What is a Magnum upgrade?

[alextucker]

Hi guys, I can't figure this out so I reckoned that I'd ask you lot yet again, does the Magnum 383 sticker actually mean anything or is it just something people put on the air cleaners? I can't find any info on what to look for to see if there was an air cleaner upgrade on the engine etc

 

[miller]

Magnum 383 doesn't have anything to do with the air cleaner...it's just the location they picked for the label.

Magnum does mean the overall engine build itself, meaning cam, carb, intake, and such.

 

[alextucker]

Thanks Miller, the previous owner says that it is a Magnum build so what do I look for to see if this is true and what difference in the build/output should I expect from a Magnum pack?

 

[mmissile]

Magnum was just a name given to the Dodge hi-performance versions of the production engines[cool muscle-car era nomenclature]. They had slightly more performance based cams, better exhaust manifolds, carbs, and ran on premium fuel. The Plymouths and Chryslers were Commando/Super Commando engines. They were standard in the performance model mopars.

 

[YY1]

I WANT that car!

 

[miller]

A so-called Magnum, just like mmissile says, is just a factory performance wise built motor, both inside and out.
Only 'visuals' you can see, would be like the hipo exhaust manifolds, true dual exhaust, four-barrel carb, intake manifold, and such. Of course, some parts inside the motor.

Main thing about it...ENJOY!!!

 

[69Coronetrt]

The 383 335 horse version was introduced in '68 to coincide with the introduction of the Road Runner and, later in the model year, the Super Bee. It was a distinct variant of the 383 and was used in 68-70 model year cars. Dodge continued to use the Magnum name, first used for the 67 44 HP engine, on the 68 383 335 horse version.

The difference between the standard 4bbl and the 383 Magnum is, basically, the valve train. The 383 Magnum borrowed the same cam and valve springs introduced in the 1967 440 Magnum. The 383 Magnum also came with a windage tray and unsilenced air cleaner. The intake and exhaust manifolds were the same as the standard 330 horse 383-4bbl. There is a difference between the 2 and 4bbl 383s but the 330 and 335 horse used the same manifolds.

Which cars actually received the Magnum variant depends on the year and application plus there were a couple of differences between the 68 and 69 A and B body versions.

The Magnum pie pan in your picture is not a correct application for the use of the Magnum pie pan. In 68 and 69, cars with A/C received the turquoise 330 horse version of the 383, not the 335 horse Magnum. In 70, there was a 383-4 335 HP A/C application but the engine would be orange.

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Thanks Miller, the previous owner says that it is a Magnum build so what do I look for to see if this is true and what difference in the build/output should I expect from a Magnum pack?

There are some subtle differences between the years.

As the main difference is internal, you, generally, really cannot 'see' the difference between a 335 horse Magnum and 330 horse 383-4bbl from the outside.

68 Magnums are turquoise just like the 330 horse but, usually, have an unsilenced air cleaner. A California sold Magnum could have the N97 noise reduction package with dual snorkel air cleaner
69 and 70 magnums are Orange compared to the 330 horse turquoise.
68 and 69s would have an AVS carb as opposed to a 330 horse Holley.
In 70, the carb depended on various factors such as N95 emissions or A/C. Carb applications in 1970 get a little tricky and Magnum could have a Carter or Holley.

There are a lot of variations in application between 68, 69 and 70. There are differences between the years so it helps to know exactly which year you are talking about when discussing the Magnum engine.

 

[alextucker]

thanks all, gets tricky, think I have a great engine either way so I'm gonna just enjoy it as Miller days

 

[patrick66]

Magnum was just a name given to the Dodge hi-performance versions of the production engines[cool muscle-car era nomenclature]. They had slightly more performance based cams, better exhaust manifolds, carbs, and ran on premium fuel. The Plymouths and Chryslers were Commando/Super Commando engines. They were standard in the performance model mopars.

The Chrysler was called T-N-T. Plymouths were called Commando and Super Commando.

 

[Cranky]

Had a 70 Challenger with the 383 4 barrel (said so on the emblem on the fenders), with the flat hood. The engine was turquoise but had the valve spring package and the high performance exhaust manifolds. Can't remember what the casting number of the intake was but it had the AVS carb. The car also had dual exhaust, front disc brakes but that was it as far as the RT's had and it ran like it had at least 30 HP less than the RT cars. The dual exhaust exited from under the rear pan but the pan did have the lower half moon cuts for the exhaust pipe clearance. Not too many of those were built however. Seems that the 330 horse power cars didn't perform as well as the 335 cars did....at least mind didn't.

 

[YY1]

I was not aware 70 E body had fender call outs for engine size.

Thank you once again 69CoronetRT for vindicating me on painting my 70 383 HP motor orange.

A certain breed of Mopar "know it some" (including one of my friends) liked to comment that any A/C Super Bee/Road Runner would have had a turquoise engine.

Took almost 25 years, but I've now been proven correct.

The OP has a 67. Did not the 67 engine call out say "383 FOUR BARREL" versus the 68-70 "383 MAGNUM" that looked nearly identical.

Speculating that the build may have used the 68-70 "Magnum" cam.

Did I mention that I L_O_V_E that car?umping heart:

 

[mmissile]

The Chrysler was called T-N-T. Plymouths were called Commando and Super Commando.

You're correct. The only exception I had to that was my Hurst 300. I bought it from the original owner in `76, and it had the Super Commando tin on it. It was the Chrysler show-car, and came outta the executive pool to my general foreman, back when I worked at Chrysler. He just had it as a daily driver.

 

[69Coronetrt]

I was not aware 70 E body had fender call outs for engine size.

Thank you once again 69CoronetRT for vindicating me on painting my 70 383 HP motor orange.

A certain breed of Mopar "know it some" (including one of my friends) liked to comment that any A/C Super Bee/Road Runner would have had a turquoise engine.

There are very specific nuances to the '68-'70 383-4bbl 335 horse assemblies. The application is different each year so you have to know what year you are talking about before you can speak specifically to the nuances.

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You're correct. The only exception I had to that was my Hurst 300. I bought it from the original owner in `76, and it had the Super Commando tin on it. It was the Chrysler show-car, and came outta the executive pool to my general foreman, back when I worked at Chrysler. He just had it as a daily driver.

Just thinking this through....

Hurst 300s were built at the Jefferson Plant.
Jefferson built only Chryslers and Imperials.
They did not build any HP Plymouths.
Unless they got a wrong shipment, there would be no reason to have a Super Commando pie tin at the plant.
The wrong pie tins made it to the production floor.
A line worked installed the wrong pie tin.

"Original" would mean a Super Commando pie tin was at a plant where it should not have been.
The car, designated as a show car, and therefore designed for a lot of public showing and likely subject to a little more inspection scrutiny, made it through final inspection.
The car went through public showings with the wrong pie pan and no executive, factory representative, dealer, mechanic, or sales person ever caught and corrected the error.

 

[mmissile]

Just what it was. It also had Challenger exhaust tips on it.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Don't know what kind of car you have, but a I would guess that it's a 66-68 based on the wiper motor. I do know that the "Magnum" wouldn't apply to a 68 & 69 if it were equipped with factory a/c. Not sure on the 66-67 cars.