Very early 396 Corvettes and Z-16 Chevelles
I became interested in very early 396's when I viewed a block in the mid 80's where the Tonawanda stamp was on the right hand side of the pad and a Corvette vin was stamped over the it. It seemed peculiar, but it made some sense if you figured it was one of the first Corvette 396 blocks. The 396's were made on the same production line that had previously made 409's, and 409's were stamped on the right hand side of the pad. However, no one had thought about the effect of the forward facing plug on the 396 head when the VIN stamping would be done at the assembly plant. The gang stamp used at the Corvette plant could not contact the left side of the pad because the plug was in the way. Therefore, the vin had to be stamped over the Tonawanda plant stamp. This was not a good solution so the Tonawanda stamp (which was done before the head was installed) was moved to the left side where we are used to seeing them on every big block since. I made a rubbing from this block (there was no digital photography then) which is shown in the first picture below. The block was cast on Feb. 20, 1965, assembled on March 13, and installed in Corvette vin# 13961 which was completed on April 1, 1965.
The fact that 65 Corvette #13961 had one of the very first 396 engines would be of interest to the 396 survey being discussed in another long thread. I would not believe that any of the 396's on that list prior to Bill Mock's #12864 was a legitimate production 396 Corvette (experimental pre-production cars excepted). I looked at the ad for Mock's car on his website. It has a very convincing story that GM brass got the first 396 into the hands of the very successful young Corvette drag racer and record holder Cliff Gottlop - the same man who drove a 67 L-88 from Kansas to Daytona and finished second in class in the 24 hour race. However, there are no pictures of the engine pad in the ad, and it is also surprising that #12864 has chrome valve covers and air cleaner lid. Has any one of you 396 fans every seen Mock's car. Does it have the Tonawanda stamp and the vin superimposed on the right hand side of the pad?
Alan Colvin, in his book Chevrolet by the Numbers, says that Chevrolet announced the 396 engine on Feb 15, 1965. Presumably, dealers began taking orders after that date, and the first 396 Corvette may have been built on March 19. Without an observation of #12864, we don't know when its engine was produced, but it was probably earlier that the March 13 engine for #13961. I have a 396 block cast Feb. 4, 1965 which may be the earliest casting date for a production 396. Has anyone seen an earlier 962 block? It was lightly decked but the numbers are still visible in the second picture below. It is for a Z-16 Chevelle and it is stamped T0305IX. Any Corvette engine made as early as that date would have had time to get to St Louis for the assembly of Corvette #12864, even though these were the first engines from Tonawanda going to the Corvette plant.
How long did it take for Chevrolet to solve the problem of making space for the VIN stamping? I think it was about 3 weeks. I believe that the first production engines were built around March 5: they were stamped on the right on March 13, and the third picture below is from Colvin's book showing showing a Z-16 engine built with the March 19 date on the right. I have a note in my rubbing collection that a 396 made on March 24 had the Tonawanda stamp on the left side making room for the vin stamp. I may have learned that from a previous discussion of 396 engine on this TDB but it could not find the tread. However, I have another early 396 block cast on Feb 20 (the same day as the block assembled with the T0313IF on the right hand side) that is more heavily decked but still shows the 511 beginning of a Corvette vin in the usual position indicating that the Tonawanda stamp position had been moved before the supply of Feb 20 blocks had been exhausted (consistent with some time between March 19 and March 24. If any of you 396 fans have blocks assembled in March 1965, I would like to know the casting dates and stamping positions. If any of you have a very early real 396 missing its engine, the early blocks I have are available.
The fact that 65 Corvette #13961 had one of the very first 396 engines would be of interest to the 396 survey being discussed in another long thread. I would not believe that any of the 396's on that list prior to Bill Mock's #12864 was a legitimate production 396 Corvette (experimental pre-production cars excepted). I looked at the ad for Mock's car on his website. It has a very convincing story that GM brass got the first 396 into the hands of the very successful young Corvette drag racer and record holder Cliff Gottlop - the same man who drove a 67 L-88 from Kansas to Daytona and finished second in class in the 24 hour race. However, there are no pictures of the engine pad in the ad, and it is also surprising that #12864 has chrome valve covers and air cleaner lid. Has any one of you 396 fans every seen Mock's car. Does it have the Tonawanda stamp and the vin superimposed on the right hand side of the pad?
Alan Colvin, in his book Chevrolet by the Numbers, says that Chevrolet announced the 396 engine on Feb 15, 1965. Presumably, dealers began taking orders after that date, and the first 396 Corvette may have been built on March 19. Without an observation of #12864, we don't know when its engine was produced, but it was probably earlier that the March 13 engine for #13961. I have a 396 block cast Feb. 4, 1965 which may be the earliest casting date for a production 396. Has anyone seen an earlier 962 block? It was lightly decked but the numbers are still visible in the second picture below. It is for a Z-16 Chevelle and it is stamped T0305IX. Any Corvette engine made as early as that date would have had time to get to St Louis for the assembly of Corvette #12864, even though these were the first engines from Tonawanda going to the Corvette plant.
How long did it take for Chevrolet to solve the problem of making space for the VIN stamping? I think it was about 3 weeks. I believe that the first production engines were built around March 5: they were stamped on the right on March 13, and the third picture below is from Colvin's book showing showing a Z-16 engine built with the March 19 date on the right. I have a note in my rubbing collection that a 396 made on March 24 had the Tonawanda stamp on the left side making room for the vin stamp. I may have learned that from a previous discussion of 396 engine on this TDB but it could not find the tread. However, I have another early 396 block cast on Feb 20 (the same day as the block assembled with the T0313IF on the right hand side) that is more heavily decked but still shows the 511 beginning of a Corvette vin in the usual position indicating that the Tonawanda stamp position had been moved before the supply of Feb 20 blocks had been exhausted (consistent with some time between March 19 and March 24. If any of you 396 fans have blocks assembled in March 1965, I would like to know the casting dates and stamping positions. If any of you have a very early real 396 missing its engine, the early blocks I have are available.
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