1966 Barracuda

[MMA831]

Hello,

I just purchased a 66 Barracuda, as I am in the process of restoring the vehicle I would like to know what size engine I have?

Here is what I found stamped on the side of block; 2465330-3, 12-10-64,

Here is the vin number; BP29D62559279

This is my first Plymouth I have ever owned, as I am not familiar with this make I need all the help I can get.

Thanks for your time.

MMA

 

[cuda65vpt]

At the top of this page is a VIN decoder link. With the 64 date I'm guessing the engine is not original.


Vehicle Identification Number: BP29D62559279
Vehicle Model: Barracuda
Vehicle Class: Premium Price Class (Barracuda, Satellite) Vehicle Body Style: 2 Door Sports Hardtop
Vehicle Engine: 273 CID/180 HP 2 BBL or 273 CID/235 HP 4 BBL V8 Vehicle Year: 1966
Vehicle Assembly Plant: Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA Assembly Sequence Number: 559279

 

[chryslerfat]

Looks like you have a 65 273 in it.

 

[krazykuda]

At the top of this page is a VIN decoder link. With the 64 date I'm guessing the engine is not original.

That may not necessarily be true.

The Block was cast on 12-20-64. this is the middle of the 65 model year (they usually start the new models the last two weeks of June and first two weeks of July). They stagger launching all the assembly plants as some engineers may have more responsibility than just one vehicle. They may need to be present at the launch to make sure that the new vehicles are assembled as intended. For the engine guy may have his engine that he works on in more than one vehicle, this way he can go to each plant that his engine is launched in to verify that the launch is being built as intended/designed.

The block may not have been machined properly the first time and may have needed to be repaired, lets call this a "repair block". when I used to support the block machining line, we would sometimes get some oversize lifter bores. We would contain the blocks with the oversize bore and mark which bores were "out of spec" with a paint marker. When we would accumulate enough of these, there was a local machine shop that we had already certified to repair the lifter bores. They would sleeve the oversize lifter bore on and then remachine the bore and oil passages for us, and then return the blocks to be made into engines. These repair blocks are now within spec's and are good for using.

They would then build these blocks into engines. It could easily take a few months for the blocks be sent out and repaired. Thus, it is possible to have a block that is cast 6 months to a year before the car was built. The best way to tell if the engine is original for the car is to check the VIN number on the block to the VIN on the dash, but back then I don't think that they put the VIN on the blocks yet.

 

[pbiggs]

"A 273" is stamped on the driver front side of the block below the head indicates the engine was for a 1965 model year car. If the stamping is "B 273" then it's for a 1966 year car.

Look closely and you will also find the engine assembly date located below the "A or B 273" stamping. Month and date only, no year. (example 11 23 = November 23 ) This date usually precedes the car build date and in this case a 1966 car has an engine built in 1965.

Block casting dates don't necessarily coincide with model year as mentioned in the above posting.