2 owner 1969 Plymouth Belvedere 383/auto/AC

smithchargers said:

You are correct about the automatic and ac cars having the 330 horse 383. The 383 330 horse engine IS an HP engine (5 hp difference give me a break) so are you telling me that a 69 road runner equipped with air conditioning did not have an HP engine??? I think that Plymouth's sales and marketing team would have a different opinion.

Click to expand...

Pre 68 and in 71, the HP designation was used to distinguish the difference between a 4bbl and 2bbl. From 68-70, there was a completely different variant of the 383-4bbl designated the HP engine. Specific to this variant was the windage tray, cam, and, depending on the application, the carb and distributor. The front pad is stamped HP to indicate this version of the engine. From 68-70 the 330 horse engine is NOT considered the HP engine; the 335 horse is.

A 69 RR with A/C received the 330 horse engine. The standard configuration was the 383-4bbl four speed which did include the 335 horse engine with either transmission. Once you added the optional A/C, the car received the turquoise 330 horse non HP engine. This does not conflict with any sales or marketing material.

Engine assemblies have specific assembly numbers based on body application, transmissions and whether or not the car had A/C. For 69, the B body 383-HP has the 925 (four speed) and 926 (automatic) assembly number. Any other engine assembly is NOT considered the HP assembly.

Yes, the reporting of the H VIN and E63 code as the HP designator is common. It is also incorrect. They ONLY way to know exactly which engine assembly came in a 69 B body is by the broadcast sheet or the fender tag on a Lynch Road built car.

The picture below is for the 68 models. All of the vehicles that these engines came in code H in the VIN and all code E62 on the tag, BS, Window sticker, etc. All are three different assemblies with three different HP ratings. The same applies for 69 (except the engine code changed to E63) but I'm too damn lazy to put together a 69 example for the purposes of this discussion.

An H in the VIN and E63 sales code only tell you the car received a 383-4bbl, it does NOT tell you WHICH engine variant the car received.

- - - Updated - - -

smithchargers said:

.....so are you telling me that a 69 road runner equipped with air conditioning did not have an HP engine???

Click to expand...

Yes.

smithchargers said:

Maybe the only 383 hp with A31 axle package.Its rough but rare and worthy of a resto. The restoration has begun already.

Click to expand...

Smithchargers, you got a pm.

A~

What about 1970 383 HP? My buildsheet says it came with A/C and is a real 383 HP engine and it still has the original engine paint color from the factory being hemi orange?

Roadbird said:

What about 1970 383 HP? My buildsheet says it came with A/C and is a real 383 HP engine and it still has the original engine paint color from the factory being hemi orange?

Click to expand...

70 is different from 68 and 69.
Yes, there was a 335 horse assembly available with A/C.

Ok thanks.