Below is what I have come up with as a good start to find the correct engine color for Mopar engines from 1960 to 1973. After about 1969 they were all pretty much Blue except for a few odd balls. I have seen Slant sixes in Black in the early 60's sales brochures but those are not the best source. I have used information from the Plymouth Owner's club, Walter P. Chrysler Club and various web sites to assemble this list. Engine colors were and still are subject of much debate. It seems no one at the factory really cared about any kind of specification for paint - as long as it got painted - it was ok. These are what I have found to be considered normal or standard - if there is such a thing. Your comments are welcome - however be prepared to back up your arguments with facts from somewhere. I would hope this will be a help to those who are trying to restore their classic Mopar to as near original as possible.

The paint numbers are from Mopar Performance and may or may not be available from your local dealer.

Year Engine Variations Color Note
1960 170 / 225 Six non Valiant Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752 - Not sure about this color.
1960 170 Six Valiant Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1960 318 Poly All Silver Mopar Paint P4529148
1960 361 Golden Commando High Perf Red/Gold Red block with Gold Valve Covers P4349218 / P4529149
1961 All All Siver Mopar Paint P4529148
1961 170 Six Valiant Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1962 170 / 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1962 318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1962 361 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1962 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1962 413 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1963 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1963 318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1963 361 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1963 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1963 413 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1963 426 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1964 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1964 273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1964 318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1964 361 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1964 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1964 413 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1964 413 V8 Race Engine Race only Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1964 426 HEMI Race only Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1964 426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1965 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1965 273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1965 318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1965 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1965 413 V8 All Orange Mopar Paint P4120751
1965 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1966 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1966 273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1966 318 Poly All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1966 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1966 383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1966 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1966 426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1966 440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1966 440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1967 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1967 273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1967 318 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1967 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1967 383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1967 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1967 426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1967 440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1967 440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968 273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968 318 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968 318 V8 - LA - Police only Police engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968 340 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1968 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1968 383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1968 426 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1968 440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1968 440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969 225 Six All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969 273 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969 318 V8 - LA All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969 318 V8 - LA - Police only Police engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969 340 V8 - LA - See Note below All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1969 383 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1969 383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1969 440 V8 All Turquoise Mopar Paint P4120752
1969 440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970 225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1970 318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1970 318 V8 - LA - Police only Police engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970 340 V8 - LA - See Note below All Red Mopar Paint P4349218
1970 383 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1970 383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1970 440 V8 All Blue or Turq Mopar Paint P4349217 or P4120752 (not sure) ****
1970 440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1971 225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971 318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971 340 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971 360 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1971 All - LA engines Till early in 1971 All Red Mopar Paint P4349217
1971 383 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349218 (not sure when changed)
1971 383 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1971 426 HEMI Street Engine H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1971 440 V8 All Blue or Turq Mopar Paint P4349217 or P4120752 (not sure) ****
1971 440 V8 High Perf/Police High Perf H-Orange Mopar Paint P4349216
1972 225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972 318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972 340 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972 360 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972 400 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1972 440 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 198 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 225 Six All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 318 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 340 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 360 V8 - LA All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 400 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
1973 440 V8 All Blue Mopar Paint P4349217
     
         
***Note on 1969 and 1970 340LA engines - many were painted Street Hemi Orange - the list below says they all were - for any 340 engine that appears to be more orange than red - if you know it was original - then use the P4349216

****Note: I have had much discussion about the years of 1970 and 1971 the RB and B engines - two club publications say blue (Judged sheets etc.) and it appears that official Chrysler (below) says turquoise was correct. On those two years let your original color be the one to use.

- - Added July 2004 - -

Below is the only factory information I have found on colors

used by Mopar on engines - this is from the 1990 Factory

Performance Parts Book - page 206.



Here is yet another source of engine paint data.

 
All "L" head in line engines 1924-1970, 4-6-8 cyl., silver with black accessories.
Except - Prior to 1930 all 4 and 6 cyl. engines were finished in black.
Except - Aluminum hi-compression heads were left in natural aluminum color.
Except - 1938-1942, Straight 8's were red with black accesories also some of the 1941-1942 - 6's
Except - SIlver green on Imperial 8's is also found on some 1924-1930 Chrysler 4's and 6's.
Except - 1924-1942 "Red Head" engines factory hi-compression cast iron heads were painted red.
Except - 1930-1934, large Imperial staight 8, silver green with black accessories.
Except - All air flows 6's and 8's had engines fnished in black, if hi-compression aluminum head left natural, cast iron painted silver.
Except - Engines with the word "Spitfire" cast in the head, the word Spitfire is sometimes painted red.
Except - Korean War cars 1951-1953 some engines were painted flat light gray non-aluminum paint due to sortage of silver pigment.
 
 
All early V8 double-single rocker shaft engines, 1951-1960, silver with black accessories.
Except - All early hi-performance engines 1955-1960, silver with black accessories, gold valve covers, gold air cleaners, Plymouth Fury, Chrysler 300, Dsoto Adventurer, Dodge d-500.
Except - 1955-1956 Plymouth 241-260-270 cu. in. V8, silver with black accessories, red valve covers, yellow air cleaner (hi-fire engine).
 
 
1960-1969 all slant "6", all "A" block V8, 273-318-340 V8 (LA) red with black accessories.
Except - 1961-1963, "Hi-Perf. Pac" slant 6 with aluminum block and 4 bbl carb, silver with black accessories.
Except - 1964-1966, hi-performance 273 V8, red with black accessories, black crinkle finish valve covers, chrome air cleaner.
 
1959-1961, 361-413 Golden Lyon, black with gold accessories, 361-383 V8 Golden Commando, red with gold accessories.
Except - 1964-1964, all race hemi engines and orange with black crinkle finish valve covers, some had chrome air filters and accessories.
Except - 1962-1964,short ram 413-426 engines, orange some had chrome air filters and accessories.
 
1962-1971, all "B" block engines corporate turquoise with black accessories - some with single 4bbl 426 V8's, chrome valve covers and air cleaners.
Except - 1960-1962, Chrysler 300 with long cross ram manifolds, red block with black accessories, gold air cleaners
 
1970-1981, all 6 cyl. V8 corporate blue with black accessories, including 1972 and up Hi-Performance engines.
Except - All Hi-Perfomance engines 383-440, 196901971 and All 1966-1971 street Hemi engines and 1970-1971 340's - street hemi orange (red-orange) with black accessories.
 
1978-1980, all 4 cyl. front wheel drive, silver with black accessories.
1981-on all 2.2 4cyl. and 318-360 V8 and 6 cyl engines, coporate black.
 
This information was supplied in a slightly different form in the November 1994 WPC News on page 24. Compiled by Stanley Sepiol.
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Last modified on 8/9/2017