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1970 383 HP Timing Cover Question

69 Sleeper Bee

69 Sleeper Bee

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I found a 383 Engine in the garage of a house that I am drawing a renovation plan for and they were going to send it to the scrap yard but said I could have it so I got it and I believe it may be a magnum motor but know it is HP at least. It has the windage tray and high volume oil pump.
The question I have is about the timing cover. There is a little nut welded on a tab in front of the timing advance marks and my machinist said he did not know what it was for. Has anyone seen a cover like this and the purpose of the welded on nut ?
I added a few pics of the motor as I found it.

IMG_1732.JPG IMG_1769.JPG IMG_1806.JPG IMG_1791.JPG IMG_2566.JPG IMG_2570.JPG IMG_2568.JPG
 
Being chrome it is some sort of aftermarket cover. The tab must of been designed for a crank sensor of some type. Has a similarity of a lean burn cover but not quite the same.
 
That timing cover is from a late 70’s engine. Didn’t come in a 1970. Neither did the hi-volume oil pump, Mallory distributor, dual fours, someone was building a hot rod! It has 1969 or older valve covers.
 
dual quads? DUAL QUADS???? And a prestolite dist to boot?? You dun good!

The nut thing is garbage from the smog era.. Mainly for industrial apps I believe.
 
Any history on the engine or what it's out of? Great find!
 
Nice score!

Are you going to run the dual quad carb setup on your new build?
 
I'd put a wingnut on the back carb. That 5 pounder is just added weight on the dragstrip. :lol:
 
SCORE! Wow dude. That timing cover looks like the old Direct Connection chrome valve cover. I have one and never did figure out what that nut is for. Crank trigger as someone else mentioned sounds like a good possibility.
 
The more I think of it there was an adapter for the Mopar magnetic timing probe that fit into the tabs hole and had an ear that bolted to that nut insert.
 
zyzzyx said:
Any history on the engine or what it's out of? Great find!
Click to expand...
I am trying to figure out the history as well.
The block casting number is ( 2468130-7 )
The serial number is ( OG181344 )
The 906 heads were gone and replaced with 516 heads :(
It has HP exhaust manifolds ( Drivers side 2951865 ) ( Passenger side 2806900 )
Sadly someone had a problem with #4 cylinder and put in an aftermarket piston that was not even close to spec and it tapered the cylinder so bad my machinist had to do .40 over on the block. He said without that he could have gone .10 over
The crank and rods are still standard bearing size.
I wish I knew what this came out of but it was just in the garage by itself so that is all I have.
I have a 1969 Coronet 440 that I have had for over 30 years with a 318 that I was thinking of putting it into.
Any info you guys might glean from the casting and serial # would be greatly accepted.

IMG_1796.JPG IMG_1799.JPG IMG_1848.JPG IMG_1864.JPG IMG_1865.JPG IMG_1861.JPG
 
DeltaV said:
Nice score!

Are you going to run the dual quad carb setup on your new build?
Click to expand...
Well my machinist's first words were " There's trouble " and my mechanic neighbor said "problems with bad gas mileage to go along with it " so I compromised and went with a 2 bbl for economy and an extra 4bbl's for power.
Oh and forgot to add I found a good pair of 915 heads and had hardened seats put in so I will use them on this engine instead of the 516's that were on it

IMG_2418.JPG
 
69 Sleeper Bee said:
I am trying to figure out the history as well.
The block casting number is ( 2468130-7 )
The serial number is ( OG181344 )
The 906 heads were gone and replaced with 516 heads :(
It has HP exhaust manifolds ( Drivers side 2951865 ) ( Passenger side 2806900 )
Sadly someone had a problem with #4 cylinder and put in an aftermarket piston that was not even close to spec and it tapered the cylinder so bad my machinist had to do .40 over on the block. He said without that he could have gone .10 over
The crank and rods are still standard bearing size.
I wish I knew what this came out of but it was just in the garage by itself so that is all I have.
I have a 1969 Coronet 440 that I have had for over 30 years with a 318 that I was thinking of putting it into.
Any info you guys might glean from the casting and serial # would be greatly accepted.

View attachment 1090917 View attachment 1090918 View attachment 1090919 View attachment 1090920 View attachment 1090921 View attachment 1090923
Click to expand...

It's stamped for a 1970 St.Louis built car, that's about all you can tell. The history guys may be able to hazard a guess as to the model based on that and the HP stamp..
 
69 Sleeper Bee said:
Thanks for finding that !
What exactly is that for ?
I do have a little mechanical knowledge but have never heard of that before.
Click to expand...
Back in the lean burn days Chrysler supplied the dealers with a lean burn analyzer. It had a timing probe that went in that hole. The probe was then stationary allowing a tech to analyze and adjust as needed. It was a POS and no one used it.
 
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