Mopars 1968 '383 Engines'

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69 Cuda 440

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Some confusion on the listings, specifications and what car came through with a Performance 383 Engine.

* 383/300 HP
* Dart GTS 383 {Hardtop and Convertible}
* Barracuda 383 'Formula S' {Notchback, Fastback and Convertible}

* 383/330 HP
* Charger
* Coronet Deluxe {2-Door Sedan}
* Coronet 440 {2-Door Hardtop}
* Coronet 500 {2-Door Hardtop and Convertible}
* Belvedere {2-Door Sedan}
* Satellite {2-Door Hardtop and Convertible}
* Sport Satellite {2-Door Hardtop and Convertible}

* 383/335 HP
* Super Bee {Coupe}
* Road Runner {Coupe or Hardtop}
 
EL5DEMON340 said:
The venerable 383, the workhorse of the mopar muscle car lineup!!!
Click to expand...

Labeled a few different ways in 1968.

In the Dart GTS 383.................'383 Four Barrel'
In the Coronet and Charger.......'383 Four Barrel'
In the Super Bee......................'383 Magnum'

In the Barracuda......................'Commando 383'
In the Belvedere and Satellite....'Super Commando 383'
In the Road Runner..................'383 Road Runner Engine'

All utilized the 'Unsilenced' Air Cleaner
 
Just to make this crystal clear... I'm assuming the only engines that got the 'HP' stamp and orange paint were the Road Runner/Super Bee 335 HP 383s? I have a 1969 Polara with a factory 383 4-bbl and it's painted turquoise and has no HP stamping on the block.
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
Just to make this crystal clear... I'm assuming the only engines that got the 'HP' stamp and orange paint were the Road Runner/Super Bee 335 HP 383s? I have a 1969 Polara with a factory 383 4-bbl and it's painted turquoise and has no HP stamping on the block.
Click to expand...


HP stamped blocks were available in other vehicles other than roadrunner/superbee.

I pulled a 383 from a dodge truck and it does have "hP" stamped on it and its orange ...but that's a 70 ...I think they changed colors over the years

yours sounds like non-hp ....and that don't surprise me for a C-body .....most C-bodies got the Chrysler corporate engines which were non-HP
 
1968 383 Engines

While the 'basic short blocks' were the all the same, the Road Runner and Super Bee
engines came through with an 'Oil Pan 'Windage Tray'.

And the Cylinder Heads, Cast Iron Intake, Single-Point Distributor and Carter AVS Carburetor
were as well, the same Units.
 
davescuda said:
never seen an HP on 68 383 darts or barracudas
Click to expand...

My 68 Barracuda Fastback is a HP stamped block, Turquoise, windage tray, 383 Super Commando air cleaner pan, chrome valve covers and the huge non silenced black wrinkle air cleaner.
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
Labeled a few different ways in 1968.

In the Dart GTS 383.................'383 Four Barrel'
In the Coronet and Charger.......'383 Four Barrel'
In the Super Bee......................'383 Magnum'

In the Barracuda......................'Commando 383'
In the Belvedere and Satellite....'Super Commando 383'
In the Road Runner..................'383 Road Runner Engine'

All utilized the 'Unsilenced' Air Cleaner
Click to expand...


I am certain the Barracuda is a Super Commando 383. I see them at shows with different pie tins on.

Craig
 

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I bought an untouched 68 383 RR in 1976 and the motor was turqoise.
 

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The 1968 Barracuda 383 'Formula S'

Did come through with 'two' different Air Cleaner 'Pie Tins'.

Early cars had 'Commando 383' much like the 1967 Barracuda 383.

Then later the 'Super Commando 383' was utilized.

Same thing with the 4-Speed Shifters. Early cars had the Inland Shifter, while
Mid-Year came through with the 'Hurst Shifter'.

The 383 Engines in the 1968 Barracuda were 'Turquoise' with Chrome Valve Covers.
 
So.....I'm thinking the HP 383's also had the better exhaust manifolds then too?......and different cam? I hope that 5 H.P. difference was purposely "under-estimated".
 
Mopar played Funny Games with the 383.

1968 383/330 HP in the;
{Charger, Coronet Deluxe, Coronet 440, Coronet 500, Belvedere, Satellite and Sport Satellite}.

Had different Exhaust Manifolds than the 383 Super Bee and 383 Road Runner,
as well as exhaust piping.

* Camshaft {Hydraulic}....... .425"/.437" Lift~ 256*/260* Duration ~ 32* Overlap
* Valve Springs................... 134 lbs. {Valve Closed} ~ 208 lbs. {Valve Open}

No 440 Super Commando 'Valve Train'.

Sounds like a lot more than a {5 Horsepower} difference from the 383/335 HP....
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
1968 383 Engines

While the 'basic short blocks' were the all the same, the Road Runner and Super Bee
engines came through with an 'Oil Pan 'Windage Tray'.

And the Cylinder Heads, Cast Iron Intake, Single-Point Distributor and Carter AVS Carburetor
were as well, the same Units.
Click to expand...

I read an article just last night on the birth of the Road Runner from Allpar. One of the key items to attain the performance goals was to use the 440 cam in the 68 RR engine. They wanted the RR 383 to be different from the others. It also got a different torque converter.
 
My 69 383 barracuda is stamped HP, painted orange and has super commando air cleaner.
 
66fs said:
My 68 Barracuda Fastback is a HP stamped block, Turquoise, windage tray, 383 Super Commando air cleaner pan, chrome valve covers and the huge non silenced black wrinkle air cleaner.
Click to expand...

Its the numbers matching engine? yes they are 383 commando
 
IIRC, the 335 hp engine had the 440/375 hp head and camshaft. The CR was 0.1 higher than the 330 hp.

I have two different stories on the 290-300 hp 383. One goes that this engine was the 2v long block with a 4v intake. The other goes that it was the 330 hp version that was down rated to keep from triggering insurance surcharges on the A-body. Given the small numbers involved, and the expense of producing 3 different engines, I tend to think that the latter story is more likely. I doubt if anyone would complain about getting less hp than they had paid for.
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
The 1968 Barracuda 383 'Formula S'

Did come through with 'two' different Air Cleaner 'Pie Tins'.

Early cars had 'Commando 383' much like the 1967 Barracuda 383.

Then the 'Super Commando 383' was utilized.

Same thing with the 4-Speed Shifters. Early cars had the Inland Shifter, while
Mid-Year came through with the 'Hurst Shifter'.

The 383 Engines in the 1968 Barracuda were 'Turquoise' with Chrome Valve Covers.
Click to expand...

my car was 8/27/67..but its orig pie tin was gone... i have never seen an early survivor 383-s or GTS to see when the pie tin cut off date could be! i bet it was with in a few weeks [so mid august latest]... got any pics of early SPD survivors?
 

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IIRC, de-rating of A body 383 was due to more restrictive exhaust necessary for clearance.
 
ph23vo said:
my car was 8/27/67..but its orig pie tin was gone... i have never seen an early survivor 383-s or GTS to see when the pie tin cut off date could be! i bet it was with in a few weeks [so mid august latest]... got any pics of early SPD survivors?
Click to expand...

Dan

No 68 Darts or Barracuda 383 blocks are stamped HP correct?

Dave
 
383 powered cudas were supposed to have "commando 383" not super commando

I can believe this as I have a 67 383 cuda ...original 383 car and the worn out bent remnants of the pie tin thrown in the car said "commando 383"

and 383 powered darts were supposed to have "383 four barrel" not magnum.

http://www.nicksgarage.com/aircleaner.htm#pietins

"commando" and "four barrel" engines were Chrysler corporate engines and were non-hp

so an A-body would not be correct with an HP stamped block.
 
Here is a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda with a correct 'Commando 383' Air Cleaner 'Pie Tin'.


67_383a_05.jpg
 
YY1 said:
IIRC, de-rating of A body 383 was due to more restrictive exhaust necessary for clearance.
Click to expand...

I heard that as well. The horsepower rating standards of the day did not require any accessories to be installed. If we were talking about using the SAE standards that came into use in 72, there would be no question about the downrating.
 
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