1960 engine block date code

[Don W.]

Hello folks,

I am entertaining purchasing an early (#1175) 1960. The engine block date code appears to be I279 or maybe I219. I am having diffuculty reading the characters. Does anyone have pictures of a '519 casting date code for 1959 handy. If so, please e-mail to dgwalker@hdp.com. I want to make sure the last date code digit is a 9 and not an 8.

Also, pics of the engine finish code would be helpful as well. From my research, it appears that car 1175 should NOT have a VIN derivative on the finish pad. This one does not. The finish number is F0930CT. I want to use the pictures to try to make sure the type and size of the lettering is correct.

This car also has the VIN tag on the door jam. Other components such as the exhuast manifolds and carbs (2626S/2627S) make me believe this may be an original motor.

Any comments as to origianlity or other "tell tale" signs to review would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Don Walker

[Jack H.]

Re: 1960 engine block date code

A casting date of "I 27 9" would correspond to Sept 27, 1959 which implies a reasonable early built 1960 car. Telling the difference between digits '6' '8' '3' and '9' can be tricky.... The numbers were generated by an insert into the mold. Often the numbers are fuzzy/fudgy in appearance based on how good a 'fill' that particular casting got. So, looking at another casting isn't going to tell you a whole bunch about the one at hand....

The practice of applying a VIN derivative on the engine stamp pad began in 1960 around Christmas of '59. These cars had the VIN portion of their numbers individually laid down and are sometimes called 'ugly' stamps because the VIN portion of the wack on the stamp pad is digit-by-digit irregular in placement/spacing. Sometime around mid-march 1960, a gang stamp was used to make the VIN derivative at the final assy plant and the numbers became uniformly spaced and regular in appearance.

Since these running changes happened in the '60 MY build, what's considered 'right' will vary with the specific time a given car was built. To get the approximate build date, you have to interpolate the car's VIN number from known Chevy end-of-month production data. This data is given in the NCRS Judging Guide book as well as by other sources (like Corvette Black Book, Noland Adams, Etc.) plus there are Corvette 'birthday' services to compute the approximate build date like the facility provided by the NCRS Wisconsin chapter's website (see link tool bar on this website).

[Edward M.]

Re: 1960 engine block date code

I have a question for you? Are the characters on the VIN plate stamped from the front like 59 and earlier VIN tags, or embossed from the rear like late 60 and up VIN tags?

[Don W.]

Re: 1960 engine block date code

Ed,

I don't recall the details of the VIN plate. However, I bought a mirror, cleaned the block a little more and was able to read the date code.

I also cleared the paint off of the finish pad and found circular machining marks on the pad. I told the seller that I thought it was a restamp and that his ad stating "orignal numbers matching motor" was probably incorrect. He didn't really care and thought the car was priced accordingly. I left it there.

Thank you,

Don Walker