 speeds from the factory didn't come with the light, but i've never seen one. And i've literally looked at over 100 for sure.
I have never seen a 3 speed manual car with the reverse light unless it's an overdrive car. ('75 '76) Same shift pattern as a 4 speed.
The factory put the reverse lights in 4 speed cars so that people could tell at a glance if they are in 1st or reverse.
If it has the original dash with the serial number on it, and the hole is drilled out for the light and there was evedence of a reverse light being there, then it's more than likely a factory 4 speed car.
I have seen 4speed, 3 speed, and automatic 340 cars with the torque boxes, so that is not proof.
I have a '74 duster that is a factory 318 4 speed and it has the light under the dash. Also, i have a 318 3 speed floor mount '71 duster without the light. No torque boxes on either. I have a slant 6 4 speed o/d '75 Dart Sport and it has the light. I just sold a '71 340 4 speed Duster and it had the light and the torque boxes. My '71 Demon that i had years ago was a 318 3 speed on the floor and didn't have the light or torque boxes, but it had an 8 3/4 rear end.
Do you see where i'm going here?
I have owned and seen a lot of A-Body cars in my lifetime and i am really into 4 speeds.
4 speeds have the reverse light under the dash for sure above all else.
Automatics did not have the light under the dash at all.
Not to say that some cars that were 3 speeds from the factory didn't come with the light, but i've never seen one. And i've literally looked at over 100 for sure.
mattsmopars
Well-Known Member
You were asking about a place to put your vin in to check for found documents on your car.
Here you go: http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/foundByVin70.shtml
That link is to the Hamtramck registery and you can do a vin seach to see if they have any documents on the car.
With your luck they probable have the buildsheet to it. Matt
Here you go: http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/foundByVin70.shtml
That link is to the Hamtramck registery and you can do a vin seach to see if they have any documents on the car.
With your luck they probable have the buildsheet to it. Matt
MtNemoMopar
In the doghouse
Dumb question....could you even get a "340" with a 3spd?
Next dumb question....who would want to?
At the time this car was produced, did 3spds have 7260 or 7290 u-joints? There may be some clues yet....I would be interested to see if Plot comes up with some
"outofthebox" way to confirm his cars heritage.
Myself....I'm clueless, so this is a interesting thread:toothy9:
Next dumb question....who would want to?
At the time this car was produced, did 3spds have 7260 or 7290 u-joints? There may be some clues yet....I would be interested to see if Plot comes up with some
"outofthebox" way to confirm his cars heritage.
Myself....I'm clueless, so this is a interesting thread:toothy9:
3forty
"Raw Power"
Yes for the 340 3spd
up front, towards the front of car, right under where the fender mounts to the pinch weld, look under the car, and there would be a flat plate os metal like 8" by like 12"
My two cents says what does it matter? It's not like you have the original drivetrain. You KNOW it was a manual trans car. Sounds like that's all you're gonna find out. Things might be different if there an original drivetrain there....then you might be to where you'd wanna worry with originality.
LH23H2R
Well-Known Member
3 speed manual , floor-shift ( D13 ) was standard with the 340 and 383 Road Runner Engine / 383 Magnum "Super Bee" , starting for the 1970 model year . This was done in order to keep the base price low ( lower than '69 models , iirc ) .
1970 Duster 340 and Swinger 340 were *supposed* to have non-power-assist disc brakes as standard ; by '71 , delicious drums were standardised , probably to , again , keep the base price low .
1970 Duster 340 and Swinger 340 were *supposed* to have non-power-assist disc brakes as standard ; by '71 , delicious drums were standardised , probably to , again , keep the base price low .
ok, yea, i know it is not # atching, but just curiosity, that is all. and i wanted to see if i could figure it out.
so, the car is here, even after some skunbeg on here tried to buy the car out from under me.( but it would be detrimental to the site to list there name!) YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...........
so, i have the dash, which has the vin on it, and the number matches the number in the speaker panel, and the dash has the factory hole for the reverse light. has torque boxes....i guess that is enough for ME to know it was a real 4 speed car, and not only that, it had the blacked out hood that ran up around the side glass, and the 340 callout on the hood. the guy gave me a few pics of the car before it was ever touched. kinda neat. boy, i wish i had the fender tag or build sheet!
for all comments above, thanks.
as far as i think right now, i am not going to put this one together, yet. i will try to make this a long drawn out build, just by using money from buying/selling. little bit at a time.
the car had a full driver side quarter put on, tail panel, and half quarter on passenger side, but i think i am going to cut it off, and put a full quarter. the rails are nice, as is the torsion bar crossmember. the door strikers are great. overall real solid, and worth redoing over, in my eyes
so, the car is here, even after some skunbeg on here tried to buy the car out from under me.( but it would be detrimental to the site to list there name!) YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...........
so, i have the dash, which has the vin on it, and the number matches the number in the speaker panel, and the dash has the factory hole for the reverse light. has torque boxes....i guess that is enough for ME to know it was a real 4 speed car, and not only that, it had the blacked out hood that ran up around the side glass, and the 340 callout on the hood. the guy gave me a few pics of the car before it was ever touched. kinda neat. boy, i wish i had the fender tag or build sheet!
for all comments above, thanks.
as far as i think right now, i am not going to put this one together, yet. i will try to make this a long drawn out build, just by using money from buying/selling. little bit at a time.
the car had a full driver side quarter put on, tail panel, and half quarter on passenger side, but i think i am going to cut it off, and put a full quarter. the rails are nice, as is the torsion bar crossmember. the door strikers are great. overall real solid, and worth redoing over, in my eyes
Good score.
swinger340
Well-Known Member
My 69 dart and 71 duster both factory 340 4 speed cars have the torque boxes. Buddy has a 70 340 4 speed duster and a 67 383 4 speed dart. Torque boxes on them as well. My father has a 70 340 4 speed and a 72 340 4 speed demon. Guess what they all have torque boxes. EVERY factory a body 4 speed ive ever seen have torque boxes. Not saying some didnt sneak through w/o them but ive never seen one.
For what it is worth, I pulled a 3-speed set up years ago out of junk yard 340 car and it had the torque boxes.
Looking back now I should have dragged the whole car home, the only thing that was missing was the engine.
Looking back now I should have dragged the whole car home, the only thing that was missing was the engine.
A great find for sure Plot :thumbrig: Like said here in this thread I to have never seen a reverse light in a three speed car, and I have sat in many in my years.:icon_smi:
I would take my time on this one to, But that's the way I do things these day's
Is this a sbp car ? or was these 5 on 4 1/2.
We need to get you a camera and have it ready when you get all the parts you will be getting :thumbup: I showed Treva your PM you sent me and said Quote = That was so sweet:toothy4:
I could not resist and LOL when she said that :toothy10:
Keep use updated and congratulations on a 71 340 muscle car Plot. 4 speed or not, but my money would be that it is a 4 speed car.:cool:
I would take my time on this one to, But that's the way I do things these day's
Is this a sbp car ? or was these 5 on 4 1/2.
We need to get you a camera and have it ready when you get all the parts you will be getting :thumbup: I showed Treva your PM you sent me and said Quote = That was so sweet
:toothy4: I could not resist and LOL when she said that :toothy10:
Keep use updated and congratulations on a 71 340 muscle car Plot. 4 speed or not, but my money would be that it is a 4 speed car.:cool:
................I have never seen a 3 spd in a 340 car till 72, it was a demon........i've seen a 70 road runner with a 3 spd.....kim........ofcourse Canada could b different..........
Harms Inc.
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They made them, I have two of them.
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