The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hi everyone,
Thanks for letting me join your forum.
I will soon be buying back a 1970 Challenger I sold 15 years ago.The present owner has not started the car since he bought it.I drove the car on the trailer for him and he pushed into his garage.
It is a 340,pistol grip car.Though it has been a while,I still remember some of the codes:A31,A66,D21,E55,
FK5 and JH23HOE.Can not remember the interior color code.I removed the fender tag when I repainted the engine compartment and sold the car without it.The tag is long gone now.I will look for a build sheet when I get the car.Maybe Galen Goviercan help with records.I believe the engine was not the original but was the proper year.
Since I live 10 minutes from Las Vegas Motor Speedway and they have Friday night amatuer drag racing,
I might enjoy it the way it is:forged 10.5-1 pistons,Comp Cams .480 lift 280/280 duration cam,Offy tunnel ram with (2) 465 Holleys.Ran great before and with some carefull prep,should again.
Will post pics when the car arrives.

Welcome! ...

Gad to see another '70 A66 come back into the fold. I love 'em!

That's cool that you can buy back the same car. Had to believe that some one could buy a great car like that and not drive it . But even better for you because of that same reason.
Don't forget to check the glovebox and trunk for anything you may have left in there

Welcome! I love the story you tell! When you need great help & advice from entuisiast with the knowledge of mopars, you have sure find the right place to join!

If i some day regret what i have did, i hope i can get my old 73340 back as you did...

vegas70340 wrote:I believe the engine was not the original but was the proper year.

You say that it is a 340 car with a A66 option code? Then we know that the size of the engine is correct. (Right?) Do you mean that it is not a numbers matching engine?

vegas70340 wrote:Will post pics when the car arrives.

I hope it arrives in a minute.

Regarding engine:When I tried to sell the car,I had a person tell me the engine numbers did not match the car.I know the block had 340-6 on the side,so while it may not be a numbers matching car,it still has a 340.
From what year,who knows.The mechanic who built the engine once worked at a Dodge dealership.He thought the numbers stamped on the block were for a factory replacement block.
After 15 years,it will be fun figuring out what I will have.Internet should help.

vegas70340 wrote:I know the block had 340-6 on the side,

A sixpack engine? That can be a valueable piece of iron if you are lucky...

TA blocks have TA cast in the side.

The number after the 340 is the core revision number. The 6 in this case means that the casting mold it came from had been corrected for core shift six times.

I think six pac blocks had 4 bolt mains.The revision explanation sounds right

vegas70340 wrote:I think six pac blocks had 4 bolt mains.The revision explanation sounds right

No they didn't.

They had the bottom of the block cast so that 4-bolt mains could be machined in by the race teams. But they never came from the factory with 4-bolt mains.

Dave, is this the same for 440 six pack engines as well? thanks

Yes they didnt come with 4 bolt mains or the capacity to add them. In my personal opinion unless you have a thick enough bulkhead like a true race block adding 4 bolt mains to a B/RB is a waste of time. The 340 6Pak blocks were unique and as Dave and Barry said are cast to add this feature if the engine machinist decides to incorporate them into his buildplan. The bulkheads on those T/A AAR blocks are very thick! The only difference was in the internal engine parts between the 440 SixPack(Dodge), 4406BBL(Plymouth) and a 4 barrel 440 engine. The 440 blocks were all the same.(Except for casting ribs, post 75 blocks are a tad 'softer' in hardness) I think it was the valve springs, hyd. tappets had a special machined crown on the lifter face, the camshaft was a special taper to match the lifters face, timing chain was a double roller, pistons were 4 valve relief flat tops with a taller comp. height, camshaft lift, duration, LSA were different, Crankshaft was a premium 1000 Series forging, Connecting rods were insanely heavy but durable forged steel which were larger than standard 440 con rods, Harmonic Balancer was weight compensated for the heavy rotating assembly, of course the induction and ignition systems were unique(Distributor advance, dual points), 3 Holleys, thats all I can think of for now. Vegas Rules!

Most people agree that adding 4-bolt mains to a 440 actually weakens it. Good quality main caps are all you need on a race engine. Street engines up to 600hp are fine with the stock set-up. There are some good girdle/cap combinations out there to add strength if needed. But for more than 600hp you would be better off with an aftermarket block anyway.