Noob questions from a new owner

Orange is normally used for chevy engines. So far so good.
You can id the engine block from the casting number on the rear of the engine behind the distributor

interior options, hard/vynil top,t-tops will usually define a base/le/lj, along with original engine options. do you have bucket seats,split or solid bench? power windows/locks? does the shift indicator have 1 2 D, or a 1 2 D with a circle around it?


welcome to the site, a bunch of good guys in here that are always willing to share their knowledge. also:

Unless I'm mistaken a 350 wasn't available in an 83 GP, though the 305 was available. If the engine was stock, it would be painted black. They were painted Corporate Blue from 77-82 and then painted black after that. The orange paint indicates either the engine was swapped in by a previous owner or, perhaps it is a stock 305 that has been pulled to reseal/detail or even rebuild. The best way to identify the engine is to get the casting numbers off of the upper rear skirt of the block on the driver's side, just ahead of where the transmission mounts. Here is a sample pic


A google search of "GM" and the casting number will yield some information. Also, look at the top surface of the passenger side front of the cylinder deck, which protrudes out past the front of the passenger side head. The VIN stamping should be there unless if the engine has been rebuilt and the block has been decked, where these numbers would have been milled off. If the last five or six numbers stamped on the cylinder deck match the last five or six numbers on the car's VIN tag, then you know the engine is original to the car, which would say it is a 305. Post up what you find and I'll help you decode to see what you have.

For 1983 it would either be a base model, an LJ or a Brougham. No vinyl top and no power windows rules out the Brougham. With no power windows, cruise or tilt, my guess is it is a base model Grand Prix that had optional buckets and console. Does your title or registration note the engine size? That could tell you what it left the factory with, as well as the RPO's on your build sheet. What color are the buckets under those seat covers?

Definitely a base J. LJ's had the wide mouldings at the bottom and the Broughams had opera lamps.