C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

[Ken K.]

My 283Cu.In. engine has the same casting date along with the same date code stamped into the engine pad.

Can these engines be casted early in the day, and then be assembled later in that same day? (Having the same date codes .)

[Mike E.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Yes. Not common, but we've seen real ones.

[Terry D.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Mike,
So the engine block was cast and assembled at the same plant? Guess I always thought the engine blocks were done at a different location. Neat thing about life, it is a never ending educational process if you let it!

Terry

[Patrick H.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Mike,
So the engine block was cast and assembled at the same plant? Guess I always thought the engine blocks were done at a different location. Neat thing about life, it is a never ending educational process if you let it!

Terry

Terry,

No, your first thought was correct. They were cast in Saginaw, assembled in Flint. It's not that far between the two factories, so on occasion one cast early in the day in Saginaw made its way to Flint in time to be assembled that same day. However, that's not the norm.

Patrick

[Kevin G.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

I understand Corvettes weren't the only cars this occasionally occured with. Years ago there was a Nova with the same scenario. The same conclusion was the result. I'd question cooling time and exactly how long did or does it take for the casting to cool to the point it can be "touched"?

[Alan S.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Hi,
Did these blocks have 'clocks' on them as the 010 blocks do?
If so it would be interesting to see what shift and when during the shift the block was cast.
That might affect when it had cooled enough to be machined and assembled the same day as Patrick mentions.
Regards,
Alan


Twi-light Shift.

[Mike E.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Alan,
clocks came later. 64 maybe?

[Mike E.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Terry,
I am pretty sure I didn't say that.
Mike

[Dan D.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

I have a February 1962 870 block that was cast and assembled one day apart.

-Dan-

[Richard M.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

John Hinckley's presentation and history lesson states that Flint Motor was machining and assembling 300 engines per hour on 2 shifts in the days of the era. Millions of 283's for cars and trucks then.

IIRC, he said that the Foundry in Saginaw had hot metal at all times. So it wouldn't harden in the pots I guess. Makes sense. So if a block was cast on the 3rd shift at the foundry, if they did 3rd shift, or maybe even overtime in the early AM hours, then got it in the truck at the end of the load by mid morning, then got unloaded at Flint in the afternoon, and got on the broaching machine by suppertime, then through the machining process and assembled and stamp hammer struck by 11PM, ...................Well, I'm speculating, but was it possible?? I would think so.

Besides, why would anyone try to create a restoration block with that unusual date condition. Maybe reverse psychology? I doubt it.

[Frank D.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Its possible - my all original '61 270hp has a head cast one day ahead of the engine assembly date. John Hinckley said that was entirely legit but rare.

[Blair K.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

Its possible - my all original '61 270hp has a head cast one day ahead of the engine assembly date. John Hinckley said that was entirely legit but rare.

Same here for my '68 L36. Cylinder head cast one day ahead of the engine assembly date.

[Tom B.]

Re: C1: Engine Block Casting Date vs. Stamped Date Code.

There have been rumors for years of blocks still being warm to the touch when they started the machining process. My company supplied liquid nitrogen to GM Central Casting in Saginaw for many years before the place shut down. I usually arrived late evening to middle of the night. There was always a shift working , even on weekends and holidays. Sometimes just a skeleton shift but always someone there keeping the fires stoked, so to speak. Foundries and casting companies don't allow the place to cool down unless they are going to be down for a long time. I believe there are way more same day built engines out there in all sorts of Chevys than we can imagine.

Tom