How to determine build date?

[westie47]

February 26th 1969.
Car is a 69 Coronet 500 2 door hardtop 318/904 console black bucket seats. Y4 gold with a black vinyl top.

Great, thanks!

 

[westie47]

The day after mine and 671 cars ! But take note, my engine wasn't built until Feb 28th, so it was a "scheduled" build date.. not actual.
View attachment 904585

Cool! Small Mopar world! Now I'm curious where my car started out...

 

[33 IMP]

Did you mean the dealer? Or the assy plant? Built at lynch road, dealer info is not available.

 

[westie47]

Did you mean the dealer? Or the assy plant? Built at lynch road, dealer info is not available.

Dealer...I’m thinking it’s been a west coast Canada car it’s whole life.

 

[sam dupont]

Does this reveal a build date? Have a title somewhere (and the window sticker, the 4 speed was a $187 option)

 

[BLK 68 R/T]

Does this reveal a build date? Have a title somewhere (and the window sticker, the 4 speed was a $187 option)

View attachment 1519137

Umm….

 

[dadsbee]

Does this reveal a build date? Have a title somewhere (and the window sticker, the 4 speed was a $187 option)

View attachment 1519137

September 25th 1966

 

[BLK 68 R/T]

Sorry I’m half drunk and thought I had something smart to say but I decided I didn’t.

 

[R413]

Does this reveal a build date? Have a title somewhere (and the window sticker, the 4 speed was a $187 option)

View attachment 1519137

Scheduled build date 4-30-1966

September 25th 1966

This is a 1966 tag, by September 25, 1966 they were building 1967 vehicles.

 

[440 4 speed]

That's TWICE now that dadsbee and 413 beat me to respond. They must type a lot faster than me!

They appear to be able to spend more time with their computer

 

[R413]

They appear to be able to spend more time with their computer

Dialysis will do that. LOL

 

[440 4 speed]

Dialysis will do that. LOL

My comment was meant to be humorous.

 

[R413]

My comment was meant to be humorous.

So was mine. lol

 

[sam dupont]

Scheduled build date 4-30-1966


This is a 1966 tag, by September 25, 1966 they were building 1967 vehicles.

what date range of blocks would appear as original to this car? The original engine has two spun main bearings, broken pistons, and a slew of bent push rods. It ran when parked, but went knockity-knockity.

 

[440 4 speed]

So was mine. lol

Thanks!

 

[33 IMP]

what date range of blocks would appear as original to this car? The original engine has two spun main bearings, broken pistons, and a slew of bent push rods. It ran when parked, but went knockity-knockity.

Unless the spun mains were completely destroying the block (cracking it) or the broken pistons cracked the crankcase (cylinders can be sleeved) if you're willing to spend the money, the original block MIGHT be saved. Worth it for a street wedge or hemi car, certainly not for a 318 poly.
That said , I would think a late 65 thru early May 66, would appear original.

 

[R413]

what date range of blocks would appear as original to this car? The original engine has two spun main bearings, broken pistons, and a slew of bent push rods. It ran when parked, but went knockity-knockity.

What's the date on the original engine? that will tell you the correct date for the car at that time period.

 

[RemCharger]

What's the date on the original engine? that will tell you the correct date for the car at that time period.

simple questions demand simple answers.

 

[sam dupont]

Unless the spun mains were completely destroying the block (cracking it) or the broken pistons cracked the crankcase (cylinders can be sleeved) if you're willing to spend the money, the original block MIGHT be saved. Worth it for a street wedge or hemi car, certainly not for a 318 poly.
That said , I would think a late 65 thru early May 66, would appear original.

It's the original was a 383 standard cam in a Charger... maybe. Nothing special, a plain Jane with no options except 4 speed and power windows.
After I drove it to the dealership, never passing 1,000 rpm while smoking and knocking real bad high and low, they "rebuilt" it for me. I say "rebuilt" as dealerships sometimes do what it takes and don't tell a 16 year old kid exactly what they did. It could have been a 383 transplanted from another car, but it sure ran like a fresh motor. I remember a number like $325 (1974).

I guess I have only time to lose by tearing it down and going to the machine shop. I've had people claim that a block suffering spun main bearings cannot be fixed, but that never made sense to me. That's why I kept a 383 from a '66 Satellite plain Jane just like it, except no power windows. It's buried in a corner and the Charger is out on the ranch.

 

[33 IMP]

It's the original was a 383 standard cam in a Charger... maybe. Nothing special, a plain Jane with no options except 4 speed and power windows.
After I drove it to the dealership, never passing 1,000 rpm while smoking and knocking real bad high and low, they "rebuilt" it for me. I say "rebuilt" as dealerships sometimes do what it takes and don't tell a 16 year old kid exactly what they did. It could have been a 383 transplanted from another car, but it sure ran like a fresh motor. I remember a number like $325 (1974).

I guess I have only time to lose by tearing it down and going to the machine shop. I've had people claim that a block suffering spun main bearings cannot be fixed, but that never made sense to me. That's why I kept a 383 from a '66 Satellite plain Jane just like it, except no power windows. It's buried in a corner and the Charger is out on the ranch.

It takes a SKILLED machinist to save a spun main block without moving the crank up higher into the block, and in so doing make the timing chain sloppy.
I've seen it done by a well known, very experienced shop, to several bbf.
For a non numbers matching 383, (pre 68, really no such thing in the accepted sense), i sure wouldn't bother repairing it, if I had a similar date 383 to exchange. A gen2 hemi would be a different matter.