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engine colors 1960-1973

davek

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Below is what I have come up with as a good start to find the correct engine color for Mopar engines from 1960 to 1973. After about 1969 they were all pretty much Blue except for a few odd balls. I have seen Slant sixes in Black in the early 60's sales brochures but those are not the best source. I have used information from the Plymouth Owner's club, Walter P. Chrysler Club and various web sites to assemble this list. Engine colors were and still are subject of much debate. It seems no one at the factory really cared about any kind of specification for paint - as long as it got painted - it was ok. These are what I have found to be considered normal or standard - if there is such a thing. Your comments are welcome - however be prepared to back up your arguments with facts from somewhere. I would hope this will be a help to those who are trying to restore their classic Mopar to as near original as possible.

The paint numbers are from Mopar Performance and may or may not be available from your local dealer.





Year Engine Variations Color Note
1960
170 / 225 Six non Valiant Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752 - Not sure about this color.
1960
170 Six Valiant Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1960
318 Poly All Silver Mopar Paint P4529148
1960
361 Golden Commando High Perf Red/Gold Red block with Gold Valve Covers P4349218 / P4529149
1961
All All Siver Mopar Paint P4529148
1961
170 Six Valiant Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1962
170 / 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1962
318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1962
361 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1962
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1962
413 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1963
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1963
318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1963
361 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1963
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1963
413 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1963
426 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1964
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1964
273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1964
318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1964
361 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1964
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1964
413 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1964
413 V8 Race Engine Race only Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1964
426 HEMI Race only Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1964
426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1965
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1965
273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1965
318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1965
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1965
413 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1965
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1966
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1966
273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1966
318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1966
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1966
383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1966
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1966
426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1966
440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1966
440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1967
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1967
273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1967
318 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1967
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1967
383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1967
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1967
426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1967
440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1967
440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968
273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968
318 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968
318 V8 - LA - Police only Police engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968
340 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1968
383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968
426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1968
440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1968
440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969
225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969
273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969
318 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969
318 V8 - LA - Police only Police engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969
340 V8 - LA - See Note below All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969
383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1969
383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969
440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1969
440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970
225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1970
318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1970
318 V8 - LA - Police only Police engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970
340 V8 - LA - See Note below All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1970
383 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1970
383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970
440 V8 All Blue or Turq Mopar Paint P4349217 or P4120752 (not sure) ****
1970
440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1971
225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971
318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971
340 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971
360 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971
All - LA engines Till early in 1971 All Red Mopar Paint P4349217
1971
383 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349218 (not sure when changed)
1971
383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1971
426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1971
440 V8 All Blue or Turq Mopar Paint P4349217 or P4120752 (not sure) ****
1971
440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1972
225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972
318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972
340 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972
360 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972
400 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972
440 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
198 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
340 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
360 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
400 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973
440 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217

***Note on 1969 and 1970 340LA engines - many were painted Street Hemi Orange - the list below says they all were - for any 340 engine that appears to be more orange than red - if you know it was original - then use the P4349216
****Note: I have had much discussion about the years of 1970 and 1971 the RB and B engines - two club publications say blue (Judged sheets etc.) and it appears that official Chrysler (below) says turquoise was correct. On those two years let your original color be the one to use.

- - Added July 2004 - -

Below is the only factory information I have found on colors

used by Mopar on engines - this is from the 1990 Factory

Performance Parts Book - page 206.




eng-colors.jpg




Here is yet another source of engine paint data.


All "L" head in line engines 1924-1970, 4-6-8 cyl., silver with black accessories.
Except - Prior to 1930 all 4 and 6 cyl. engines were finished in black.
Except - Aluminum hi-compression heads were left in natural aluminum color.
Except - 1938-1942, Straight 8's were red with black accesories also some of the 1941-1942 - 6's
Except - SIlver green on Imperial 8's is also found on some 1924-1930 Chrysler 4's and 6's.
Except - 1924-1942 "Red Head" engines factory hi-compression cast iron heads were painted red.
Except - 1930-1934, large Imperial staight 8, silver green with black accessories.
Except - All air flows 6's and 8's had engines fnished in black, if hi-compression aluminum head left natural, cast iron painted silver.
Except - Engines with the word "Spitfire" cast in the head, the word Spitfire is sometimes painted red.
Except - Korean War cars 1951-1953 some engines were painted flat light gray non-aluminum paint due to sortage of silver pigment.


All early V8 double-single rocker shaft engines, 1951-1960, silver with black accessories.
Except - All early hi-performance engines 1955-1960, silver with black accessories, gold valve covers, gold air cleaners, Plymouth Fury, Chrysler 300, Dsoto Adventurer, Dodge d-500.
Except - 1955-1956 Plymouth 241-260-270 cu. in. V8, silver with black accessories, red valve covers, yellow air cleaner (hi-fire engine).


1960-1969 all slant "6", all "A" block V8, 273-318-340 V8 (LA) red with black accessories.
Except - 1961-1963, "Hi-Perf. Pac" slant 6 with aluminum block and 4 bbl carb, silver with black accessories.
Except - 1964-1966, hi-performance 273 V8, red with black accessories, black crinkle finish valve covers, chrome air cleaner.

1959-1961, 361-413 Golden Lyon, black with gold accessories, 361-383 V8 Golden Commando, red with gold accessories.
Except - 1964-1964, all race hemi engines and orange with black crinkle finish valve covers, some had chrome air filters and accessories.
Except - 1962-1964,short ram 413-426 engines, orange some had chrome air filters and accessories.

1962-1971, all "B" block engines corporate turquoise with black accessories - some with single 4bbl 426 V8's, chrome valve covers and air cleaners.
Except - 1960-1962, Chrysler 300 with long cross ram manifolds, red block with black accessories, gold air cleaners

1970-1981, all 6 cyl. V8 corporate blue with black accessories, including 1972 and up Hi-Performance engines.
Except - All Hi-Perfomance engines 383-440, 196901971 and All 1966-1971 street Hemi engines and 1970-1971 340's - street hemi orange (red-orange) with black accessories.

1978-1980, all 4 cyl. front wheel drive, silver with black accessories.
1981-on all 2.2 4cyl. and 318-360 V8 and 6 cyl engines, coporate black.

This information was supplied in a slightly different form in the November 1994 WPC News on page 24. Compiled by Stanley Sepiol.
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MY VALIANT PAGE
 
Until I recently purchased a 69 super bee, 383, factory a/c, 4 speed, I thought all 383's and 440's (dodge) of this vintage were hemi orange and wondered why mine was turquoise. Evidently the factory a/c cars have the 383, 330 hp version and are turqoise.
 
There are so many mistakes on that chart its crazy. It needs a lot of changes made. Best to delete it.

where are the facts to support this list?

my facts are from looking at these cars for 40 years.

there are no hemi orange 383’s in 66-68
66-67 hemi is not street hemi orange.
1961 all Chrysler big car 413’s are black
1962-1965 not all 413 Only the max wedge is orange, single 4 is turquoise
1966 and 1967 440 HP is not orange

They list a 1967 426 hemi, then they list a 1967 426 V8, it wasn’t made that year.
 
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There are certainly a few iffy ones in there.
 
Could you please put a chart up that is 100% correct. Thanks I was just trying to help with some info. https://www.turbinecar.com/misc/enginecolor.htm
I don’t have time or desire to build a chart. But that chart is just awful. It’s not going to help, it will hurt. It was nice to try to help to post info, but that’s one is counterproductive to the hobby
 
Thank you for the effort, davek. But this chart has a lot of incorrect info.
 
:popcorn:

I've seen quite a few Mopars over the years and cannot say I have ever seen a factory 318 painted orange, not saying it didn't happen but I've never seen on even on a cop car.

That said I think this is a decent list despite some complaints, however I don't give a rats *** about originality so that might explain why I like the list...
 
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I don’t have time or desire to build a chart. But that chart is just awful. It’s not going to help, it will hurt. It was nice to try to help to post info, but that’s one is counterproductive to the hobby
Thank you.
 
There are so many mistakes on that chart its crazy. It needs a lot of changes made. Best to delete it.

where are the facts to support this list?

my facts are from looking at these cars for 40 years.

there are no hemi orange 383’s in 66-68
66-67 hemi is not street hemi orange.
1961 all Chrysler big car 413’s are black
1962-1965 not all 413 Only the max wedge is orange, single 4 is turquoise
1966 and 1967 440 HP is not orange

They list a 1967 426 hemi, then they list a 1967 426 V8, it wasn’t made that year.
Sorry Davek, but this list is just terrible. So much misinformation there it's not funny. It should be deleted.
 
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