383 engine color?

[DBR/T]

I've got a 69 charger  383 4bbl w/ac. Should the eng. be orange or turqouise?  I've read both in different books.  Thanks, Dale

[resq302]

If your car has a/c then your engine was turquoise.  HP versions 335 HP were painted orange.

[DBR/T]

Thats what I was afraid of!!!   Thanks man!

[MorePwr]

This might be helpfull http://www.turbinecar.com/misc/enginecolor.htm

[41husk]

mine is HP w/o air and is blue,turqoise.  and it looks as if it always has been.

[Mfr426]

DBR/T,

I have a 69 SE 383 with AC and I went round and round on this issue. According to everything I read, most cars with AC were the turquise color. The books did mention that some came through with the orange but that seemed to be exception, not the rule.

I did mine in tourquise originally and it was so ugly with my F8 green color that I changed it to the orange right away. The bottom line is unless you have a super rare car I'd make it what makes you happy. The longer I have my car the less I'm concerned with "correct" and the more I enjoy doing what I like.

Just my 2 cents...

Mike R in Reading PA

[DBR/T]

Mfr426,
   I like the way you think!  Your entirely right, my car was originally F3 green, w/ green int.  I was told the same thing by a buddy that went to alot of trouble on his 68 GTX to make sure everything was the right #'s and all and he said he'd never do that again. He said all future cars of his would be his way and for pure fun and enjoyment and screw #'s correct!
      Later,  Dale

[Mfr426]

Yep...you're bud and I learned the same lesson.

Enjoy!

[gtx6970]

in 1968 the A/C or not makes no difference. They're all turqouise

1969 is a different story

[8WHEELER]

Yea, they changed over to Orange in the 69 model year. So every 69 big block I have ever seen
was orange, and they look great and correct. So I would not think twice about painting my 69 big
block Orange, plus its what you want to look at anyway right 

Dan

[bandit67]

Ok, good info, but can you finish it out for us noobs, what were the small blocks and big blocks, A/C and non A/C cars engines painted for the years 69, 70, 71,72 and 73. I was told my sb should have been orange for 72, but when I pulled it I found  it was the origanal turquoise. I agree , paint it as you like , but would like to know what was the general rule and did it apply to ALL the assemble plants.    John

[TylerCharger69]

Hmmm...mine was actually  originally  sort of a teal color???  what was up with that anyway??

[68 RT]

Should be orange. All 69-71 high performance big blocks are hemi orange. 

[69CoronetRT]

Hmmm...mine was actually  originally  sort of a teal color???  what was up with that anyway??

Standard 383-4bbl in a 69 Charger was the 330 horse version which would be turquoise. I've seen four speeds get the orange 335 horse engine assembly but autos would have the turquoise with or without A/C. A four speed with A/C would also get the 330 horse turquoise.

[RogerDodger]

I have had 3 different Chargers from 72 - 74 all 318 with and w/o ac. All were turquoise.

[Ghoste]

Haven't Chrysler themselves stated that during the time when blue and orange were both used that when it came to which got which, it was all a generalization?
(and no, I'm sorry I don't recall where I saw that and yes I know that Chrysler "says" a lot of things about what they used to do that we all know are incorrect)

[Spartan]

I had the same question when I rebuilt my 383.  It came as a standard 2bbl I changed to a stock carter AVS 4 bbl.  Everything I read related to a 383 with A/C was turqoise.  Since it was already that color, I repainted it.  Orange would probably look better but I was used to the turqoise, most 383's I have seen have been that color.  Mine is an F5 green