Am i crazy or am i on to something here?

-
searcher1990

searcher1990

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Messages
422
Reaction score
248
Location
Oregon
I have a 66 barracuda that I am restoring. My wife is not real healthy (diabetes) and funds are getting hard to come by for the project. I am down to rebuilding 4 speed and motor. I am a carpenter and am working on some side jobs for the tranny rebuild. I have a 68 340 I bought 2 years ago I was going to build and put into it but I don't think I will be able to afford it now. Here's where I need help. I think I can sell 340 and buy a 318 or 360 in possible good running condition with the money from 340 sell? Or trade someone their good running small block for the 340. 340 (complete) was running when pulled but was real tired (what I was told from guy I bought it from) I was going to build a real killer but things in life change. I would be happy to just get car running now. Opinions on best path? I am an adult, be free to be brutally honest if need be. If I am crazy please tell me as I don't want to sell 340 then not be able to buy something to replace it with. Thanks for taking the time to read long blog.
 
Yes, you're crazy to sell the 340 but then......sometimes yougattadowhutyougattado. If you lived closer I could sell you a complete all new short block 318 I have sitting in my garage for $450!! Have no plans to use it.
Treblig
 
You could maybe buy a low mile magnum and keep the 340 for another day. I wish I would of gone that route. I recently saw a 107k 360 magnum for $700 with AC from a scrap yard.
 
I would beware of "good" 318s or 360s that you trade for your 340. Sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you dont know...
 
Did You ever hear this "tired" 340 run??? Yes, there is a market for that era 340 for sure, and that barracuda would still be a lot of fun w/a stick & a warmed-up 'teener!!
Was that 340 a stocker? And was it out of a 4spd car? If so, You might get a nice chunk of ching for the cam alone. Keep in mind whatever mill You end up with has to
have the crank drilled & finished to size for a pilot bushing, or You'll have to use the Magnum insert bearing in the rear of the crank. Not a biggie, just FYI.
 
It depends on condition of the 340. Calling it “tired” really doesn’t say anything. It may just need some basic work to run well in stock form. Probably worth a gasket set to tear it down and inspect. Do a compression test before you do and verify what’s going on in the cylinders and then you know what to look for after tear down.
 
Buy a 318 & lie to everyone it's a 340. Lots of guys do. Kinda like a swear honey it's 8 inches. Just have fun with the car.
 
Thanks for the info and opinions so far guys. I am confused, don't you have to do a bunch of wiring harness stuff to install a newer magnum motor? I am looking for a bolt and go or spend the next 3 years trying to save $$ for 340 build. I am not flat broke but my wife is #1 on my $$ concerns.
 
You can do that.
OR you can put an air gap intake on and a carb. I guess you have to put an la distributor in, and probably an electric fuel pump.
If running a manual trans I think you need a magnum flywheel. Put a timing chain or chain tensioner while it's out and just run it if it checks out.
I haven't done the carb swap, but I put a 5.9 in my jeep. Went through all the wiring nightmares. For what they cost it's a great bang for the buck. If it's interesting to you just do some more homework on a magnum swap.
 
searcher1990 said:
Thanks for the info and opinions so far guys. I am confused, don't you have to do a bunch of wiring harness stuff to install a newer magnum motor? I am looking for a bolt and go or spend the next 3 years trying to save $$ for 340 build. I am not flat broke but my wife is #1 on my $$ concerns.
Click to expand...
It will be far less expensive to run an LA engine than a magnum swap. If you want to save money, use as much as you can of what you already have. If your 340 runs, use it and refresh it as needed to make it reliable. Everything else can come later.

You might sell the 340 for some cash. But what you get may not be any better than what you had.
 
Killer6 said:
Did You ever hear this "tired" 340 run??? Yes, there is a market for that era 340 for sure, and that barracuda would still be a lot of fun w/a stick & a warmed-up 'teener!!
Was that 340 a stocker? And was it out of a 4spd car? If so, You might get a nice chunk of ching for the cam alone. Keep in mind whatever mill You end up with has to
have the crank drilled & finished to size for a pilot bushing, or You'll have to use the Magnum insert bearing in the rear of the crank. Not a biggie, just FYI.
Click to expand...

I did not hear it run but motor came from reliable source. it is stock and has crank drilled for 4 speed. I was told it ran but smoked cold and when shifting. I was planning on rebuilding so I didn't get to into it.
 
searcher1990 said:
I did not hear it run but motor came from reliable source. it is stock and has crank drilled for 4 speed. I was told it ran but smoked cold and when shifting. I was planning on rebuilding so I didn't get to into it.
Click to expand...
Sounds like it just needs a set of valve seals.
 
I bought a donor like this. For me I pulled engine, trans, transfer case ecm, and harness.
2000 dodge Durango

I expected to hone, re ring it, and bearings. pulled it apart and it looked like it had 20,000 miles. Showed full hone marks. Bearings were great. These things hold up really well.
 
To put magnum in place of LA, put a carb manifold that is drilled for magnum bolt angle. Then use a la timing cover & water pump. Also distributor. For pro/con on magnum see thread on (roll or not roll). Good luck
 
I agree with the above comments that say, check the leak-down, plugs, and it sounds like valve seals. If the worst You need is gaskets, a valve-job(stock), and maybe a
T-chain kit(stock), I'd run it. Otherwise, there is a lot of value in that particular 340, do the research and check it out......then make the call. While the magnum is a nice
swap, it's not going to be more economical than an LA, and there will be lots of little "extras" that need done(time), that's a consideration.
 
What is in the car now? Do you have to buy swap parts? My reasoning for suggesting the magnum,
you can get one that is 10 years newer than any la engine.
They had better rings so the they cylinder walls are going to more than likely be in better condition.
They had efi all their life, again the engine will be in better condition.
Roller cam stock, you don't have to worry about a worn out 50 year old cam.
Make decent power stock.
Don't cost much more than an la to get.
Put That Air Gap Intake And Headers on A 5.9 And You Be Close To 300hp.
Some guys like running electric pump better with this crappy gas so I don't see that as negative. id bet you can sell the 340 and have enough cash to buy a magnum, headers, intake, carb, and maybe even flywheel.
No it won't cost less than an la, but you want a drop in running engine, it makes sense to me.
 
Last edited:
Keep the 340 for another day when ever thing smoothes out ,find a 318 and drop in ,I know about having family sickness ,but if its where you can just put the 340 on the back burner and save it for later ,hope things work out for you I've been 7 years working on my dart I know one day I'll get it , god bless
 
Treblig said:
Yes, you're crazy to sell the 340 but then......sometimes yougattadowhutyougattado. If you lived closer I could sell you a complete all new short block 318 I have sitting in my garage for $450!! Have no plans to use it.
Treblig
Click to expand...
That's a great deal ,that would be a great little motor
 
There was a running 67 273 2 brl. for sale here. Much closer to correct for your 66. Pretty much drop it in a go... to the bank maybe. Do you need a lot of hotrod/adapting to drive in todays traffic? Or should I say the traffic of a couple years in the future?
A lot of 340 blocks have been punched to .030 over already. A good 68 340 can bring good coin from the right buyer.
 
If in the same boat, I would sell the 340 seeing as its not original to the car, to fund the running motor, be it a 318 or 360 (especially the 360) .. its better to bite the bullet and have a vehicle you can drive to relieve stress, then to stress over the 340 and when your going to get to enjoy it.. my car is always a stress reliever, even when it needs repairs ..good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top