340 Correct color / manifold

[automate33]

Hi everyone,
I have a 340 ci 71 Challenger R/T, "GM" is stamped on the heads.
I think the original color of the motor is blue, But which blue ? Any reference that can help ? Who has some pics of the exact color ?
What is the original color of the exhaust manifolds ? Any pics ?
Thanks a lot for helping.

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

 

The 70-71 340 LA engines should be Street Hemi Orange... Ma Mopar switched to Chrysler Blue for 72-73...

My 70 340 is orange, and my 73 is blue....

[ScottSmith_Harms]

1971 340's stamped GM (Mound Road Engine plant) were blue, Typically cars built after March/April of 1971 had these engines. 340's stamped with GW were from the Windsor Ontario plant and were painted orange and were typically installed into 1971 cars before March of 1971. March/April is an approximate, there is no known cut off date. There are a few documented cases of orange Windsor built engines (which were assembled many months earlier) being installed in late SPD cars but these are exceptions.

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

 

Get to learn something new every day! Thank you for the information!

Just one of the many reasons that this site (and it's members) is so great!

[Burdar]

The exhaust manifolds were installed on the engine BEFORE it was painted.  The manifolds should be engine color...or blue in your case. 

I used Plastikote 232 on my engine.

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Chrysler Corporate Blue  - Mopar Paint P4349217

[automate33]

Thanks guys!

Anyone have photos of details of a 1971 blue 340?

[anlauto]

I did this car with a blue 340 http://www.alangallantautomotiverestoration.com/1971-CUDA-FOR-SALE.html
New owner didn't like it, wished it was orange

[ScottSmith_Harms]

Also, it should be mentioned that some of the engine details and parts (not just the paint color) changed when they switched engine plants.

[Chryco Psycho]

I knew about the mid year color change but I didn't know about the GM / GW stampings , still learning !! 

[automate33]

@anlauto

great pics and details! thanks!!
Do you have more pics in HD?
what blue paint do you use?

[automate33]

@ScottSmith_Harms

Thanks
Where i can find all of this information?

[anlauto]

@anlauto

great pics and details! thanks!!
Do you have more pics in HD?
what blue paint do you use?

Sorry I don't have a lot of those pictures. All I have are here: http://www.alangallantautomotiverestoration.com/1971-CUDA-FOR-SALE.html
The paint I believe I used was mentioned above: Chrysler Corporate Blue  - Mopar Paint P4349217...I don't claim the colour to be 100% accurate, I only used what I had available at the time.

[automate33]

thanks @anlauto

[ScottSmith_Harms]

automate33,

As far as I know there is no single location, website, book, etc. for the detail info. (There are a lot of knowledgeable guys on this site if you have particular questions though!). The problem is that many details of original 340's have been over looked or ignored for so long. When discussing 71 340's specifically the differences I mentioned between Mound Road and Windsor engines are many, and not completely known due to so few survivor engines being out there to refer to for factory original details. Here is a short list of the most obvious I've compiled:

*GM (Blue engines):
1. These have a later intake manifold casting that has several variations in the shape itself but shares the same casting number as the GW engines.
2. The passenger side valve cover has 3 small wire tabs of equal size (as do 318's of the same year) GW engines have 2 smaller wire tabs and the extra large center wire tab
3. The coils have "Made in U.S.A" cast into the ends (GW engine coils have "Made In Canada" on them)
4. GW (Orange) engines had unpainted spark plug wire looms (the white plastic part) GM (blue) engines MIGHT have had engine color painted looms