440 vs 383

[cj69RR]

My 383 is all stock except for the carb and a little bit bigger cam from stock. Even the old cast iron intake manifold. And exhaust manifolds. Resolved the fuel issues and its very reliable even down here where its always jot. No over heating and it doesn't have a fan shroud which will be the next thing I add to it.

 

[69hemibeep]

I like 383's I use to race one in an A-body :banana:

 

[A31PKG]

If we can get JD to chime in, he'll tell you how he won quite a few races with (and in many respects preferred) the good ol' 383. This coming from a dyed-in-the-wool 6BBL & Hemi guy!

 

[moparmike]

68 cars DID NOT have a vin stamp on the block. The date code on the block is usually anywhere from 3 to 7 weeks BEFORE the build date of the car. If you have a 383 block with 906 heads, and the date falls inside those times, it would be considered an original block.

 

[69hemibeep]

http://www.moparcarparts.com/ENGINEiDENT

 

[A31PKG]

http://www.moparcarparts.com/ENGINEiDENT

Great site Bob!

Yes, in '68 (maybe earlier years as well) the last 6 digitis of the VIN were in fact stamped on the block, near the OPS on the back looking down at about the 12 o'clock position.

It's interesting to note that without an original build sheet, window sticker, or MSO (Manufacturer's Statement of Origin) there is really no way to definitively "marry" the dash VIN plate & engine/trans assemblies with the data tag on a '68. This is due to the fact that the last six digits of the VIN and the Vehicle Shipping Number both appear on these docs. This info may also be on the IBM card, although I'm not sure about that. Casting/build dates, plant codes, & part numbers can get you in the ballpark, but one cannot be 100% sure without the above. This is why they simplified in '69 and used the last 6 digits of the VIN on the body instead of the shipping number.

Here's another site I've found helpful...

http://andy440.com/tag.htm

 

[jays69bird]

If we can get JD to chime in, he'll tell you how he won quite a few races with (and in many respects preferred) the good ol' 383. This coming from a dyed-in-the-wool 6BBL & Hemi guy!

I remember back in the Roadrunner and GTX newsletters,John used to have tuning tips to get stock 383's to run in the 13's consistently.