I recently acquired a 1969 Super Bee with 383. Supposedly it’s a 383 Magnum but I have not confirmed. What can be used to identify year and exact engine type in the car? Here is a pic of the front of the block and both headers. It’s not numbers matching to the car.
383 Engine Identification HELP
- Thread starter yatesjr
- Start date
I believe the pass side of block has the year stamped on it. Need to look under manifold.
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
Right under the distributor there is a flat pad. On that pad you will have numbers. Those numbers will say something like D383 HP or HP2 The letter may be different because I dont know the letter for 69 off hand. But it should also give you a date that the engine was built. One of the few differences between a 383 magnum and a basic 383 was a cam, exhaust manifolds and a 4bbl intake, which you have HP manifolds so that's a plus. I'm pretty sure all of the HP engines got 906 heads for 383HP or a 440HP. And the only difference between a HP and an HP2 is what time of day or night the engine was built. HP day time HP2 Night shift.
On the side of the block you will have a number embossed into the casting. That number will tell you when the block was cast.
On the passenger side of the block there is a flat spot just above the oil pan there should be numbers punched into that section. These numbers will tell you if its the correct block for your car. It should have numbers that match your VIN.
On the side of the block you will have a number embossed into the casting. That number will tell you when the block was cast.
On the passenger side of the block there is a flat spot just above the oil pan there should be numbers punched into that section. These numbers will tell you if its the correct block for your car. It should have numbers that match your VIN.
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They were made in Sept 69, so your car I'm going to guess is a fall car. If they are orig to the car.
Pic of the fender tag?
Pic of the fender tag?
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
These would be regular 383/440 cast exhaust manifolds. Dates on the castings will just tell you when they were cast. Yours say I think 9-16-69 and look to be somewhat correct. Year one makes reproductions but they have a huge Y1 cast into them.
Standard Exhaust Manifolds
HP Exhaust Manifolds
Standard Exhaust Manifolds
HP Exhaust Manifolds
Oh ok, thank you that’s helpful. Would the same identification process be used for the transmission? I was told it’s a 727 3 speed but would like to verify
If I'm reading the 69 #s correctly it's an Oct 16 baby. (Oddly enough my brother was born that day, and both of his daughters lol)
That would make the manifolds highly likely that they came with the car.
So get the #s off the distributor pad!
And it's a 727.
69Coronetrt
Well-Known Member
Let's sort some of this out....
A 68 Super Bee could have had an HP assembly without A/C and a non HP assembly if it had A/C so it could have either assembly.
Look on the front pad for E383 and the HP stamp.
A 330 horse non HP 4bbl assembly and a 335 horse HP assembly got the same 4bbl intake and exhaust manifolds. There are no HP specific pieces.
All big blocks, HP and not, got the 906 casting heads. The difference in the HP heads was the springs to go with the HP cam.
I'm not sure the time of day of assembly regarding HP or not has been well researched and documented.
The most basic difference between the '69 orange 335 horse HP and the 330 horse turquoise non HP assembly is the cam and springs. Carbs vary by applications also.
That color chart is known to be incredibly wrong and misinformative and should be eliminated from the internet. (318 police????)
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69Coronetrt
Well-Known Member
IF this is the tag to your car, then no, the car did not come with the orange 335 horse assembly. Cars with A/C (H51 on the tag) came with the 330 horse turquoise assembly.
Again, the intake and exhaust manifolds were the same on both 383-4bbl assemblies so that's not an indication of HP or not.
So being an A/C superbee car, it would come with the 330hp motor, correct?
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
Fair enough... lol I don't claim to be an expert just trying to help. However, you cannot tell me they didn't have a 318 police car when not every car was a pursuit car. Just like now you have some V6 Charger cop cars as well as Hemi cars. Some are meter readers and ticket givers and some are pursuit cars.
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69Coronetrt
Well-Known Member
Correct.
69Coronetrt
Well-Known Member
They did not have a 318 police specific motor painted a different color as that chart indicates.
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
Ahhh okay I misread your post I guess. Makes sense.
1KoolBee
Well-Known Member
335hp motors had windage tray and hotter cam. Everything else essentially the same. Vin on 68’s stamped on top on bell housing, and stamped in pad above pan rail starting in ‘69
I have a 1969 383 that has a cp stamped in the pad by the oil pan. Is this a pursuit car engine? The block pad feels like the milling is uneven. Was this normal or has someone attempted to alter this number? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
69Coronetrt
Well-Known Member
Can you please post a picture of what you are seeing?
Mopar did not have a 'pursuit' engine assembly specific to 'cop cars'. The same assembly that went into regular cars went into cop cars.
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