1970 challenger 440

[ovCUDAvo]

I'm thinking about getting the correct date code for my 1970 Challenger U-code RT SE. My car was manufactured in October 1969. Am I correct when I assume the motor should have a date stamp of 1969? and should it be a HP motor?

[JS27N0B]

Yes, you are thinking correctly. Rule of thumb says the casting date should be up to 3 months before scheduled production date.

[ovCUDAvo]

My follow up questions may be really stupid but here it goes!

The casting date for my car should be between July and October of '69. So they wouldn't  have put a block with a casting date of...lets say  February of '69 in this car?

In your opinion how much of a difference does it make or how much value does it add if any to the car if the date is within 3 months as apposed to a block that has a casting date of sometime in '69. What about the HP stamp?

[JS27N0B]

In my opinion I would sooner have the numbered block, If I couldn't have that, one with a correct date code would be next best choice.
Anything else wouldn't matter. If it wasn't the numbered engine the HP stamp is also not worth worrying about.

[Grec]

Once the original, numbers-matching block is gone, the damage is pretty much done. The whole "date-code correct 440" yadda yadda is a marketing gimmick to make a non-matching car sound better. It either matches or it doesn't. In my humble opinion, at least. :-)

But yes, Feb would be too early and yes, it would have been HP.

[ovCUDAvo]

Thanks, I do appreciate the feedback. I guess if I come across a date code motor I will pick it up, otherwise, its doesn't matter that much to me anyway because its still bad ass. I bet that topic has been beaten to death anyway. Not the correct motor but its still a '70 Challenger, to me thats like saying Marilyn Monroe wasn't a true blond.  I'm not kicking either one out of my garage. My wife thinks theres something psychologically wrong with me anyway. I go down to the fridge in the garage to grab a cold beverage and don't return for hour.

[Rare_T_A]

Once the original, numbers-matching block is gone, the damage is pretty much done. The whole "date-code correct 440" yadda yadda is a marketing gimmick to make a non-matching car sound better. It either matches or it doesn't. In my humble opinion, at least. :-)

But yes, Feb would be too early and yes, it would have been HP.

Well put!   

[Grec]

I go down to the fridge in the garage to grab a cold beverage and don't return for hour.

It's called love. :-)

[HP2]

Once the original, numbers-matching block is gone, the damage is pretty much done. The whole "date-code correct 440" yadda yadda is a marketing gimmick to make a non-matching car sound better. It either matches or it doesn't. In my humble opinion, at least. :-)

Not necessarily. Prior to mid '68, Mopar numbers matching didn't exactly exist as the vins were not placed on engines and transmissions. In these cases, date code correct is as good as it gets.

[DAYLEY/CHALLENGER]

I've got a 70 R/T S/E that was made in Oct, 69 also........Lets see some pics..............



Edit.........I added a pic of my block.......they said this is not orginal either.....440 but what year??

[Chryco Psycho]

I tend to agree , the #s block is the only one that holds the value of the car up , once it is gone anything you install is non numbers so build what you want .
 I too have an Aug built R/T SE

[JS27N0B]

I've got a 70 R/T S/E that was made in Oct, 69 also........Lets see some pics..............



Edit.........I added a pic of my block.......they said this is not orginal either.....440 but what year??

You need the casting date from the other side of the block for when it was cast. The I.D. pad beside the distributor will tell you what year it was built for. 1969 motor would be E440 on the I.D. pad while one built for a 1970 vehicle would be F440.

[ovCUDAvo]

I was just wondering if since it doesn't have the numbers matching motor if there was the "next best thing".
I guess if some people believe a date coded motor is better than non "period correct" then it kind of makes it so.
I was just thinking if it was worth my while to search for one. All in all I have no plans to sell or use my car as investment tool.
But, now I'm curious. Obviously numbers matching is preferred on any car. What's your thoughts on non numbers cars and what they were born as? Such as a 440 car vs. a 383 car or a barracuda vs. cuda. Say they all now have 440's. Does a true 440 retain better? Is there more "value" in a non numbers but more rare car or is a clone just as valuable?

[torredcuda]

There are plenty of guys including myself who think a correct type(HP) and date code engine or transmission are a plus even though it won`t be numbers matching.I have the numbers matching block for my road runner but not the trans so I searched till I found the correct casting number 727 case with the correct date code so the only thing not correct is the vin number stamp.To me that is much better than an obviuosly wrong year engine block or trans case as there are visual differences in them.

[Gus cuda]

ovCUDAvo, sounds like to me you have a car that you can build just like you would have done in 1970 if you would have bought it new. Like everybody says, a numbers car is a numbers car. Anything else isnt in the same league. You can enjoy this one man, go for it! Either way, you have a car that is very rarely seen and therefor will be the envy of many.