Help Identify This 340

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pishta said:
Take some sand paper and wipe away paint grime under driver side right under deck seam to Right of timing chain There is a very light stamping there. 69 340 big valve, score! 6 at end of 340-6 means nothing.
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ok here we go i'm 80% sure on the numbers...all three 3's in the serial were sort of worn, but i'm pretty sure they are indeed 3's

EW 340 P28330089
 
1969 model year = E

2833 = april 30, 1969 build date

Looks like 3/10 cast date

Decent starting point for a build. Should be forged crank, high compression pistons if not monkeyed with.
 
Agent_Orange said:
ok here we go i'm 80% sure on the numbers...all three 3's in the serial were sort of worn, but i'm pretty sure they are indeed 3's

EW 340 P28330089
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E = 1969
W = Windsor assembly plant

340 = 340 Cubic inches

P = Premium fuel


So far it looks like a 1970 340. Like I posted earlier, double check the first digit before the B in the vin stamp above the oil pan to verify.
 
krazykuda said:
E = 1969
W = Windsor assembly plant

340 = 340 Cubic inches

P = Premium fuel


So far it looks like a 1970 340. Like I posted earlier, double check the first digit before the B in the vin stamp above the oil pan to verify.
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Model year is right there. :)
 
It's a 1969 model year engine unless you can see the first digit in the vin to prove otherwise. X heads, march 69 casting, "E" in the model year stamped on front of engine representing a 1969. If it was an F, then it would be a 70 model year engine.

IMO, little to no chance an engine would have sat for 8 months to 1 year coming out of that assembly plant to be that late in the 1970 model year, seq 255 = mid Feb 1970 spd's. There was a shortage of 340's in Dec 1970 model year production coming from windsor engine plant. My 1970 December built swinger 340 has an engine that is assembly dated 2 weeks after the December SPD.

Can't be an august 1969 cast engine if it was assembled in April 1969.

Agent_Orange said:
so the concensus is this is most likely a stock stock 1969-1971 340
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It's a 1969 engine with a very slight chance it's a 1970 model year. It's basically the same darn piece, JUST BUILD IT!
 
crackedback said:
Can't be an august 1969 cast engine if it was assembled in April 1969.

It's a 1969 engine with a very slight chance it's a 1970 model year. It's basically the same darn piece, JUST BUILD IT!
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April 1969 was the END of the 1969 model year production, 1970 models would have been launched from middle of June to Middle of July.


I have seen cases where an engine is built up, found a defect, then had to be torn down and the good parts recycled and the bad ones thrown out. It happens all the time.


Like stated earlier, it's not worth arguing over. He has one of the prime years of the 340 engine to start with if it's all original.
 
Aug 1 69 would be first day of 70 model year. I would assume an early 70 340 engine. This should be a good 340 builder to go after.
high compression, internally balanced, steel crank. early 340 X-head w/2.02 intake valve.

FW340Pxxxxxxxx - would not be an E being that it would have been cast AFTER the 69 model year began.
 
thanks for all the info guys...i knew you could help me out...i was under the impression it was a '69 block myself, i just wanted to know that it was a block worth working with.

Now time to hyjack my own thread..lol

The story i've heard in reguards to this engine is that in the 90's it was in a dart running high 10's - low 11's....i realize that without knowing the cam and pistion it would be almost impossible to verify, but from the pictures of the heads, is there any clues to the internals? the engine did have a 850 cfm carb on it if that would help at all.

ALSO, i'm under the assumption the entire engine needs rebuilt, and I'm not wanting to spend 3 or 4 grand right now to do so. So would i be better off sticking the engine in the corner and running the engine i already have in my car (318 w/ mild cam and edlebrock preformance intake, long tube headers) or putting new bearings in the 340 and giving her a shot? or a combo of stealing parts from one for the other...
 
I'm going to go way out on a limb and say that someone was either misinformed or simply lied. With everything except the intake looking like OEM, there is very little chance of that engine running high 10's or low 11's, even if the car was very light. At least not in the 1/4 mile.

You may be able to get a clue on the pistons by looking at the undersides. Cast/forged are very different and forged may have a brand name on them.
 
Agent_Orange said:
thanks for all the info guys...i knew you could help me out...i was under the impression it was a '69 block myself, i just wanted to know that it was a block worth working with.

Now time to hyjack my own thread..lol

The story i've heard in reguards to this engine is that in the 90's it was in a dart running high 10's - low 11's....i realize that without knowing the cam and pistion it would be almost impossible to verify, but from the pictures of the heads, is there any clues to the internals? the engine did have a 850 cfm carb on it if that would help at all.

ALSO, i'm under the assumption the entire engine needs rebuilt, and I'm not wanting to spend 3 or 4 grand right now to do so. So would i be better off sticking the engine in the corner and running the engine i already have in my car (318 w/ mild cam and edlebrock preformance intake, long tube headers) or putting new bearings in the 340 and giving her a shot? or a combo of stealing parts from one for the other...
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If you are unable to do a complete rebuild of the 340 right now, put in a corner until you are able to. IMO, there are way to many unknowns to just replace the bearings. If your 318 is a good runner, go with it until you have the time/resources to do the 340 up right.

Also, to settle the 69/70 date debate here, On the drivers side of the block just above the oil pan flange there should be stamped the actual VIN number for the car that the 340 was original to. Carfully clean up that area with a wire brush or sand paper until the full vin can be read and post your findings here. There are many people looking for the original engine for their car. You may be able re-unite someone with their long lost OE 340.

Russ
 
No way it ran 11's in the 1/4 with stock stamped rockers and single springs. lol maybe 11's in the 1/8th
 
oliver said:
No way it ran 11's in the 1/4 with stock stamped rockers and single springs. lol maybe 11's in the 1/8th
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Haha that's what I was thinking too. I'm not too upset, I gave 500 for the engine expecting it would need completely rebuilt. I was kind of curious all along as too how much a bs-er the guy was. Would it be worth tossing the heads on my 318?
 
just build it, make it the best you can afford, and then make sure you stick 340 on the hood, so everyone knows :)

i wouldnt worry about much else, you got a good engine for good money.
 
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