C-1 question

[Chris L.]

Just bought a 59 that was advertised as numbers matching. Serial # 101191 which dates the car to Nov 58, I believe, Pad ID on motor F017CT. ...Oct 17???. Cannot find any vin on the motor. 283/245. Valve covers (finned) are even holes and not staggered as I think they should be. Any thoughts from you experts? My first C1! Thanks in advance.

[Jim L.]

Re: C-1 question

Congrats on your '59. The addition of the VIN derivative to the engine pad didn't start until part way thru the 1960 model year. So the absence of the VIN derivative is correct for your car.

[Chris L.]

Re: C-1 question

How can I tell if it is the motor that the car was born with?

[Jim D.]

Re: C-1 question

The valve covers should have a staggered bolt pattern. Your stamp pad doesn't make sense. Could you post a pic. of it with all traces of paint removed? What is the casting number and casting date of the block?

[Joe L.]

Re: C-1 question

Just bought a 59 that was advertised as numbers matching. Serial # 101191 which dates the car to Nov 58, I believe, Pad ID on motor F017CT. ...Oct 17???. Cannot find any vin on the motor. 283/245. Valve covers (finned) are even holes and not staggered as I think they should be. Any thoughts from you experts? My first C1! Thanks in advance.

Chris-----


"CT" is the correct suffix code for what you have. The date code seems to be 1 digit too short, though. As has been mentioned by Jim, you need to check the date code and casting number on the block.

Even if the block is correct, the heads have definitely been replaced if they are not of the "staggered" valve cover type. What is the cast-in symbol on the end of the heads?

[Chris L.]

[Chris L.]

Re: C-1 question

Not sure how to post a photo . Only thing on end of head is a small raised area that looks like a sail on a boat! Not double jump heads .

[Jim L.]

Re: C-1 question

Not sure how to post a photo . Only thing on end of head is a small raised area that looks like a sail on a boat! Not double jump heads .

Double hump heads didn't come into use until '61. Correct heads for your engine would have a single pyramid on top of a rectangular symbol, regardless of whether they are early (staggerd) or late (straight across).

[Joe L.]

Re: C-1 question

I thought the pad number was one number short but it definitely reads F017CT. The broach marks are there do I don’t think it is a restamp.

Chris------

It could just be a factory mistake or "variant"; these are not rare. The casting date on the block is going to be the determiner of what the date probably is. Plus, it's going to provide the YEAR information which the stamping does not.

[Chris L.]

[Jim L.]

Re: C-1 question

Ok ... I guess we could call it a pyramid but can’t see a rectangle beneath it.

That's OK. Some heads had the pyramid symbol located on/near the mounting plane of the head. If you feel ambitious, remove a valve cover and post pictures of the casting number and the casting date.

[Chris L.]

[Joe L.]

Re: C-1 question

Found the numbers... block casting is a 519 block which I believe is correct for the 245 hp and build date is H 27 8 . The car was built in Nov ( per serial # data in the black book )so the numbers all seem to work. It does have the pyramid over rectangle heads with even holed finned valve covers so it appears the heads may not be the ones it was born with and pad ID does not make sense. What is your opinion on whether it’s the original born with motor. Supposed to be an original 38000 mile car.

Chris-----


The block was cast on August 27, 1958. That is possible for your car but I cannot see how it could co-relate to any interpretation of the stamped date code.

It would be interesting to know the casting number and casting date of the heads. You would need to remove the valve covers to find this.

[Chris L.]

Re: C-1 question