What color should a 69' 383 engine be?

[4Bangin69]

I just had my engine reduilt and installed in the car. This guy told me that i painted it the wrong color Chrysler blue. It should be orange.. I just matched the original color when i took it out. The previous owner said that its the original engine and its never been changed how do i find out?

[Tilar]

From everything I've read, the stock 383's in 69 were generally turquoise, High performance engines were generally orange. Subject to change without notice. 

[4Bangin69]

Does that meen that i don't have a 383 magnum. How do i check?

[472 R/T SE]

Does your car have A/C?

[resq302]

Does your car have A/C?

I agree.  If your car had a/c, it would not have been the HP 383.  Cars with a/c got a turquoise blue color and HP engines got the street hemi orange paint.

[hemi-hampton]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

[hemigeno]

Does that meen that i don't have a 383 magnum. How do i check?

In '69, the term 'Magnum' was used just for the HP 440s and 383s, but every 383-4 isn't officially considered a HiPo engine.  Since your Charger is an automatic, the 383 is not considered a 'Magnum' even though it may have originally been a 4bbl version.  Both the 383 2bbl and 4bbl non-HP engines were painted turquoise in '69.

Does your car have A/C?

I agree.  If your car had a/c, it would not have been the HP 383.  Cars with a/c got a turquoise blue color and HP engines got the street hemi orange paint.

Another indicator is the transmission - and 4Bangin's car is an automatic.  There's at least some debate on what is and is not "supposed" to be installed in a '69 Charger w/ a 383 4bbl.  Factory paperwork shows that '69 Chargers (as well as Coronet Deluxe, 440 and 500 models) equipped with the 383-4 and a 4-speed transmission usually received the 2946925 version of the 383... which is considered a 'Magnum', was originally painted orange, and is the same engine installed 4-speed RoadRunners & SuperBees.  That's the only exception for Chargers according to the paperwork, but I certainly haven't seen every car and/or broadcast sheet to say for certain that's the case.

[bsakal]

If this helps, the engine in my '69 Charger was turquoise. It is an "H" code 330 horse 383, non a/c car.

[bsakal]

I forgot to add this - back in '88 or '89, I pulled an "H" code 383 out of a friends '69 Charger to install in a Coronet I was fooling around with, it was the original engine and had never been apart, and it was turquoise. I believe this car had A/C...

[alcusswhen]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

Wrong, if the car is an R/T you could only get a magnum engine a/c or not. I remember this from the Charger R/T 383/727 w/air the day "9 May,1969" I ordered my 69 R/T SE here at Hill Kelly Dodge in Pensacola FL three days after 18 months in Vietnam. 

[hemi-hampton]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

Wrong, if the car is an R/T you could only get a magnum engine a/c or not. I remember this from the Charger R/T 383/727 w/air the day "9 May,1969" I ordered my 69 R/T SE here at Hill Kelly Dodge in Pensacola FL three days after 18 months in Vietnam. 

WRONG, The R/T never came with a 383. 440 was standard & your only option was the 6 pack (starting in 70) & the Hemi. LEON.

[4Bangin69]

My car didnt come with A/C.. Its a automatic and not sure if its a HP or not. Will that be on my build sheet or fender tag?

[hemi-hampton]

If not a AC Car then I'll go with my Original guess, That is the real early 69 Builds (actually late 68) are Turquoise while the later 69's were Orange. I'm sure their is a factory Bullitin (tbs) out there somewhere that describes this change. LEON.

[hemi-hampton]

My Buddy's 69 Roadrunner I restored recently was Turquois or Blue & was original owner & paint on motor but AC car but real early build. LEON.

[69CoronetRT]

Does that meen that i don't have a 383 magnum. How do i check?

In '69, the term 'Magnum' was used just for the HP 440s and 383s, but every 383-4 isn't officially considered a HiPo engine.  Since your Charger is an automatic, the 383 is not considered a 'Magnum' even though it may have originally been a 4bbl version.  Both the 383 2bbl and 4bbl non-HP engines were painted turquoise in '69.

Does your car have A/C?

I agree.  If your car had a/c, it would not have been the HP 383.  Cars with a/c got a turquoise blue color and HP engines got the street hemi orange paint.

Another indicator is the transmission - and 4Bangin's car is an automatic.  There's at least some debate on what is and is not "supposed" to be installed in a '69 Charger w/ a 383 4bbl.  Factory paperwork shows that '69 Chargers (as well as Coronet Deluxe, 440 and 500 models) equipped with the 383-4 and a 4-speed transmission usually received the 2946925 version of the 383... which is considered a 'Magnum', was originally painted orange, and is the same engine installed 4-speed RoadRunners & SuperBees.  That's the only exception for Chargers according to the paperwork, but I certainly haven't seen every car and/or broadcast sheet to say for certain that's the case.

FWIW I agree.

No HP A/C cars in 68 or 69 - all 383-4bbl A/C cars, regardless of tranny, came with 330 horse. There was no HP A/C engine assembly built those two years.
69 Charger with A/C or Automatic = Turquoise 330 horse engine
69 Charger with four speed = Orange 335 horse engine. There was no 330 horse manual transmission assembly built that year like there was in 68. All four speed B-bodies got the 335 assembly.

However, I've wondered if a 335 horse automatic Charger couldn't have slipped out of the STL plant in 68.

[hemigeno]

My car didnt come with A/C.. Its a automatic and not sure if its a HP or not. Will that be on my build sheet or fender tag?

If you have the broadcast sheet, see what is coded under "Engine" on line three.  That will confirm what we've been saying, and I'd hazard a guess that it will read 900.

However, I've wondered if a 335 horse automatic Charger couldn't have slipped out of the STL plant in 68.

Wouldn't doubt it.  Doug, you'd be amazed (appalled?) at some of the stories we've heard from the St. Louis Assembly Plant workers that live around here.  QUITE often they would walk a friend/relative's car down the assembly line, and all sorts of things, from double-layer floor pans, upgraded suspensions, stereo, interior & exterior trim, wheels/tires, etc., were unofficially added to a car through the buddy system.  It would not surprise me at all if someone put a 383HP/727 in such a car.

[bull]

Interesting, Never knew that  LEON.

Wrong, if the car is an R/T you could only get a magnum engine a/c or not. I remember this from the Charger R/T 383/727 w/air the day "9 May,1969" I ordered my 69 R/T SE here at Hill Kelly Dodge in Pensacola FL three days after 18 months in Vietnam.  

What? I can't believe anyone here still thinks R/T Chargers came 383s. Are you sure you weren't ordering a Challenger? If it was a Charger it either had a 440/426 or it wasn't an R/T.

[resq302]

My Buddy's 69 Roadrunner I restored recently was Turquois or Blue & was original owner & paint on motor but AC car but real early build. LEON.

Nice job on the engine.  Looks really good!

[resq302]

Interesting, Never knew that  LEON.

Wrong, if the car is an R/T you could only get a magnum engine a/c or not. I remember this from the Charger R/T 383/727 w/air the day "9 May,1969" I ordered my 69 R/T SE here at Hill Kelly Dodge in Pensacola FL three days after 18 months in Vietnam.  

What? I can't believe anyone here still thinks R/T Chargers came 383s. Are you sure you weren't ordering a Challenger? If it was a Charger it either had a 440/426 or it wasn't an R/T.

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!  You mean to tell me that slant 6 charger that I saw wasn't a real r/t?      

[alcusswhen]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

[hemigeno]

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

I think I'd like to see the fender tag from that car, alcusswhen... a 440 4-speed with air wasn't an officially-available combination.

[6bblgt]

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

I think I'd like to see the fender tag from that car, alcusswhen... a 440 4-speed with air wasn't an officially-available combination.

I'll second that!  ..................  bring on the pics!! ..................  factory, NEVER!!! 

[72sechargerman]

Maybe the A/C was dealer installed
As far as what color to paint your Engine if the car is concours then it matter's if not pick the color you like

[mally69]

 

[4Bangin69]

It might be to late its been painted Chrysler blue not turquoise.

[69_500]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

So let me get this right. You ordered the car on May 9th, and picked it up May 11th? 2 days to process the order, and then to build the car and then deliver it. Hmmmm, yeah seems about the right amount of time. Then again what color is "HIME" orange?

[maxwellwedge]

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

I think I'd like to see the fender tag from that car, alcusswhen... a 440 4-speed with air wasn't an officially-available combination.

I did see a car and buildsheet from a club member a few years ago on a factory built 383, 335, A/C 4-Speed '69 Coronet. Not that it really matters, the car came from Grand-Spaulding Dodge....but hey - maybe a zone rep or someone with some yank got it built.

[alcusswhen]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

Wrong, if the car is an R/T you could only get a magnum engine a/c or not. I remember this from the Charger R/T 383/727 w/air the day "9 May,1969" I ordered my 69 R/T SE here at Hill Kelly Dodge in Pensacola FL three days after 18 months in Vietnam. 

WRONG, The R/T never came with a 383. 440 was standard & your only option was the 6 pack (starting in 70) & the Hemi. LEON.

Where was you in March 1969 when I ordered my car through the PX in Bearcat South Vietnam? On the order sheet I could get a 383, 440 or HIME the reason I didn't get a HIME was because I couldn't get A/C with it. My order was sent to Hill Kelly Dodge here in Pensacola, when I came home in May the car was ready. If you where a true mopar person you would never say never. At the time it cost a 21 yro 30$ more a year for insurance on a 440 That's a lot of money when you only make 285$ a month. Sorry to mislead about when where order was placed that was a loong time ago.

[69CoronetRT]

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

I think I'd like to see the fender tag from that car, alcusswhen... a 440 4-speed with air wasn't an officially-available combination.

I did see a car and buildsheet from a club member a few years ago on a factory built 383, 335, A/C 4-Speed '69 Coronet. Not that it really matters, the car came from Grand-Spaulding Dodge....but hey - maybe a zone rep or someone with some yank got it built.

Do you recall the engine assembly code?

[alcusswhen]

Interesting, Never knew that   LEON.

I've owned 69 R/T SE sense may 11th 1969 it has air a four speed and a hime orange 440.

So let me get this right. You ordered the car on May 9th, and picked it up May 11th? 2 days to process the order, and then to build the car and then deliver it. Hmmmm, yeah seems about the right amount of time. Then again what color is "HIME" orange?

No I cleared that up in my last post everything started at the PX in Bearcat South Vietnam in March 69.

[maxwellwedge]

I'll look to see if I have any pics or paperwork - but that was 3 or 4 computers ago. I remember the fellows last name was Frazier and he was in Michigan and he passed away about 5 years ago.

[Harper]

alcusswhen,
are you still around?
I am not that far from you. Probably about 1 1/2 hours northwest.