4104230 318 “Race Engine”?

[cosgig]

Howdy people, I have stumbled onto an engine casting number 4104230-318 which is in Galen's White Book as a 318 “Race Engine”. Does anybody know what that means, and should I be buying this thing? It’s currently in a 78 Stepside pickup they was owned by a longtime Mopar enthusiast that has passed away. The truck has been sitting for a long time, and I can buy the whole truck, but I want to find some info on this engine before I plunk down the coin to buy it. Any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks FBBO!

 

[Photon440]

While the 4104230 block was used in cars and trucks around 1981-1984, there was also a race block with the same number, but it also had a large X where the dipstick tube was, and may not have been drilled for the dipstick. If it's the race block it should have four bolt mains, and likely a left engine mount like a 360.

 

[cosgig]

While the 4104230 block was used in cars and trucks around 1981-1984, there was also a race block with the same number, but it also had a large X where the dipstick tube was, and may not have been drilled for the dipstick. If it's the race block it should have four bolt mains, and likely a left engine mount like a 360.

It has the drivers side engine mount like a 360, I thought it may be a 340. The owner was known to drive a lot of high HP stuff, and him putting something into this truck was quite possible. He worked for the Chrysler proving grounds.

 

[Bobzilla]

This comes up every once in a while on the FABO site. Everyone stops reading as soon as they see the casting number come up somewhere as a number used on some race blocks. If it is a race block with that casting number it will be an X block, and will have that X cast into the front of the block on the right side, near the oil dipstick. No X there means it is a standard 318 truck block from the production line.

Here is one of the threads from FABO:

318 race engine 4104230-318 any info. on these engines?

 

[j-c-c-62]

That link mentions the final one or two digit dash number indicates the progressive order of "copied" casting molds.
That is a very believable explanation and one I have followed for decades..
However, in the past year a member who stated he worked in the casting foundry claimed that number really designates the casting station, so if problems arose with the casting, it was easier to track down the source. That is also a believable explanation.
I doubt both can be true, and I have no idea which is, or how much it really matters to us.