My 340's got the Blues...err Turquoise that is...

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HMBCUDA

HMBCUDA

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Hi All! kind of new to the site, but have been a Mopar Man all my life. I Thought I would throw this topic out there to get any feed back and facts that the masses out there might have.

I (now) realize my 340, is the wrong color for my '68 barracuda(should be RED, right!), but at the time...(going way back), 1980...when K cars were all the rave...and all my buddies had Chebby's...I was looking for a 340 to replace my 318.

I swear I remember seeing 340 darts with Turquoise engines(or at least one!) so in my mind, That's what color ALL 340's were.

So, I actually find one for sale in the paper, $225.00...ahh, the good old days! So I go to the guy house...there it is....340! TURQUOISE! Just as I thought it should be...Original Paint...just yanked from a rear ended GT Dart.

So I rebuild...Paint it Turquoise...install...done deal...Fast forward....to 2017....

I'll be dame if i can find another Turquoise 340 at any of the local Mopar shows...All painted RED or what ever color the owner wanted...

MY QUESTION TO ANY ONE OUT THERE: Does anyone else have a (factory original) Turquoise 340 motor in their Dart, etc.? Or have see one?...If so What's the story on It?

-I'm Thinking maybe this was a California factory thing?....or maybe it just happened to end up in the line with 383's and got sprayed Turquoise?

Thanks for any light you can shed!
Dan
 
Here's a chart I believe I have seen turquoise on 68 or 69 340's.
eng-colors.jpg
 
Heres a light turquoise in 69

1969 340.JPG
 
toolmanmike said:
Heres a light turquoise in 69

View attachment 1715085632
Click to expand...
cool! thanks! I for got to mention that the motor was out of a '69 dart! Date code '68, but that make sense...built in '68...sold '69.

What's the story on your '69 (dart?) was it from Ca. or did it just happen to be painted Turquoise, special HP motors painted this color? Have any idea?
 
HMBCUDA said:
cool! thanks! I for got to mention that the motor was out of a '69 dart! Date code '68, but that make sense...built in '68...sold '69.

What's the story on your '69 (dart?) was it from Ca. or did it just happen to be painted Turquoise, special HP motors painted this color? Have any idea?
Click to expand...
Oh, not mine. Just a photo from a file I have. I have a 70 Swinger and the 318 is light blue. I have a list in a Galen Govier book that I can get to tomorrow.
 
Going to have to do some digging. It looks like 68 and early 69's were red. Late 69's were turquoise and 70's were street Hemi orange. Details are sketchy.
 
HMBCUDA said:
Hi All! kind of new to the site, but have been a Mopar Man all my life. I Thought I would throw this topic out there to get any feed back and facts that the masses out there might have.

I (now) realize my 340, is the wrong color for my '68 barracuda(should be RED, right!), but at the time...(going way back), 1980...when K cars were all the rave...and all my buddies had Chebby's...I was looking for a 340 to replace my 318.

I swear I remember seeing 340 darts with Turquoise engines(or at least one!) so in my mind, That's what color ALL 340's were.

So, I actually find one for sale in the paper, $225.00...ahh, the good old days! So I go to the guy house...there it is....340! TURQUOISE! Just as I thought it should be...Original Paint...just yanked from a rear ended GT Dart.

So I rebuild...Paint it Turquoise...install...done deal...Fast forward....to 2017....

I'll be dame if i can find another Turquoise 340 at any of the local Mopar shows...All painted RED or what ever color the owner wanted...

MY QUESTION TO ANY ONE OUT THERE: Does anyone else have a (factory original) Turquoise 340 motor in their Dart, etc.? Or have see one?...If so What's the story on It?

-I'm Thinking maybe this was a California factory thing?....or maybe it just happened to end up in the line with 383's and got sprayed Turquoise?

Thanks for any light you can shed!
Dan
Click to expand...
Oh and welcome to FABO.
 
toolmanmike said:
Going to have to do some digging. It looks like 68 and early 69's were red. Late 69's were turquoise and 70's were street Hemi orange. Details are sketchy.
Click to expand...
oh wow that interesting...that explains the rarity of the color on the 340's i'v seen.
 
Galens book has a note that 69 Dodges were blue and Plymouth's were turquoise. May be that makes more sense. He said it was in a factory TSB. (technical service bulletin)
 
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toolmanmike said:
Galens book has a note that 69 Dodges were blue and Plymouth's were turquoiae. May be that makes more sense. He said it was in a factory TSB. (technical service bulletin)
Click to expand...
definitely a head scratchier...wonder if it was as simple as they used up all the red paint and had the turquoise so that's what they used. Thanks for taking the time to look this info up for me...and others that may have had similar interest!
 
I bought a brand new 69 340S Barracuda fastback in March 1969. It definitely had a turquoise engine. I have seen sources that said 340s were NEVER painted turquoise, and I have seen sources that said some mid to late 69 340s WERE painted turquoise. But I can guarantee you that I had one.
 
harrisonm said:
I bought a brand new 69 340S Barracuda fastback in March 1969. It definitely had a turquoise engine. I have seen sources that said 340s were NEVER painted turquoise, and I have seen sources that said some mid to late 69 340s WERE painted turquoise. But I can guarantee you that I had one.
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OK COOL! Thanks Harrison! Confirms what Mike was able to dig up.
 
It's interesting how may sites that don't even list turquoise as a option. Either red or orange. Here's a nice chart from Turbine car.com. abd the note that doesn't tell much. ***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
Capture.PNG
 
HMBCUDA, if that is your 340 in your avitar it sure looks like blue to me. Same color as my '69 is, and always was. Good match to the P4349217 blue Mopar spray paint. What they call "turquoise" is that light green like toolmanmike pictured.
 
I've had 2 1969 340s. Both were turquoise. That engine Toolman Mike pictured appears to be the 383 big block turquoise on my phone. It's different from 69 340 color. I think Toolman Mike is right on the timeline too. Red in 68, and early 69. Turquoise in 69.
 
69_340_GTS said:
HMBCUDA, if that is your 340 in your avitar it sure looks like blue to me. Same color as my '69 is, and always was. Good match to the P4349217 blue Mopar spray paint. What they call "turquoise" is that light green like toolmanmike pictured.
Click to expand...
yes, it's the turquoise, I still have a can of the Mopar Paint...picture make it look darker than it really is.
 
ir3333 said:
my vote is all '69 340's were turquoise!
Click to expand...
That's why I stuck wit he original color of the engine...liked it because it was different. Looked really nice whit the gold Moroso valve covers and intake(when i had it), brand new ('80)
 
toolmanmike said:
It's interesting how may sites that don't even list turquoise as a option. Either red or orange. Here's a nice chart from Turbine car.com. abd the note that doesn't tell much. ***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 P4349216View attachment 1715085671
Click to expand...
thi chart seems to go along with what the first paint chart you posted....and doesn't show the '69 340 as turquoise. Still agree with everyone, that the '69's were turquoise...or at least the late '69's! Had to chuckle a bit because the this chart shows '68 "318 police special" as orange...and reg 318's as red...could open up a whole nother can of worms! Because the 318 i pulled out of my '68 was orange! and it was no police special! just a good ol 2 barrel.
 
Building a 340 now for a '72 BBody, I am so confused about these colors I am seriously thinking about going with black.
 
69_340_GTS said:
HMBCUDA, if that is your 340 in your avitar it sure looks like blue to me. Same color as my '69 is, and always was. Good match to the P4349217 blue Mopar spray paint. What they call "turquoise" is that light green like toolmanmike pictured.
Click to expand...
I just got what you and Furyous2 are saying...it may be a different color all together from the 383's I was thinking it was the same color as the big blocks...

I should PM you on this one, I married a girl from Torrington, CT and got married there too! You might know them, small town.
 
dibbons said:
Building a 340 now for a '72 BBody, I am so confused about these colors I am seriously thinking about going with black.
Click to expand...
I think I would go with the Street Hemi Orange, these charts only go to'71, Maybe some one will chime in that has a'72 340 an let you know for sure.
 
HMBCUDA said:
I think I would go with the Street Hemi Orange, these charts only go to'71, Maybe some one will chime in that has a'72 340 an let you know for sure.
Click to expand...
Unless your car is red. Then you might want to go black. Lol
 
So from what I remember from all the different threads in various forums and on this subject in 68 the 340 was red. In 69 red and turquoise. Could have been a plant thing or mid year thing. Who knows. In 70 they went orange and then blue in what was it 72?
 
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