Looking at a 69 Dart 383 Car.
Seller says the original engine is not in the car. The cars build date on the fender tag is 803. The seller sent me the numbers off of the ID pad on the block that is out of the car and it reads E383 10 7 HP.
Is this a correct time frame? I'm waiting on the VIN # off of the side of the block to see what story that tells.

Assuming the cars SPD is August 3rd 1968, No, 10-7 is October 7th of 1968

Thank you for the quick reply. The build date according to a fender tag decode program/web site comes up with August 3, 1968 with that said isn't the E383 a 69 engine so it is safe to assume that it is NOT the original engine out of the car? Maybe he is wrong and the original engine IS in the the car? He is not a mopar person so trying to get codes and answers is a bit cumbersome.

The engine would have the VIN sequence number stamped on a machined pad on the pass side lower front of the block just above the oil pan rail. If the VIn is there and matches (and is the original stamping) that's how you know its from your car.

That said "E" is the production model year=1969 383 is the cubic inches, 10 7 is October 7th, and if it has an HP stamping, it would be for an HP application (your Dart should have it).

Bottom line? It was assembled months after your car was built so is not originally from your car.

Got pics of the tag and/or engine stampings? Are they clear?

something doesn't add up 803 (8/3/68) is a Saturday before production started & B03 (11/3/68) is a Sunday - in November, which would work well for the engine assembly date of 10 7 (10/7/68) at least the engine was built on a work day!!

thanks robertop, wonder how many Saturdays/Sundays UAW worked "back-in-the-day"?

The transmission plant used to use a Sunday build date to signify a "pick up " unit.
Not for a pickup truck but a unit that went to repair or one that failed test and was taken apart.
That let them know very quickly there was an issue with that trans without going to the data log (final test buyoff) that keeps the record of when the unit passed final test at the trans plant.
I remember seeing those starting in the 80's but not sure when they started doing that. I was told they started doing that "back in the day" but not sure when. There is also a stamp on production units that shows it went to test the first time.

Just for the record, 8-3-68 was a Saturday, not Sunday, My 2 cents.

They didn't assemble cars on weekends?

My dad worked most Saturdays, and some Sundays.

what plant & what era? - tell us more

Actually at the St. Louis plant they started making 69 models on 7/28, which is indeed a Sunday.That's the date my roadrunner was made.s

I think 728 was used (1969 model year "G" St. Louis plant) on the pre-production "PILOT" cars (that were actually built weeks/months earlier) - care to share the VIN and/or fender tag info/pics? What's your RR's VON (960???)?

Right now I forgot how to post photos, however my fender tag was posted twice in the past on this forum, so maybe you can look for it. The tag has only few data: First line: SEQ 213 PRESS. Second: RM21J9AOOO13 PREVIEW Third: M2B EB5 Fourth: RM21 728 960012.


I hope that gives you something to think about !

Here is the fender tag for the GTS