How rare........
- Thread starter Colc
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thrashingcows
Senior Member
factory 440/4spd? Regardless congrats on the purchase!!
69CoronetRT
Senior Member
Cool find. Do we know for sure it was a factory 440 four?
I don’t think the production numbers for 66 C bodies are known making the proper answer “not many”.
Since 66s don’t have VIN stamps on the enigine and transmission, they can’t be numbers matching
Newport 66
Old Man with a Hat
Congrats!! Have fun with it, numbers matching doesn't matter. A 440 4spd C body is cool regardless!!
For your own curiosity, you can check the machined pad opposite the distributor on the driver's side. If the car has a B-440 stamped on the pad, it has a '66 440 engine. You can also decode the build tag as that will give the original engine and transmission. '66 model year cars did not have the VIN number stamped on the engine or transmission, so there is no "numbers matching" as noted. Some one has already done the split brake conversion. Looks like a nice find and should be a nice driver as well. The base of the hood ornament usually had the original engine size embossed on it as well
Dave
Dave
As noted, there aren't any "numbers" to match on these cars . . . as there are on the later models. About as close as you can get is to look at the casting date for the engine block. It should pre-date the assembly date of the car by up to 6 months.
I'd be more concerned if the 4-speed transmission was assembly line installed. If not, then the quality of the conversion might be an issue. But as long as it works, ENJOY!
CBODY67
I'd be more concerned if the 4-speed transmission was assembly line installed. If not, then the quality of the conversion might be an issue. But as long as it works, ENJOY!
CBODY67
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Congratulations. Nice find. I think 66 was the first year for 440 so it might be factory original. More common is the 383/4spd combo. Some here know these cars very well and can give you a much better answer.
livininharrow
Senior Member
66 was the first year for the 440
Nice car. The combination was definitely available. Factory equipped with a 440 and 4 speed it's quite rare - according to various pundits there were perhaps less than 1500 made with 383 & 4 speed, and less than 500 with 440 & 4 speed, going with a generally accepted ratio of 1/10th of 1 percent of total model production.
1966 Dodge Monaco 500 production in USA (roughly 10,000 cars) equipped with 440 4 speed is estimated at less than 10 cars (lots more 383 4 speeds, and about 1500 Polaras equipped with 4 speeds). Canadian production is typically 10% of USA numbers at the time
My Canadian 66 Monaco 440 4-speed is likely a 1 of 1.
It's worthwhile ascertaining the genuine equipment the car was optioned with.
1966 Dodge Monaco 500 production in USA (roughly 10,000 cars) equipped with 440 4 speed is estimated at less than 10 cars (lots more 383 4 speeds, and about 1500 Polaras equipped with 4 speeds). Canadian production is typically 10% of USA numbers at the time
My Canadian 66 Monaco 440 4-speed is likely a 1 of 1.
It's worthwhile ascertaining the genuine equipment the car was optioned with.
69CoronetRT
Senior Member
As stated in post 5, unless and until factory documents surface, there is no credible way to crunch numbers and guess production figures.
Attempting to do so requires assumptions and guessing and is folly.
Attempting to do so requires assumptions and guessing and is folly.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
My answer would have been, "very few" and hope people would accept that as being the most accurate but people won't accept that.
69CoronetRT
Senior Member
Humans hate ambiguity and will do whatever is mentally necessary to avoid it.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Likely an evolutionary coping mechanism in humans to prevent counterproductive behaviour. Ambiguity -> Stress -> Magical Thinking as a coping mechanism. Unfortunately politicians and other purveyors of snake oil remedies are proficient at exploiting those low inherent coping mechanism traits in some individuals.
VIN number is PP23966156586, engine number on reg doc is 398830440.......which seems to suggest it was originally a 383.........the second number makes no sense at all.....will have a closer look when the car arrives.......
300rag
It's Not Going to Shift Itself
It looks like a typo of the casting number, with a 6 missing between the 3 and 9. That would then be a '72 - '78 440 block
From Mopar Engine Casting Numbers
3698830 440 RB 1972-78
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
That makes sense......thanks for the info...........
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