Let’s hear a 340 story

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pittsburghracer

pittsburghracer

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Since we have been over taken by 318 posts lately let me make a 340 post that happened years ago. I bought my house in 1985 and lived with my ex wife till we got married in around 1987. She attended almost every race I entered and loved being around racing. At the time only two girls raced at keystone and she said she would like to try driving sometime but not my high 9 low 10 second duster. My buddy was building a beautiful 1968 (440) barracuda and put his 1970 duster for sale. He needed lots of parts so we did some horse trading and I ended up with the duster. I had some old NASCAR pistons and a Racer Brown solid lift cam so I touched up a set of heads and had a valve job done, fresh transmission, 780 vacuum carb, super hole shot converter and threw it all together. She couldn’t go to test n tune so I went and played around with carb springs and ran 12.20’s. I towed my car to the track next week and she drove hers. We had s/p, pro, modified, (12.00-13.99), street, and trophy. I entered her in modified and she went up for her first pass and went 15 something. After modified would run they would line up on the fire up road for there next pass. I ran up and said what happened. She more or less told me to run my car and she would run hers so I went back to the pits. I put her in trophy class as she was running to slow for modified and she went three rounds and won a trophy.
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That night I said climb in let’s go for a ride and we went to my local street racing spot and I told her to make a pass and show me what she was doing. She made a pass down the road and I told her to pull over on the berm. I asked her what she was shifting at and she said 5000rpm. I scratched my head and said I told you 7000rpm. She said at 5000 it sounded high. So I asked if I could show her and surprisingly she said ok. Well I made a pass down the road shifting at 7000 and you wouldn’t believe her face. So then she made a pass and said ok I’m ready.
 
The next week we entered her in modified again and just by chance was lined up against the same guy for her time trial. Acting kinda smart assie he said to her “oh your going to try again”. Lol. Well she ran 12.40 to his 13.30 and pulled back into the warm up lanes for her next pass. He got out looking at her car and as he went to say something she asked him if he was going to try again. As I approached they were both having a good laugh. She raced into late summer of 1988 and had my son Matt in December. She ended up going a best of 12.28.
 
We still enjoyed the car on the street, got divorced in 1999 and with my son interested in racing sold it to him very cheap and then ended up giving it to him for free. I felt it only right since he made his first trip down the track in her belly.
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I had 2. The blue one ran 9.75's in the 1/8th at the local track. Not blazing fast but lots of fun. Both were 73's and bone stock.

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Geez, hard to believe how many years back this story goes.
I was at OCIR in mid-1970 with my '69 340 Swinger running in G/Pure Stock. I'd gone through a couple of rounds of eliminations and made it to the final to race against a '69 Roadrunner. The Roadrunner owner was talking trash about my small block while we waited in the staging lanes and was telling all around that "...it won't even be close".
We finally got out on the track, staged and I cut a really good light and got out on him. As we're coming up to the finish line I could see him coming up alongside of me. Crossed the finish line and I couldn't tell who had won.
I pulled up to the time slip building and got my time slip. I couldn't see my times because all I could see was the stamp: "WINNER".
I've got a huge grin on my face as I'm pulling up to my pit spot and the Roadrunner is right behind me. I parked just as my (now ex) wife walked in front of the Roadrunner to stop him. She walked up to his window and said, "You were right...it wasn't even close".
I took home my first class win trophy that night.
I don't remember the time/speed from that race but the best that car ran in 'Pure Stock' form was 14.28 at 98+mph. Not bad for a 340/727/3.23 non-Sure Grip drivetrain on Goodyear Polyglas tires.
 
Keystone Raceway Park,My days there were mid 60's thru late 70's.
In the 70's I had a 70 340 4 speed Duster with 5.13's as my street car. Never made it to the track with that one. I was off to tec school in Denver.Sold the 340 and installed a 318 and 2.94 gears and headed to Denver.Took 3.91's in the trunk and swapped them when I got there.Race at Bandimere somewhere in the 15's on the weekends.
 
So no pictures but with a buddy “Duster Joe” god rest his soul. He was very tall and thin and called everybody “cuz.” Looked like a real life Shaggy from Scooby Doo. Awesome dude. I am glad I knew. So anyhow We bought this 73’ 340 Duster with a physco pain scheme near the old Colchester, CT dragway. This was about 1990ish. He took the Dana 60 for his Demon and I took the 4 speed for my then Demon. Being it was a 73’ 340 neither of us wanted the 340. It ran but burned oil. And was a cast crank and we both had steel crank 340’s. Never would I imagine a cast crank 340 would ever be worth anything.

anyhow my other buddy Joe Duddie who was a very slick Italian with the ladies said to me also named Joe- I was “Sylvee” anyhow Duster Joe and I gave it to him to rebuild his 74’ Factory 360 4 speed Duster.
One night steet racing he gets called out and blows up the 360. We limp it home and he and I at 3am start rebuilding the 73’ 340 with used parts, used rings and quick porting of the 1.88 heads with a Chinese’s dremmel. After his mother wakes up and makes us a plate of ziti and sauce. He was very old school Italian. Anyhow with used gaskets we assemble the motor, break it in and drop it in just barely in time for street racing on Clarence B in Groton that night. Before we leave he crushes up moth balls (had to be from the blue box not the red box- lol!) Add this powder to a gallon of race fuel and dumps it in the tank full of 94 Sunoco from the pump. So when there, He calls the dude back out and they race. He hits the 150 shot of nitrous and the engine literally explodes as he passes the guy for the win. To this day we called the engine the “Wasp motor.” Because during disassembly he was stung by a wasp that had a nest inside the engine. (Valve cover when Duster Joe and I bought it was just sitting on the head on drivers side.) Joe Duddie and I still laugh today over that weekend remembering Duster Joe and still have no idea over what killed that engine- crap parts, nitrous or mothballs. - okay my 340 story is done. Lol!
 
Back in the early 70's, when I was still too young to drive legally, one of my cousins had an AAR 'Cuda. Hemi orange with an automatic trans, and he was known for taking on anyone and anything in a street race. He would not let up on the throttle, ever, and grenaded more than a few 340 blocks to over revving. He lived 2 blocks from a Chrysler Dodge dealer, and supported their parts department with many of his paycheques. I remember one visit to his small one car garage and seeing 2 blocks with holes in the side that I could easily put my hand through. When he got married, it wasn't long before the 'Cuda was sold and he was driving a 4 door sedan, paycheques now going to supporting a growing family. Haven't seen him in 20 or more years now, last time I saw the 'Cuda it was on a trailer headed out of town.
In my teens, a friend had a 73 Charger 340, that one I drove a couple of times, and tried to buy it several times without success. He also had a 73 Dart Sport 340, that one was a wicked fast car, but he blew the motor up one night in a race, got another 340 for it, but it was never the same.
 
OK, one more story. Same '69 340 Swinger but my buddy and I are now putting a new cam in it.
We can't get the harmonic balancer bolt to break loose so my buddy gets the genius idea of jamming the existing cam by putting a tool between the cam lobe and the lifter valley webbing. He said, "Who cares if the lobe on the old cam breaks?".
One healthy jump on the extended handle attached to the socket on the balancer bolt and CRACK!
The cam didn't break.
There was now a break from the a webbing window right up through the wall of a lifter bore. And now I have to explain to my wife why I need to buy a new block.
I called all over SoCal trying to buy a 340 block from a dealer and all I was quoted were short block assemblies.
At the time I was in the CA National Guard with Kenny Black (Keith Black's son). I called Kenny and he said, "Come on down to the shop and pick out the block you want. We have a bunch of them."
Drove to Black's shop in South Gate and they had 340 blocks stacked up against a wall. Turns out they were high-nickel content 340TA blocks meant for the TransAm program builds. That block was still in my Dart when I (stupidly) sold it years later.
Sure wish I'd kept that car...but none of us have ever said that. Right?
 
I'll have to think up a good one. Way too many 340 stories to tell. But I sure am glad someone wants to here them, and I love hearing them!
 
My first 340 build happened when I was 20. I did everything as instructed by one of the finest engine builders in the area. 2.02 J heads 3-angle vj with new everything, aligned honed cylinders, MP cam, you know. I was never more disappointed in my life as it turned 15.2 on it's first trip to the track in my '72 Demon. Went up to 3.55's and ran 14.6's :( !!! After re-doing things such as cam timing, etc, we ran a 13.9 with 3.91's :( . I pulled the "beloved 2.02 3-angle valve job" J-heads off and put on a set of 360 smog head 1.88 valve home-ported (oh boy, not his socket method !!! :BangHead:) with a home lapped valve job. 13.6's ! ... Hmmmm

What I learned is this :
  • Just because you have a professional at the wheel of a build isn't a sign of perfection!!!
  • Just because you have a 340 don't mean you get to win
  • My brothers 340 demon re-ringed in a garage was faster
  • Just because you use a socket and a dremel don't mean home-porting should ever be doubted... LOL
  • this proved to be my most unsuccessful build of my life... thus far.
:lol:
 
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Hear is my 340 story....My uncle had a Gold Duster with a 340 (all stock). He told me countless stories over the years about how fast it was, how many cars he out ran, bla bla bla....When I got older I realized that he was exaggerating a LOT......So, a few years back I gave him a ride in my Barracuda with what I told him was "a little 360" (which was actually 410cubes)...He kept telling me stories all the way up until I opened her up.....then he about came out of his skin....I was laughing so hard.....good times......thought I might have to clean my passenger seat though....
 
My (kinda) story. My Demon, Dad @Just Ron bought new at Grand Spaulding Dodge in October 1971. 340 6 pack, 727, 3.91 SG in the 8 3/4. Dad drove it on the street for 2 years then went racing. Over some time he changed the 6 pack for a tunnel ram/660 Holley center squirters, 0.600" lift cam, home ported heads, reverse manual valve body, 4.56 gears and 9" slicks. Unable to afford a stall converter at the time, it ran 12.10 @ 115mph. It would spin the tires half way through 1st gear. His friends said it sounded like he fired a 2nd engine about 1/8th mile mark. Probably like how modern turbo cars act, obviously not on the same page but you understand the analogy. He also wired up a way to shut off the field to the alternator so it wasn't charging. He says this was good for 10mph. He eventually blew it up. He was going through the lights at 7,500 in 2nd when running 1/8 mile tracks. This was at Amber Green Dragway in Eau Claire, WI and Anoka Dragway near Minneapolis, MN. He then put in a 440 out of a squad car but it wasn't as fast as that little 340.
 
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Long story, but it starts like this;

340 bottles of beer on the wall, 340 bottles of beer

Take one down & pass it around,

339 bottles of beer on the wall, 339 bottles of beer.......
 
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Who was saying something about cast crank 340’s above. 11.82 right after a night of street racing. Rolling an old 4 speed. Probably around late 1975-76
 
I'm sure many here have heard this one but it ranks high on my 340 stories. When I sold the black duster above I sold it to a friend as a roller switched over to a 727 transmission. He asked if I would build him a 340 and how much to do so. He already had my heads and it was going to be a stock 10.5-1 piston build so being a good friend I said yes and I would do it for five dollars. He laughed and said five dollars and I said yaa, go buy 5.00 worth of jawbreakers. Ron, a couple friends, and myself honed the block, cleaned it, and carried down the stairs to his pool room. We had a blast the next couple days building his 340 with a 484 lift cam while chewing on jawbreakers. His Dad watched and after we finished it he said now what??? We carried it up out of the game room and put it in and started it the next day. His first trip to the track he won a trophy, his second trip he took second place running a nice string of 12.40's. I don't think he ever raced after that as he later bought a Bar and got in with the wrong crowd. The title was still in my name and I could have bought the car cheap but I didn't want to get involved. many years later a guy approached me at the track and told me about a black duster he just bought. He said there was a sticker above the rear wheelwells and I said does it say Associates In Performance and he asked how I knew. I then told him the title was at home with MY name on it. I never saw him again. LOL.
 
I bought a 68 Barracuda from a good friend back in the early 70's. It was a 340 4 speed car that was his DD, he & his then wife were discussing starting a family & agreed that they needed a more sensible DD. When I got the car, the clutch assembly was toasted, it needed a good tune up & tires. I went through it on my weekends getting it put back right. After I got it where I thought it should be, I took it to the local street races. I lost a couple of times before I learned to launch a 4 speed car. From there it became a terror on the streets & ran 12.20's to 12.30's at the strip. I got a few adult beverages in me one night & was road racing a plastic car. Some how I managed to run the car off into a drainage ditch & totaled it. I still have the 340 & 4 speed, I'm waiting on the perfect A body to put it in.
 
Syleng1 said:
So no pictures but with a buddy “Duster Joe” god rest his soul. He was very tall and thin and called everybody “cuz.” Looked like a real life Shaggy from Scooby Doo. Awesome dude. I am glad I knew. So anyhow We bought this 73’ 340 Duster with a physco pain scheme near the old Colchester, CT dragway. This was about 1990ish. He took the Dana 60 for his Demon and I took the 4 speed for my then Demon. Being it was a 73’ 340 neither of us wanted the 340. It ran but burned oil. And was a cast crank and we both had steel crank 340’s. Never would I imagine a cast crank 340 would ever be worth anything.

anyhow my other buddy Joe Duddie who was a very slick Italian with the ladies said to me also named Joe- I was “Sylvee” anyhow Duster Joe and I gave it to him to rebuild his 74’ Factory 360 4 speed Duster.
One night steet racing he gets called out and blows up the 360. We limp it home and he and I at 3am start rebuilding the 73’ 340 with used parts, used rings and quick porting of the 1.88 heads with a Chinese’s dremmel. After his mother wakes up and makes us a plate of ziti and sauce. He was very old school Italian. Anyhow with used gaskets we assemble the motor, break it in and drop it in just barely in time for street racing on Clarence B in Groton that night. Before we leave he crushes up moth balls (had to be from the blue box not the red box- lol!) Add this powder to a gallon of race fuel and dumps it in the tank full of 94 Sunoco from the pump. So when there, He calls the dude back out and they race. He hits the 150 shot of nitrous and the engine literally explodes as he passes the guy for the win. To this day we called the engine the “Wasp motor.” Because during disassembly he was stung by a wasp that had a nest inside the engine. (Valve cover when Duster Joe and I bought it was just sitting on the head on drivers side.) Joe Duddie and I still laugh today over that weekend remembering Duster Joe and still have no idea over what killed that engine- crap parts, nitrous or mothballs. - okay my 340 story is done. Lol!
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I have a pretty good idea of this "Joe" you're talking about. I am good friends with his brother.
 
I had a 73 340 Rally Charger in high school. We never figured out why, but it was fast. We always thought maybe it had some blueprintin or "somethin" done. 79K original miles. I got it in late 1980. There weren't but a couple of cars in school that had anything for it. Jeff Smith's badass 400 70 Z/28 and David George's original 71 LS6 4 speed Chevelle. My best friend in high school Kirk, whose still one of my best friends was so impressed with that car that he got a 73 340 Duster a little after school. He also had a really nice 78 RS Camaro. 400, 3.73, stout turbo 350. But it was slow. He didn't have it very long and we never could figure it out. Lookin back, I'm sure it was converter related. Anyway, he had both for a time and the Camaro was the main cruiser because the chicks liked it. Whenever somebody would say "hay Kirk lets race" he said "ok, meet us at the spur in about an hour". We'd go to his house and get the Duster. It had factory 3.91s, Holley Strip Dominator, Holley 750DP, headers, 3500 stall and was stock otherwise. That car would click off low 13s with slicks. Normally, when we showed back up with the Duster, there was a lot of backpedaling from the other side like "we weren't talkin about THAT thing" LOL Those were some fun times.
 
A friend with a brand new '69 Z28 told me he and his buddy were leaving the hotel one night when they noticed a '68 Dart in the parking lot they hadn't seen before.It was closing time and when they hit the highway they noticed lights some distance behind them. Said he went right to the floor and never let up.
The lights got closer and closer finally pulled out and passed him, effortlessly pulling away. In dis belief they watched as the taillights got smaller and disappeared.
They finally turned off on the next highway and quickly resumed wide open throttle making their way home. Thinking his night couldn't get worse it was some time later when his 302 blew!
Now in all fairness the Z probably had 4.10's and the 340 Dart 3.55 or 3.23's...but i love that story!
 
Seemed like every small town in Ontario had a 340 that was Top Dog on the street. At the strip they were still fast but occasionally some big blocks might catch them at the big end.
Many brand X guys with well built rides would say..."That car shouldn't be that fast, you're hiding something"
 
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