Connecting rod ID

I have a set of these small block rods. They are 340 Trans Am rods p3614514.

But the the question came up, how do I prove that's what they actually are ?

I guess it's a legitimate question.

How would you Prove that these are 340 T/A rods ?

I’ve seen them yrs ago. Those are hemi style sb rods used in nascar long ago. Google p3614514 rods and read up on them.

Those are the premium rods Direct Connection sold in the mid 70’s.

Used a set in a B/Gas car that saw 9000+ and never failed.
Used a set in W-2 motor running road race, ran the snot out of it for a bunch of miles and it saw 7600 in the straights. Never had an issue with them.

Strong, durable, but VERY heavy! It should be in some of the earlier Direct Connection catalogs.

I have a couple sets of those. As mentioned heavy as can be by todays standards pigs to balance with. Seen tons of them in early oval track and also used on the 355 W2 motors with the 3.45 or real close to it cranks. I call them block killers because after enough use at 8k the early race blocks would start to show cracks.Last set I bought 3-4 years ago new never ran for $350. I have been watching yours in the for sale section since the quarter of last year, would like to have, but never understood the 1k asking price (your rods, your price) so not upset about it.

Ive old cranks that were setup to run with those heavy rods and they are loaded with weight. Use to cheat and run a 340 cast crank weighted balancer as not to have to add so much to the crank.

If I did not already have the highly weighted offset ground cranks id not use them as total rod weight is over 900 grams. Hard to hurt a much lighter modern H bean rod with arp bolts.

The do eat a rod bearing from time to time and then the mains go too. Look at the number 2 on this one.

Only ever called them hemi rods or the hemi footprint rods. Not sure they were even made till the mid 70-s. Again not sure.

About as practical toady as the huge domed heavy pistons of the 70-s 80-s, so many lighter better ways to go.

Would still love to buy yours at the right price but at the same time id sell one of the weighted 3.45 cranks for not a lot. For most just good to look at or hang on the wall. Id not say this if I didnt have a good bit of real world use with them. ID not even consider to use them in a oem stock block and many would not run them in a race block today because of the weights and the much better current choices.

You can see the balanced ones in my pics, a lot of time just in that.

For most the holley street or strip dom W2 was the norm.

Main downside for most is, hurt one rod and if you dont know where to look its time to start over.

Like it’s been said above, they are old technology. Even the 440 and Hemis don’t use heavy rods anymore. All that weight slinging around just cause more stress and cost horse power. I remember them when they came out. Beautiful rods but way too costly and now they are just not practical.

Are those pin eyes offset from the beam CL?
Why?

Ran a set of those with the Mopar pistons and NASCAR 355 crank.

I can't remember what the bob weight was but the rotating assembly was heavy!

Way back when, race rods saved weight where it was the least useful: the center of the beam.
The holes locate inboard of the radius to full thickness, and were used 1941-52.

I’ve had a set in my blown 340 since the late 80s. Malory in the stock 340 crank for sure. As I remember they’re longer than stock. And the same SPS bolts.
Doug

Years ago I read through an old (late 50's) "How To" encyclopedia on how to "hot rod you engine" It gave instructions on drilling the Valve retainers to reduce weight. I wish I had kept them just for the novelty.

What size C.I., year and which type of motor are those Hoggly Davidson rods?