Road Runner Nest

Cleaning the inside of the bellhousing on my '72 440, I found these numbers. Anyone seen this before?
Also, the bellhousing and the inspection cover was painted blue, like the engine. I tke that as being correct for '72?
Thanks

a true survivor car i owned was a '73 Charger Rallye. 39K one owner miles when i bought it and every receipt for any service ever done [ at the selling dealership ] was with it.
The bellhousing and inspection plate were both the natural metal color.

Have not heard of painted bellhousings, but different cars built in different years at different factories, could maybe explain that.{?} I'm guessing a previous owner had the trans or engine/trans out previously, and painted them while removed. Most likely explanation i come up with anyway.

Well, I have talked to previous owners going back to the early'70's, none of them ever took the engine out or painted it. The car was very original, after cleaning the bellhousing from all the dirt, there was lots of blue paint visible that matched the engine paint.
Car was built at St Louis, MO

I'm not sure about 72, but in earlier years, the bellhousing was attached to the engine block when it was painted at the factory...so you would see overspray on the bell.

Thanks Eric, it just does not look like overspray, too much paint, more like the bellhousing was painted with the engine. There was a little bit of overspray on top of the 4 speed casing. All the factory markings on the 4 speed was very visible after cleaning.
I am really a bit confused, I know the car is very unmolested, all that was changed since '72 was a set of headers, everything else is matching and original and the engine/trans was never removed since new.

Well, depending on who painted it, there could be just overspray or it could be pretty well covered. I do not believe the 4spd was attached to the bell when the block was painted.

Thanks, I agree. Looking again at the 4 speed, it is an inspection mark in bluepaint and not overspray!