Please decode this engine stamp number

[Darryl D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

It looks like L 6 6 which would be DEC 6, 1956 because "I" was used for Sept. The F1207FC matches perfectly with the Dec 6 casting date for a 1957 model year engine.

You are missing the point. The stamped date of this engine is FI207FC which decodes as Dec. 7th so the engine would have to be cast AFTER the engine was stamped if it is a 6 and if it is an 8 then stamped one day after it was cast.

[Leif A.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

Patrick is spot on. Your point, Darryl, that the engine would have to be cast AFTER the engine was stamped makes no sense...how could a stamp possibly occur before the engine was cast?? Your engine, it appears, was cast on December 6 and then stamped December 7.

[Larry M.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

It looks like L 6 6 which would be DEC 6, 1956 because "I" was used for Sept. The F1207FC matches perfectly with the Dec 6 casting date for a 1957 model year engine.

Pat:

I agree..............and this is exactly what I posted for Darryl on the Corvette Forum C1/C2 Section for the same question just a bit earlier.

Larry

[Darryl D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

Leif said:
Ok, I am going to consolidate all of the info
I have posted in this thread into one spot for everyone to review.
Engine casting number is 3731548 which is a
1957 283 engine
Casting date APPEARS to me to be L 8 6
Pad stamping is FI207FC which decodes as
F=Flint I207=Dec. 7th (I used as a 1) FC=283 4 barrel with auto trans passenger
car
Head casting numbers 3731539 which are 1957
heads dated A 9 7 & A 16 7 marked with the power pack pyramid on the front
of the heads which have a rough texture.

[Darryl D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

I forgot to mention as I did before in this thread that I believe the head are the original heads installed on the car new (as the dates line up with the car's V.I.N. birthday). I think the heads were then installed on the replacement engine short block installed in the car that is the subject of this thread

[Jim D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

L 8 6 and if they don't use "I" for Sept. due to confusion wit
1, then the date code is Nov. 8th 1956 which would be one month prior to the
stamped date of I207=Dec. 7th

L 8 6 is DEC. 8 1956. "L" was used for DEC. in ALL casting dates. No exceptions.

[Jim D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

Sorry about the picture being upside down I thought I had flipped it.

The head pyramids are a rough texture.

Rough texture indicates heads from Tonawanda which were not used on Corvettes. Corvettes used heads from Flint and they had a smooth,machined surface on the pyramid. That's why Gary asked about the texture.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

The casting date is L 6 6 not L 8 6. It was certainly not stamped a day before it was cast.

[Darryl D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

The purpose of this thread is to gather the engine info to represent the 283 correctly to potential buyers because I am going to be taking it out and selling it. It is not the original engine for the car so I am going to replace it with a 383 stroker engine. The engine certainly has value to someone that has a 1957 passenger car or even someone that has a 1957 Corvette that the time built for the car would line up with the time built for this engine for a date code correct engine if they are looking for NCRS judging points.
I am really not concerned about if the heads are correct from the original engine that was installed in the car new or not as they have little value anyway but they are on the engine and it runs good with them.

[Darryl D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

The casting date is L 6 6 not L 8 6. It was certainly not stamped a day before it was cast.

Your eyes might be better than mine but remember, You are looking at a picture and I am looking directly at the impression I took and I am unsure what it actually is. I am playing devils advocate here and would PREFER that it is L 6 6 as that would at least be possible for the stamping to line up but as I said earlier the casting time vs. the stamp time is more commonly about one month apart not a day.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

Your eyes might be better than mine but remember, You are looking at a picture and I am looking directly at the impression I took and I am unsure what it actually is. I am playing devils advocate here and would PREFER that it is L 6 6 as that would at least be possible for the stamping to line up but as I said earlier the casting time vs. the stamp time is more commonly about one month apart not a day.

I believe the most common time between casting and stamping a small block is about 3 days, and one day is more common than one month. A one month gap is typical of big blocks not small blocks.

The casting date numbers 3,6,8 and 9 typically are pretty indistinct and hard to read.

[Dan A.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

Your putty impression is very good but could have been better had you held the camera square to the impression. From the information you have presented the casting date is L 6 6. This block was cast on the 6th of December 1956. It was machined and assembled on the 7th of December 1956. All quite typical. Simple as that. Your making this harder than it needs to be.

[Leif A.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

Daniel,
That picture makes it rather obvious L 6 6

[Darryl D.]

Re: Please decode this engine stamp number

OK, Dec. 6th 1956 it is. That I the way I will advertise it. Thanks to all. I just did not want to mis=represent it.