1964-69 small-block restoration details...PICS INSIDE

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TylerW

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Hey guys:
I am cleaning up and resealing a 1969 273 engine with about 70,000 miles on it. There are some interesting details that may already be well-known but there can't ever be too much info out there. For those wondering what would have a 273 in 1969, it came out of a Dart.

The first thing of note is the shade of red. It is absolutely an orange-red, not the deep crimson red seen on some engines I've seen pictures of. The paint isn't faded because most of it was buried under a coating of oil and dirt from all the seepage.

The next thing is what was painted along with the engine itself. According to this engine, that included the sparkplug holders, the exhaust manifolds, the bracket for the alternator attached to the water pump, the heat shield on the exhaust manifold, the heat riser valve, and there was significant overspray on the distributor and vacuum advance canister.

The oil pressure switch and temp sender are both metal with green plastic inserts.

Lastly, Chrysler obviously wasn't selling many vehicles with a 273 by '69. The engine casting date is 7-26-68, but wasn't machined and assembled and dropped in a vehicle until mid-November 1968.

Enjoy the pictures.

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I recently purchased a 65 Valiant and it still has its original 273 2V engine runs well just smokes a little !
Great little engines indeed.
 
My original 67 Dart with 273-2 looks the same way yours does. I do believe that the red paint from the factory was a darker red somewhat. But the many heat cycles they have been thru have changed the paint to have more of an red orange color. I could be wrong since I was only 10 in 1967 and didn't see any of these engines new
 
Smokes? 2 bucks says you got no valve seals left. Afternoon job with a rented valve spring compressor and $4 worth of valve seals. Looks a little orange to me but reds are hard to pick up in a camera.
 
Smokes? 2 bucks says you got no valve seals left. Afternoon job with a rented valve spring compressor and $4 worth of valve seals. Looks a little orange to me but reds are hard to pick up in a camera.
Probably right !
I have another small block going in but will save me 273
Smokes? 2 bucks says you got no valve seals left. Afternoon job with a rented valve spring compressor and $4 worth of valve seals. Looks a little orange to me but reds are hard to pick up in a camera.
Yes sir
I will keep original motor
Preserved etc
I have another small block going in.
 
I understand 69 model year 273's were pretty rare, ie. "I seen 'em in the 69 specs but never put eyes on one" type rare...? Anybody had another? There were 3 LA's by that time, 273, 318 and 340.
 
You learn something new every day. I thought 67 was the last year for the 273. You say they were rare in 69, how about 68? I don't think I ever saw a 68 or 69 with a 273.
 
Had a 1969 Dart Western with 273/904/8.75...in 1987 also another guy in next town over did with a manual trans...273/2bbl..
 
68 273 valiant with the barracuda dash. Weird one I guess
 
I have a 273 2 bbl that came out of a '69 Dart 4 door that was parted out by a friend years ago.
It is all original, and it's painted blue by the factory, so it must have been a late in the model year build.
I have had (and still do have) some '69 Coronet 4 doors with 318s that had both red and blue engines.
The change over date is roughly March of '69 when they started painting the 318s blue, so it must be the same for 273s.........
 
I have the '68-9 type 273 in one of my '66's at the moment. Engine was bad when i bought it, had the good 68-9 engine just sitting around, so, I plugged it in so I could drive the car. 40 years later, it's still in there! One of these decades I'll get around to rebuilding the original! :lol:
 
Yup, almost exactly like the 318's those years. Why they made both is curious. Maybe lots of left over 2bbl pistons? :lol:
 
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