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Is my Hemi original to my car???

If the engine was assembled in Jan 66 Carb dates codes should be K5, L5, maybe M5. Think they skipped I and J for month codes but I'm not sure.
 
You can have original carbs, but the block changed. If the car had an early or mid life issue with oil and spun a bearing and windowed the block, a new or used 66 block could have been used to replace it. You will never know one way or the other. I know a one owner car still owned by original owner. Was a daily family driver. 2 minor accidents and normal maintenance and things like brakes, drums, master cylinder, boost, distributor, alternator, starter replaced numerous times before acknowledgement that it was a rare and worth car to be oem # matching. So all you can do is go with date code correct parts now.

It would have to be a unrestored garage queen with no evidence of motor being removed to establish any providence that motor is original for early cars. Let alone all the restamping that has occurred once the hobby took off and cars became really valuable. Blocks and hemi carbs. So now you have to make a case the car was a mistake and a 66 B code block put in a 67 car. With a motor made 10 months early. Buying a car now days is fraught with risk, unless you paying well under market value. In the end this will only matter if your having it OEM judged or trying to sell it.
 
I appreciate your input. I'm sure the engine has been out of the car before, and whether it is the original block or not is anybodies guess. It sounds like the consensus is that it is probably not. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it either way. The car is 51 years old after all, but it is very original and stock with 58,000 miles on the clock. I occasionally take it to car shows, but am not really even serious about that. I just like to maintain it, and occasionally fire it up and go run it through the gears (5500 RPM max) and be 17 years old again. It brings back memories for my wife too, who 42 years ago was my girl friend and was in on a few wild rides while sitting on the console. I bought the car six years ago because it was identical to the one I had when I was a kid, and I had to sell it to stay in college. Regretted selling it all my life, and I was in the position to fix my mistake. Prices have gone up though- I bought my first one in 1973 for $975, and sold it three years later for $1,400 with fourth gear out in the trans. I plan on keeping this one until I am too old to push in a clutch!
 
Good philosophy. I have a Daily Driver 70RR all original Mopar parts, but Non Matching. Starts every time, everything works and no reprod parts. Was restored 25 plus years ago, but the owner who bought it when he was 17 and had it for about 40 years. I would take it at my price point over many of the later OEM restored cars that have reprod parts all over them; and much of the electrical stuff does not work right.
 
Davo said:
I appreciate your input. I'm sure the engine has been out of the car before, and whether it is the original block or not is anybodies guess. It sounds like the consensus is that it is probably not. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it either way. The car is 51 years old after all, but it is very original and stock with 58,000 miles on the clock. I occasionally take it to car shows, but am not really even serious about that. I just like to maintain it, and occasionally fire it up and go run it through the gears (5500 RPM max) and be 17 years old again. It brings back memories for my wife too, who 42 years ago was my girl friend and was in on a few wild rides while sitting on the console. I bought the car six years ago because it was identical to the one I had when I was a kid, and I had to sell it to stay in college. Regretted selling it all my life, and I was in the position to fix my mistake. Prices have gone up though- I bought my first one in 1973 for $975, and sold it three years later for $1,400 with fourth gear out in the trans. I plan on keeping this one until I am too old to push in a clutch!
Click to expand...
I wouldn't sweat it either......There is always someone that thinks they "know it all" and spew all they think they know but in the end most of those types. I have yet to see what they have match what they say......

You have a rare and sweet ride that had/has the honor of an original elephant....that in itself is the cool factor....
 
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Enjoy your car Davo!! You have something that should be, first and foremost, enjoyed! Don't sweat the details too much. Face it, we can only come up with our best educated opinion on whether the engines in our cars are the originals since no VINs are stamped on them. After over 50 years, we can't know for sure without being the original owners. But they're a blast to drive regardless!!
 
So many different issues could have occurred that unless you were at the assembly plant putting together your own car? No car can be 100% certain. I have read many articles from past plant workers. The bottom line? We (classic car enthusiasts.) Are far more scrutinise to documentation than anyone back in the day. Be lucky your a Mopar guy? GM was worse with order. With documented case of darn right fraud on build sheets. (But of course they didn't see it as any purposeful deception. Just an accident on the line. Corrected and production resumed.)

It does make for interesting discussion. But in the end? It is what it is.
 
Sure enough- I bought it from an individual from Greensburg or Columbus Indiana, who said he purchased a collection of six muscle cars from a widow that would only do a package deal. He had to buy six cars to get the couple of cars he wanted.
There was a 1996 application for title in the glove box when I got the car, and the owner (now deceased) had an address in Indianapolis. I also have a certificate of vehicle registration from 2005 for the same owner. I also have information that the car was assembled in St. Louis, and shipped to and sold by Baxter Chrysler Plymouth in Omaha, Nebraska.I have tried to get more information on the car, to no avail. Do you think you know my car????
 
I just replied, but don't think it got in line in the thread- sorry...
 
Davo said:
I appreciate your input. I'm sure the engine has been out of the car before, and whether it is the original block or not is anybodies guess. It sounds like the consensus is that it is probably not. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it either way. The car is 51 years old after all, but it is very original and stock with 58,000 miles on the clock. I occasionally take it to car shows, but am not really even serious about that. I just like to maintain it, and occasionally fire it up and go run it through the gears (5500 RPM max) and be 17 years old again. It brings back memories for my wife too, who 42 years ago was my girl friend and was in on a few wild rides while sitting on the console. I bought the car six years ago because it was identical to the one I had when I was a kid, and I had to sell it to stay in college. Regretted selling it all my life, and I was in the position to fix my mistake. Prices have gone up though- I bought my first one in 1973 for $975, and sold it three years later for $1,400 with fourth gear out in the trans. I plan on keeping this one until I am too old to push in a clutch!
Click to expand...

I'm a bit of a romantic, but I think having that story attached to your car is cooler than having an original motor in a car that has no story to you.
 
Cojohnso1 said:
So many different issues could have occurred that unless you were at the assembly plant putting together your own car? No car can be 100% certain. I have read many articles from past plant workers. The bottom line? We (classic car enthusiasts.) Are far more scrutinise to documentation than anyone back in the day. Be lucky your a Mopar guy? GM was worse with order. With documented case of darn right fraud on build sheets. (But of course they didn't see it as any purposeful deception. Just an accident on the line. Corrected and production resumed.)

It does make for interesting discussion. But in the end? It is what it is.
Click to expand...
I'd love to read some of those articles of palnt workers if you have them saved.
 
Chrysler Historical Services has IBM build cards for 1967 and earlier. Includes dealer info.

For what it's worth, I have a 67 with a 383.
Casting date 1-9-67.
Front pad stamped C 383, C for 1967.
Below that is 5 23, for May 23rd.

Fender tag indicates 5/31 shipping date.
Build card shows 5/31 scheduled shipping date, with an actual shipping date of 5/26.

5/23/67 was a Friday, 5/26 a Monday.

Based on that, and other parts/numbers, no doubt original engine.

Not sure if engine pad stamp was based on the actual year, or the year of the car.

If I were to guess, based on the stamping of the actual assembly month and day, and engine size, I would say actual year.
 
68X426 said:
Entirely possible, and very likely. I've read that the Hemi had a huge over-run of motors when introduced in 1966. The excess inventory was used well into 1967 model year.

All Hemi engines were made at the Chrysler Marine and Industrial Plant in Marysville, Michigan, and then shipped complete to other assembly plants. All the inventory was located at Marysville.

I have seen a photo of that inventory in 1966 at Marysville. There had to be over a thousand Hemi motors stack on shipping pallets, something like 4 high, 2 rows of 4 across, and 50 deep. That would be 1600 motors in inventory. I can't find that picture, googled it a long time, can't locate it. If someone has it saved please post it. It is an awesome sight.

From Allpar:
Street Hemi Production
1966 3,350
1967 1,282
1968 2,428
1969 1,787
1970 1,571
1971 486
Total 10,904

Many of those '66 built Hemis went into '67 cars (just can't find any hard data on the specifics).
Click to expand...
upload_2019-8-4_20-43-26.png
 
That photo is from Ray Nichols' shop. They're Nascar race Hemis.
 
Having a large amount of cast parts in a warehouse, or lot is different then having assembled motor waiting a year for use. Other websites have good posting from folks that worked at foundry. So when a motor was needed to be built, they would get one from the inventory and they did not use first in first out supply methods. They got the easiest block to reach and then did the machining . I can't speak to the early years, but the 69 Hemi's seem to get parts dated Jun/Jul for early Sep build. Based on well documented original cars looking at carb/distributor, wheel and Master Cylinder Tags/date codes. A BH block is a 66 car motor. A 67 car should have a CH Motor. As long as none of the casting dates on Motor/Head/water pump are past your build date.
 
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