'65 Tonawanda block

[Wayne G.]

I picked up an interesting engine today. It was suppose to be a complete original '64 365hp engine, complete from carb to pan. The engine was complete with all of the correct 356hp components, but the block is a 180 casting Tonawanda engine. Casting date
A 9 5. Pad stamp T0114HO. No vin stamp? Is this an anomaly or over the counter block ?
I'm assuming this is a block produced during the Flint engine casting shutdown?

Please let me know your thoughts and opinions.

Wayne Gibson

[Patrick B.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Could it be "HC", a 65 big Chevy 250 hp with powerglide. They had no vin stamping.

[Wayne G.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

"HO" is listed as a '65 300hp. Corvette.
But the mystery is why there isn't a Vin #?

Wayne

[Keith B.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Do you have a clear close up picture of the pad?

[Patrick B.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

There were a few 65 Corvette blocks cast at Tonawanda, but they were machined at Flint and would not have had a Tonawanda coded build date. Ordinary passenger car and truck engines had no vin code in 1965. Maybe HO is also a truck code. Like Keith said a picture may help us understand this block.

[Wayne G.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

I've attached (4) photos.

[Patrick B.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Wayne-- This is a real mystery. The stamping and grain look completely factory original. The only HO code apparently used in 1965 was for a 300 hp powerglide Corvette. A complete over the counter engine would have the plant stamping but not the vin. If it had a Flint stamping the block would clearly be from a complete engine sold by the parts department rather than installed in a Corvette. There have been 180 blocks which were only cast at Tonawanda reported as original engines in 65 Corvettes due to a strike. I have never seen one, but they were supposed to have been shipped as bare castings to Flint where they were machined and assembled bearing a plant stamping starting with F. Unless there is some other application using the HO code, this block seems to be from an engine assembled at Tonawanda for a Corvette. Unless I am confused about the 180 block usage in 1965, a Corvette coded Tonawanda assembled engine is contrary to the accepted story. I hope some 1965 experts acquanted with 180 blocks can comment.

[Cecil L.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Doesn't take much to take an HC block and overstamp the C to an O.

[Patrick B.]

[Steven B.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Look at the right side of the O and then the left side of the O. Does the left side appear to be straighter than the right? I think Cecil may have figured it out.

Steve

[Wayne G.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Cecil,

I don't believe anyone would change the stamp. There's not much gain there. You might want to look closer, this stamp is untouched. The '64 Corvette this engine came out of is vin # 21768, last week of production and has been in my town since new. It's not the original engine as that engine was an 870 Flint block, 365 hp. and long gone according to the former owner of the car. I'm just curious on the Tonawanda casting with this "HO". stamp and how it got in the car. Warranty maybe?

Wayne

[Steven B.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Cecil,

I don't believe anyone would change the stamp. There's not much gain there. You might want to look closer, this stamp is untouched. The '64 Corvette this engine came out of is vin # 21768, last week of production and has been in my town since new. It's not the original engine as that engine was an 870 Flint block, 365 hp. and long gone according to the former owner of the car. I'm just curious on the Tonawanda casting with this "HO". stamp and how it got in the car. Warranty maybe?

Wayne

The history is interesting. Just out of curiosity, what became of the car?

Steve

[Wayne G.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

The car is in Spokane, built as a resto-mod. No major body change just performance suspension, LS motor, big tires and wheels etc. Stock high RPM tach and interior. Nice original car to start with.
Pearl white with red leather. Originally white and red vinyl. I bought the engine and all of the original parts removed from the car.

Wayne

[Roy S.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Guys I think this is a complete long block assembled in Tonawanda as an HO, for either an application or an over the counter sale, the fact it sets today as a 365HP probably has nothing to do with the way it was originally configured when purchased. Only high performance engines received vin sequencing in the 65 time frame - unless they were Corvette specific and that started in mid 1960. the fact today it is dressed as a 365 does not mean it was built that way originally.

[Joe R.]

Re: '65 Tonawanda block

Roy,

Is this just a case of (Putting Lipstick on a Pig)?

JR