color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger

Author Topic: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger  (Read 22657 times)

Offline Supercuda

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2008 - 07:57:30 PM »
Yes, you could get the raisin bran hood on the base Challenger. I think that there were a couple other differences between the 335hp and 330hp engines, but the research was never done in my world. I know that my N-code engine came orange, with the Holley carb, and with the 276/292 camshaft (unique to the 383/335hp in 1970), I believe that the standard 440/375hp cam was used in the 383/330hp engine (268/284).




Offline Challenger6pak

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2008 - 08:54:53 PM »
Both 4-bbl 383 engines were "N" codes in the VIN.

One was HP, one was not. The HP version was orange, the regular version blue.

Here is the 1970 TSB page showing the engine colors;

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1970/D70-25-1%20page5.jpg
Barry,
 Do you have any 1970 order sheets? Was the standard 4 bbl. 383 available in an Ebody? Or was it only available in other lines. The N-code may be the only one available with a 4 bl. in an Ebody. If this is the case the orange color would be the color for a 383 4 bbl. in an Ebody. I will check to see what was available for 71.
1969 Sport Satellite H code convertible, 1970 Cuda 440+6, 1970 Challenger R/T 440+6, 1970 Challenger 383 R/T auto, 1970 Challenger R/T 383 4 speed,1971 Challenger convertible.

Alaskan_TA

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #17 on: November 26, 2008 - 09:14:09 PM »
The std. 383 4bbl was available in other 1970 models.





Offline Challenger6pak

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #18 on: November 26, 2008 - 09:49:01 PM »
It looks like in 1970 the orange N-code 383 was the only 383 4 bbl. in the Ebody. A blue 383 4 bbl. motor would be for other car lines. Which would make orange the answer for this thread.
1969 Sport Satellite H code convertible, 1970 Cuda 440+6, 1970 Challenger R/T 440+6, 1970 Challenger 383 R/T auto, 1970 Challenger R/T 383 4 speed,1971 Challenger convertible.

Alaskan_TA

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #19 on: November 26, 2008 - 09:50:07 PM »
I disagree.

Offline Supercuda

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #20 on: November 28, 2008 - 02:00:26 PM »
Like Barry said, both 4-bbl 383 engines were available in the Challenger. I have also seen both the Carter AVS and Holley carbs used on the HP version for 1970, and the "standard" 383 4-V engine was turquoise in every car I have seen one in. Although I have not ever seen a 383/330hp engine with the Holley carb installed by the factory, it does not mean that they did not exist.

Offline dusty

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #21 on: December 04, 2008 - 10:29:07 PM »
Didn't the air conditioning option have something to do with the engine color? I have read other places that air optioned vehicles came with the blue engine, yet it is also out there that air came with the orange engines as well.  :clueless:

In any event, surely they didn't just throw orange and blue engines in willy-nilly... Or did they? There are a lot more questions that answer to this. Maybe one day an answer will come.

Does anyone have an R/T with an orange block *and* air?

I have a 70 n code SE, and the original owners dad said that the original engine was orange.. I have no idea., but would guess he knows because he was there with his son when they bought it from the dealer. Then again a lot of time has passed and maybe he just doesn't remember.

Maybe we will never know all the answers, but searching for them sure is fun! 

Offline dusty

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #22 on: December 12, 2008 - 08:35:53 AM »
Well I thought we had an example here of an non-r/t N code convertible with an ORANGE engine. But I am not so sure, all over the car where the paint is gone below the orange, it looks blue? Maybe just be light/camera stuff?

ebay ad: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___MOPAR-1970-CHALLENGER-383-4-SPEED-CONVERTIBLE-S-MATCH_W0QQitemZ330293913418QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item330293913418&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318



The fender tag looks legit though and calls for orange..although the engine bay could have been repainted? The ad says numbers match... Cool car!
\

So more questions... Anyone have any insights? :)
« Last Edit: December 12, 2008 - 08:47:26 AM by dusty »

Offline Challenger6pak

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #23 on: December 12, 2008 - 12:47:36 PM »
I plan to do some more research into it when I can. The only blue high performance engine option I remember in the Ebody, and I stress remember, is the later 340's.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2008 - 12:49:19 PM by Challenger6pak »
1969 Sport Satellite H code convertible, 1970 Cuda 440+6, 1970 Challenger R/T 440+6, 1970 Challenger 383 R/T auto, 1970 Challenger R/T 383 4 speed,1971 Challenger convertible.

Offline itsfred

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2008 - 07:35:45 AM »
I dont know how accurate this is, it has nothing to do with engine color. it may shed some light on the cam question.
http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/engine/index.html#chry   this is the nhra site for engine specs.   go to chrysler pick the year you want and then check out the cam specs. according to this 330 horse 383 came with a smaller cam and single springs. the 335 horse 383 had the bigger cam with dual springs. unsure about hp oil pump and windage tray. it also lists what carbs came with what engine. hope it helps
 fred

Offline scf100

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2008 - 08:09:01 AM »
Both 4-bbl 383 engines were "N" codes in the VIN.

One was HP, one was not. The HP version was orange, the regular version blue.

Here is the 1970 TSB page showing the engine colors;

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1970/D70-25-1%20page5.jpg


I agree with Barry( who knows a lot more then me!)
when I got my Challenger a 2 years ago it had the wrong engine( blue 400) so I researched this and later found a date coded motor(orange 383HP) for my car because I was confused about the colors too...

same thing goes for when I went to fig out which frigging carb was orig to my 383 Magnum non a/c no Cali,auto car!.....too many diff carbs where avail!

1970 Challenger R/T convertible 383…. 4-speed…3.91 suregrip

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Offline FY1443433

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #26 on: December 13, 2008 - 09:15:20 AM »
Didn't the air conditioning option have something to do with the engine color? I have read other places that air optioned vehicles came with the blue engine, yet it is also out there that air came with the orange engines as well.  :clueless:

In any event, surely they didn't just throw orange and blue engines in willy-nilly... Or did they? There are a lot more questions that answer to this. Maybe one day an answer will come.

Does anyone have an R/T with an orange block *and* air?

I have a 70 n code SE, and the original owners dad said that the original engine was orange.. I have no idea., but would guess he knows because he was there with his son when they bought it from the dealer. Then again a lot of time has passed and maybe he just doesn't remember.

Maybe we will never know all the answers, but searching for them sure is fun! 

Dusty,

I own a 70 Challenger R/T 383 4 speed with A/C and the engine is orange.  I'm not sure where you read that at but it's not true. 

Fy1

Offline dusty

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #27 on: December 13, 2008 - 09:30:33 AM »
What i was saying was related to non r/t cars. The r/t cars got the orange engines, yet there have been several questions here and on other forums about the non r/t cars. Apparently the non R/T cars could have gotten either an orange or a blue engine? The pics and the ad on ebay above show what looks like an orange numbers matching engine in an N-code non-R/T car. I have no idea, but have been searching for examples of this. I called and spoke with the guy I bought my non-R/T car from two days ago, and he said when his friend bought it, it had an orange engine. There was a sister/brother car to mine that was for sale just a few weeks ago, and the the fellow that bought it is a new member here, his engine is numbers matching and orange. I have also seen another N-code SE that had a blue engine, and then this convertible that I posted the image of up above sure seems to have an orange engine in it..  :22yikes:


I have no idea. I trust Barry as well, he knows a lot about this stuff! But the question keeps coming up, and it never seems to be answered with proof either way. The images above are of a JH27 convertible --N-code, with what sure looks like an orange block. (Unless it has been re-painted or something, and who knows really after all these years).


One more thing, just trying to be clear. The R/T N code cars with air have orange engines. The question is what color are the N-Code engines in non R/T cars? From what I have found (some anecdotal and some like the pics listed and more in the past is that apparantly some base N-Code cars had orange engines). I don't know the criteria for why,what,where for doing that! The only thing that made the 5 extra horsepower was the carb anyway.

In any event, not trying to start a flame war or anything. Hope everyone has a blessed day!
« Last Edit: December 13, 2008 - 09:39:19 AM by dusty »

Alaskan_TA

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #28 on: December 13, 2008 - 10:19:31 PM »

Offline bb71challenger

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Re: color of 383/4 in a standard Barracuda or Challenger
« Reply #29 on: December 13, 2008 - 10:54:17 PM »
Well this will make it easier for me anyway. IF the engine were to be blue in 1971 would it be the turquoise blue or the darker blue that was the norm for Chrysler through most of the 70's? I absolutely hate the Chrysler blue but love the turquoise. If a base 383/2 or 383/4 needs to be the Chrysler blue then I will just paint it orange and be done with it.
1971 Challenger (OO==== ====OO) getting close!
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