engine numbers

[Scott T.]

I am a new member so bear with me, I have a 1964 convertible I am redoing when I bought the car I knew it was not a matching number car the engine casting is 3903352 (1967) the block stamp begins with T (Tonawanda) and ends in HA, no vin, I have examined my 65s engine pad it is numbers matching it has the vin and the numbers, would I be safe to assume this could be a GM replacement 327 block from the 1967 model year based on the block casting and HA being a 327 but not a corvette issued block stamp code, would the absence of vin be the indicator something happened to the original block and a GM replacement was provided buy some means, verses an junk yard motor or block, I have not looked at the heads everything else on the car is correct, second knowing going in it was never going to be a numbers matching car and these cars did have the propensity to have engine swaps due to failure (who cared about engine numbers back then), just asking for feed back. thanks for your help

[Michael W.]

Re: engine numbers

With a '67 only casting number and the suffix HA, the engine started life in an '67 Impala. 275 Hp w/4bbl carb and manual transmission. Not all engines had the VIN on the stamp pad, some had it close to the oil filter.

How/when the engine found it's way to your Corvette, who knows.

[Patrick B.]

Re: engine numbers

Only Corvettes had a VIN on every engine in 1967. In 1967 Impalas, 427s (very few cars) had a VIN but 327s did not.

[Scott T.]

Re: engine numbers

could be, its been rebuilt the cars coming back from the paint shop tomorrow I'm going to look at the heads, I have driven it back to back with my 65 327/350 also rebuilt and it seems as quick and maybe a little more high strung rev wise, no worries love both cars thanks I will post head numbers.

[David L.]

Re: engine numbers

Scott,

According to my 35 years of research notes I have seen the following 327 engines with the 3903352 casting number:
"T0515HC" stamping with "D267" casting date (1967 Chev. w/275 HP 327 & P.G. trans, Tonowanda, NY, engine)
"K0518KL" stamping with "D277" casting date (1967 Chev. w/275 HP 327, & T.H. trans., McKinnon eng., Canada)

Most all 1963-1965 Corvette blocks have the 3782870 casting number and were made in Flint, however, I believe that there were some Tonowanda blocks installed in 1964 Corvettes with the 3858180 casting number when there was a supply problem with the Flint engine plant.

Dave

[Philip A.]

Re: engine numbers

I was under the impression that dealer replacement engines were marked CE; and any other letter combination had some application.

[Michael W.]

Re: engine numbers

I was under the impression that dealer replacement engines were marked CE; and any other letter combination had some application.

The CE engines did not appear till '68 or so. Prior to that stamp pads on short blocks were blank.

[Dan A.]

Re: engine numbers

Scott,

"K0518KL" stamping with "D277" casting date (1967 Chev. w/275 HP 327, & T.H. trans., McKinnon eng., Canada)

Most all 1963-1965 Corvette blocks have the 3782870 casting number and were made in Flint, however, I believe that there were some Tonowanda blocks installed in 1964 Corvettes with the 3858180 casting number when there was a supply problem with the Flint engine plant.

Dave

Dave, in your notes, did you record where on the block the cast date was found on the McKinnon engine?

I think it was the spring of '65 when the Tonawanda cast cylinder cases were
final machined and assembled at Flint and at least some were shipped to St. Louis and used in some '65 Corvettes. Of note Mark Gorney who worked at GMs Central Foundry has said they periodically exchanged so to speak in order to check for compatability. I to had been under the impression the Tonawanda 180 blocks had been shipped to Flint due to a labor dispute.