Clutch time!

It’s pitiful what the auto manufacturers were doing to lessen emissions in those days. Seems the thinking was to de tune the engine and lessen power output. All that did was create an inefficient engine that ultimately created more emissions and used more fuel.
 
I think they all simply did best they could with what they had.

It was unreasonably expensive and difficult for them to redesign new engines around new standards. Those that did, did not fare well (think Cadillac V4-6-8, HT4100). So they just forced the current generation of engines to work through tuning. At the time, lower HC and NOx at the tailpipe were more important than anything.

Not cool, but thankfully we can fix all of that.
 
That 360 will make more power/torque and actually be more fuel efficient.
With that said I’m looking for a late 60s or early 70s A-body with a 340 or 360.
They are almost nonexistent around here…
Harkening back to my early days…the quickest street car in our area was a 70 Duster 340, 4 speed, and 3.91 rear.
It embarrassed a lot of big block cars.
 
Thanks. I think that's true of most all cam-in-block engines.

I installed cam bearings last night. If you look close in the picture of the bottom end, you'll see I marked hole position on the web with a sharpie, to help line myself up during install. All oil hole alignment in all positions verified after install!


🤣🤣🍻

I think any mechanic knows this but what does a peon like me know.
 
nice work as DIY saved $$$$ + as noted older is simpler as well as cheeper!!! body looks good which is surely amazing considering newer but old mopars in my NE PA are QUITE rusty!!
 
Still chugging along.

Engine assembled. Painted in the same manner the factory did 50 years ago.

A pilot bushing size mismatch is holding me up, currently. Waiting for the mail
nJ566fg.jpeg
 
Looks great! Are you expecting the blue paint will last on the exhaust manifold? Did you use something special? Original pix show it unpainted.
 
Looks great! Are you expecting the blue paint will last on the exhaust manifold? Did you use something special? Original pix show it unpainted.


Being an original survivor, I'm recreating all of the factory details I easily can. Painting the engine in the same manner as the factory is easy.

This is the way it was done. Not even jut Chrysler, but many factories painted their engines with manifolds installed. You might notice the bypass hose and corbin clamps on the water pump are also installed and painted with the engine. Just the way it was done.

The paint on the manifolds will not last and will burn off quickly during it's first run.
 
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“The paint will not last and will burn off quickly during it's first run.”

The origin of the original factory “new truck” smell I guess…:)
 
That 360 will make more power/torque and actually be more fuel efficient.
With that said I’m looking for a late 60s or early 70s A-body with a 340 or 360.
They are almost nonexistent around here…
Harkening back to my early days…the quickest street car in our area was a 70 Duster 340, 4 speed, and 3.91 rear.
It embarrassed a lot of big block cars.
I had a 71 red Duster 340 with headers, Holley carb, 456 gears and a few other bolt ons. I ran 13.75's in the quarter mile and I beat a lot of the big block boys too. Those cars are hard to find unless you want to pay lots of cash for them.
 
I had a 71 red Duster 340 with headers, Holley carb, 456 gears and a few other bolt ons. I ran 13.75's in the quarter mile and I beat a lot of the big block boys too. Those cars are hard to find unless you want to pay lots of cash for them.
Yes. Most were flogged and handed down to young dudes rawhiding them straight to the salvage yard…if rust didn’t get them first.
 
Yes. Most were flogged and handed down to young dudes rawhiding them straight to the salvage yard…if rust didn’t get them first.
True. I beat that 340 like a rented mule on a daily basis. Rear tires were replaced regularly but I did store it in the garage and didn't drive it in the winter. But I sold it to a kid who continued to thrash it hahaha.
 
You 340 Duster guys should watch the latest Graveyard Cars.

One of the FE builders on another forum was talking about doing an engine for a restoration and how just painting everything ran so counter to his normal procedures.
 
You 340 Duster guys should watch the latest Graveyard Cars.

One of the FE builders on another forum was talking about doing an engine for a restoration and how just painting everything ran so counter to his normal procedures.
Funny how when restored, everyone is trying to make appearance perfect. But the factory was just trying to get protection/coverage on all of it easiest way possible
 
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