R3 Numbers!

[DWR46]

Anthony: Please check your messages.

Dyke Ridgley

[DWR46]

Anthony: I am still waiting to hear back from you.

[mfg]

I wonder if the one or two experimental 340 CI Studebaker engine blocks, that made it out of the factory, had any type of numbering I.D. on them?

[Nelson]

On 4/19/2025 at 6:24 AM, mfg said:

I wonder if the one or two experimental 340 CI Studebaker engine blocks, that made it out of the factory, had any type of numbering I.D. on them?

No they didn’t number them. Even the standard casting number was on them. They were cast on Veterans Day 1963 by the date code. There is a V or N (?) cast into the side of the block. This block was discussed in an old SDC thread.

[mfg]

17 hours ago, Nelson said:

No they didn’t number them. Even the standard casting number was on them. They were cast on Veterans Day 1963 by the date code. There is a V or N (?) cast into the side of the block. This block was discussed in an old SDC thread.

I would imagine the rare R3-R4 type cylinder heads would bolt right on to the prototype 340… without the needed cylinder chamfering found in the smaller 305 CI blocks.

[Geoff]

On 4/21/2025 at 8:50 AM, mfg said:

I would imagine the rare R3-R4 type cylinder heads would bolt right on to the prototype 340… without the needed cylinder chamfering found in the smaller 305 CI blocks.

That's what I've heard from J. Pepper, that the heads put on the last of the performance Studebakers would have been more at home with the 3.875" or 4" bore blocks. Oh if only Studebaker could have been in business exactly 10 more years, and bowed out with the oil crisis, Dec. '73.
Due Cento could have returned to Bonneville on dry salt and recorded 200 MPH.
Maybe ... possibly ... a privateer team campaigning a 5L Challenger in 1966-1972 SCCA Trans-Am?

[Nelson]

Yes they do bolt right on the big bore engine. Hopefully we will see how that assembly goes in the near future. The engine is earmarked for a factory Super Package Commander. 

[mfg]

5 hours ago, Nelson said:

Yes they do bolt right on the big bore engine. Hopefully we will see how that assembly goes in the near future. The engine is earmarked for a factory Super Package Commander. 

A Studebaker 340CI engine build, using as many authentic parts as possible, would certainly be a HISTORIC achievement in our world of Studebakers/Avantis… I only wish Bob Palma was alive to witness this!

[Geoff]

Modern factoids: LS1 & LS2 are close bore & stroke matches to the Studebaker 342 & 364 "would'a been" blocks.
LS1 was 3.898" bore by 3.622" stroke. Kinda cool those are what came in the Firebird based Avanti.
LS2 was 4" bore by 3.622" stroke. It's why I'm putting a 364 LS in my Blake build, as a head-nod to Studebaker.

If Lee Zeldin keeps waving his magic wand, I will eliminate the PCV system and drill 2 holes in each of my valve covers to insert breather caps with the blue Studebaker/STP sticker on them. Let freedom ring, indeed!