I am continuing my quest to document as many original 340 engine details as I can. I am starting with 70-71 engines and will work on other years as the opportunities present themselves. This thread pertains to documenting known original parts that are from the same engine, correct casting numbers, part numbers, date codes, etc. I have been studying and recording as many as I can before the most original examples are no longer around for reference due to restoration or replacement parts,etc. The most complete/survivor cars offer the most complete and most accurate information but those cars are exceedingly rare so I've been breaking it down to sections (engine/trans/rear end, etc.) in hopes of gathering more good detail and date code info.

Below are the known original parts found on one particular 340 engine I recently aquired as a complete and mostly unmolested original engine parts package, I have photos of all details mentioned and others as well. I have a second even more complete example I'll be documenting and posting on as well in the next few days.

If any of you wish to duplicate my efforts by submitting similar info. of your cars/engine/trans/rear details and wish to add it to my data base I would welcome it. Please feel free to contact me, I'll help you out if you need it. I will keep your cars/parts info private if you so desire.

Thanks!

Known Original Car History Info: 1971 Dodge Challenger, 340 Automatic, A/C, and Power Steering. Low mile original car involved in a bad accident, off road and in storage for many years. Car reported to have been parted out in Virginia near Roanoke.

Block Cast Date:
7/2/1970

Block Assembly Information Stamping:
GW340P3350029

Block VIN Sequence Stamping:
1B166168

Intake Manifold Casting Date:
6/19/70

Water Neck:
Casting Number 2780 970

Original Engine Paint Color:
Orange

Oil Pan Design:
Stamped "294" without welded in pan rail stiffening tabs

Valve covers:
Large/Tall Passenger Side Wire Loom Style
Drivers Side Upright Wire Loom Stand Located In The Forward Location (As Opposed To The Rearward Position Common To AAR/TA Engines)
No Paint On Wire Loom Plastic Insulators
Engine Paint On All Rubber Grommets
Engine Paint On PCV Valve
Engine Paint on Oil Fill Cap
Gaskets Black Rubber With Engine Paint On Tabs
Exhaust Manifold Casting Dates:
PN 3418621-1 Dated 9-14-70
PN 3418623 Dated 9-10-70

Carburetor:
Thermo-Quad 4973s
Stamped Date J0
3 Piece Gasket set, Asbestos, Aluminum Spacer, Asbestos

Choke:
Large Number On Top Of Housing Can Stamped “75”
Small Digits Stamped Across Near Rod Opening Stamped BA148

Choke rod:
Stamped “489”

Idle Stop Solenoid:
DR1114429

Coil:
Part# Ink Stamp 2495531
Date Code Ink Stamping 330

Temperature sending unit:
Stamped 250
Dated 0 G

Oil Sending Unit
Stamped On Underside In Singular Digits Spaced Evenly Around The Rim 8 8 0 0

Distributor:
Tag Part# Stamping 3438517
Tag Date Stamping 360
Vacuum Advance Unit Stamping Number 3433888

Water Pump Housing:
Casting Number 2951698 09104 Cav. 3
Casting Date 10/70

Fuel Filter:
Ink Stamped 30206 3220

Power Steering Hose:
Black With Solid Red Stripe Running Full Length
Stamped Into The Steering Box End Steel Crimp 35284 211

Engine Insulator Rubber Mounts:
Passenger Side Casting Number 2536121 2833735
Casting Date 8/70
Drivers Side Is A Replacement

your missing the X to J head changeover controversy, so i would look for head casting dates with the letter prefix info, and the whole orange to blue engine paint thing, those are the two 340 questions that pop up a lot. also remember there are at least a couple of us with engine cast dates that are 4 months earlier than the assembly date !!

Noted Demon, I don't have the heads for this engine but have already asked for that info. As far as the blue vs orange engine deal, yes I'm aware of that. My effort here is not meant to set any standard, I'm just gathering information that will hopefully paint a better picture of how things (usually) were. The items lacking from the above list are only missing because this particular example didn't have any other original parts to pull date codes or other details (short of paint over spray, etc.) those have been noted in a different document.

Look at how some of the dates relate to one another in the above example; for instance, the engine was assembled September 14, 1970, and the exhaust manifolds were cast only 2 weeks prior, the carburetor was also built sometime in September, that's a pretty tight time window, yet the intake was cast all the way back in June of 1970!

I have a matching numbers car that the build date was the last date of the mod year...block was cast 1-1 of the same year, whats that 7-8 month gap???? Why??

I can't answer that question but I think a likely scenario is that they didn't control inventory like companies do today, it wasn't first in first out, and I'm sure items were misplaced only to be redicovered later to be used when found again, etc. I'm sure they pulled inventory at random in many cases.

Your engine likely just sat around a while before getting either assembled or shipped as in Ademons case, his sat around assembled from November all the way to (April or May?) before being installed.

Scott,

Since we are both charter members of the 70-71 340 CDFA (Certified Detail Freak Association), I will provide (and post here) the info for the original engine in my 71 convertible (BS27H1B344342). Subsequently, I will also provide fastener info as well, so as to enhance the archival info for interested owners of these engines.

Bill Rolik

bremotorsports@verizon.net

www.billrolikenterprises.com

201-394-5533 Cellular

i like where this thread is heading

x3
If theres any info I can provide from my car, don't hesitate to ask!

Thanks to all who posted!

Here's my next victim, just got it home, probably be a week or so before I can post the details. It's a really early 1971 engine, 4 speed engine (bell housing, etc still attached) LA plant VIN to boot. Really clean "survivorish" engine, never appart, all original paint, just a few tune up parts changed and has a replacment distributor, alternator, and is missing the choke, drivers engine mount, and starter.

VIn

Assembly

71 340 Plymouth Cuda Convertible

BS27H1B344342

Built 3/31/71

FE5/H6XW/V3W/V6W

Sold Through: Karl Gould Chrysler Plymouth, Vestal, NY

Automatic (Console)
Power Steering (Fast Ratio)
Manual Drum Brakes 11 X 3/11 X 2.5

Block Cast Date:
1/20/71

Block Casting ID:
2780930-340-6

Engine Assembly Stamping:
GM340P 35100085

Block VIN Sequence Stamping:
1B344342

Intake Manifold Stamping Date:
1/21/71 ("Hump" Style)

Intake Manifold Vacuum Plug:
6-Point Raised Hex

Original Engine Paint Color:
Blue

Oil Pan Design:
Stamped "294". No pan rail stiffening tabs.

Valve Covers:
Passenger Side: Standard Clips (No wire trough). Short upright loom bracket in rear position.
Driver Side: Tall upright loom bracket in rear position.
Engine paint on wire loom insulators, all rubber grommets, PCV valve and oil fill cap.
PCV Grommet: 2536926 Pentastar only (No DPCD)
Breather Grommet: 2946079 Pentastar only (No DPCD)
Gaskets: Rubber

Carburetor:
4973S
Stamped Date On Base: 0201
Base Gasket Assy: 3-Piece with Aluminum Spacer

Choke:
Housing Stamped "75"

Choke Rod:
Stamped "489"

Idle Stop Solenoid:
DR1114429

Ignition Coil:
Stamped 2495531
Built In USA
Date code unreadable.

Temperature Sending Unit:
250 rating
Date code B1

Oil Pressure Sending Unit:
8021 ("Green Top" unit for Std. Instrument Cluster)

Distributor:
Tag Stamped 3438517
Date Code 031
Vacuum Advance Unit Stamped 3438229 (Stamped Rating at 9.5")

Water Pump Housing:
Casting 2951698
Casting Date 10/70

Fuel Filter:
Not Original

Power Steering Hose: (Fast Ratio)
Pressure Hose Fittings Part Number/Date Code: 2891232/013 1
Hose Date Info: 3361-2170A with Yellow Stripes
Return Hose Vendor Code/Date Info: 83044/0471

Engine Insulator Rubber Mount:
Passenger Side: 2536121/2863735 2/71
Driver Side: 2536121/2863735 2/71

Alternator:
3438172
Date Code 49 70

Water Pump Pulley (2951936):
Assembly line pulley with no number stamp on pulley. NOS pulleys on hand have number. Need more samples to review.

Cylinder Heads:
"J" Castings

Thermostat Housing:
2780970 09104-13

Thermostat:
Original Dole DVP-10 185 degree

Fuel Pump:
6178S
Date Code 075 1
Natural finish with no overspray.

Dipstick Tube:
Blue

Dipstick Handle:
Black

Carb Return Spring:
Violet

Accelerator Cable Bracket and Return Spring Bracket:
Blue

Spark Plug Wires:
Not original

Heater Hose:
1/2" 2936392 90142A 0391
5/8" 860457 90142A 0361

Radiator Hoses:
Upper: 3462102
Lower: 3462165

Exhaust Manifold Castings/Dates:
3418621-3 2/2/71
3418623 1/29/71

Fan Belt:
3418943 (But not original)

Power Steering Belt:
2951984 Date Code 0481

Fan Blade:
2863216

Fan Clutch:
3462112
Date Code H12A

Distributor Hold Down Clamp:
Copper Plated

Negative Battery Cable:
Stamped 2983826 and Vendor Code 73691
No paint on cable.

Accelerator Cable Sleeve:
Appears to be green tint.

Starter Motor:
2875560
Date Code 091

DOES YOUR HEAD HURT YET?

Bill Rolik

bremotorsports@verizon.net

www.billrolikenterprises.com

201-394-5533 Cellular

Yes, head is pounding and I'm sure it will continue. The blue engines have a TON of things I've noticed that are not the same on orange engines, I have only documented one that was original enough to rely on, it had pretty much the same detail differences as yours does. I'll post that one later. I've also tweaked my original post to add a few things I forgot your notes reminded me of a few things.

Here are the specs I have so far on the engine shown above, some minor dissasembly will be required to get more numbers to fill in the blanks.

Known Original Car History Info: 1971 Dodge Demon, 340 4 Speed, Los Angeles Plant, Power Steering, Power Brakes, FC7, Car reported to have been parted out in Montana. The VIN# falls between 2 known VINs that had SPD's of November 17th and November 22nd, so best guess at the SPD of the car this came out of would be around November 17th, 1970.

Block Cast Date:
5/7/70

Block Assembly Information Stamping:
GW340P 3266 0517 July 07 1970 Assembly Date

Block VIN Sequence Stamping:
1E122889

Heads:
Both are "J" heads

Bell Housing:
Casting Date May/1970
Engine Paint Over Spray Over Much Of It

Intake Manifold Casting Date:
5/22/70

Water Neck:
Casting Number 2780 970

Original Engine Paint Color:
Orange

Oil Pan Design:
Stamped "294" without welded in pan rail stiffening tabs

Valve covers:
Large/Tall Passenger Side Wire Loom Style
Drivers Side Upright Wire Loom Stand Located In The Forward Location (As Opposed To The Rearward Position Common To AAR/TA Engines)
No Paint On Wire Loom Plastic Insulators
Engine Paint On All Rubber Grommets
Engine Paint On PCV Valve
Engine Paint on Oil Fill Cap
Gaskets Cork With Engine Paint On Tabs
Exhaust Manifold Casting Dates:
PN 3418621-1 Dated
PN 3418623 Dated

Carburetor:
Thermo-Quad 4972s D
Stamped Date 2960 October 23rd, 1970
3 Piece Gasket set, Asbestos, Aluminum Spacer, Asbestos

Choke:
Missing

Choke rod:
Missing

Fuel Pump
Stamped Date 209 0 July 28, 1970


Idle Stop Solenoid:
DR1114429

Coil:
Missing

Temperature sending unit:
Stamped 250
Dated 0 F

Oil Sending Unit
Date Stamped on Hex Side 80

Distributor:
Missing

Water Pump Housing/Timming Chain Cover:
Casting Number 2951698 09104 Cav. 3
Casting Date

Fuel Filter:
Unreadable, Likely A Replacement

Fan Blade
Ink Stamped 2863215

Fan Clutch
Stamped 2863 233
Center Stamped H13A (difficult to read)

Power Steering Hose:
No Assembly

Negative Battery Cable
Missing All But End Connected To Head, Appears Factory, No Signs Of Engine Paint Over Spray

Engine Insulator Rubber Mounts:
Missing Both Insulators

Can anyone confirm the green tint on the barrel portion of the throttle cable on a 71 340 E-Body?

Thanks,

Bill Rolik

201-394-5533 Cellular

bremotorsports@verizon.net

www.billrolikenterprises.com

Yes, I've seen that before. It looks like ink or paint was wiped onto it and it provided a background for a black date code ink stamp. I don't have photos of a good 340 version but this is a 71 Hemi throttle cable marked the same way. It's a sort of flat looking mint green the best I could tell.

Here's the original cable form my 71 340 Cuda SPD 3/31/71. I can't confirm that it was green but I can't deny it wasn't. If you look the coloring on the ferrule on the cable is a different hue than on the sheath.

One thing I've notice looking at the NOS cables I have is that the ferrule was painted seperatley before it was crimped onto the the cable.

Mike Afflerbach