May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

[Kirk M.]

I have a 1967 ermine white 327/300 hp AC, PB, PS, automatic convertible that was built April 18, 1967. A.O. Smith body. My manifold is believed to be original to the car but is dated E246 which works out to be May, 24, 1966. I believe I read somewhere that this early manifold was a "leftover" from 1966 that has been observed on some early 1967 cars. Is this true and can someone point me to the resource - was it John Hinkley? Obviously, the date discrepancy came up when my car was judged and I would like to have better documentation that this manifold is correct for my car. Thanks.

Kirk

MANIFOLD CASTING DATE CODE (E246)

E = month; E = May
24 = day; 24th
6 = year; 6 = 1966

[Jack H.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

I suspect it's the INTAKE manifold you're talking about... As far as 'proving' a May '66 casting is factory original to an April '67 built car, you're between a rock and a hard place.

Judging guidlelines generally allow for a 0-6 month window prior to production and this part falls outside the window. NCRS judges work to 'typical' factory production norms with the burden of proof for atypical issues moved to the owner's sphere.

Could this date configuration be correct/original? Yes. When engines failed on the assy line, they were pulled, replaced and the car went on down the line + out the door with a replacement engine. Failed items (including engines) were eventually addressed by putting mechanics on them to effect repair.

When that happened parts could have been 'swapped' in the repair effort but that would have an exception rather than the rule at St. Louis. Now that you have an exception case, I see essentially two paths: (1) live with the minor point loss and accept the anomoly, or (2) pull the manifold and replace it with correctly dated part.

Neither action constitutes a major hardship...

[Joseph T.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

Kirk,
I own two original 1967 327/300HP Corvettes, each with different options. One is a November build date with an April 15. 1966 Intake Manifold Date Code and a December build date with your same May 24, 1966 date code. Both have been judged with no deductions with a 7 month span in dates. I thought up to a year span was acceptable with the 1967 300 HP Intakes but I could be wrong. Possibly others will chime in with similar date issues.

[Kirk M.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

I swear someone wrote an article about this stating this wasn't a repair issue but rather a "batch run" on 67's using this May date intake manifold. I hope someone remembers who and when it was published. I think maybe yours being at 7 months was probably more "acceptable" than mine which is 10 months out!!!! I don't mind the minor deduction if I can confirm this was something original to the car. Otherwise, I will seek out an properly dated manifold and mount that. Hope some more experts chime in! Thanks.

Kirk

[Mike M.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

Yes, it was John about twelve years ago. Check the archives.
HaND

[Larry M.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

The Restorer article was titled "1967 327-300 Intake Manifold Survey" by John Hinckley. It appeared in the Winter 2003 issue.

Larry

[Dale S.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

Hugh, Dale Schafer here. I do not have my 67 here right now. I will check my intake manifold Monday and post my dates. As you know my intake has never been off from my K-19 pictures that you have. Dale

[John H.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

The Restorer article was titled "1967 327-300 Intake Manifold Survey" by John Hinckley. It appeared in the Winter 2003 issue.

Larry

That's correct - here are the conclusions and summary from the article:

Conclusions:

• 1966, most of which have the GM3T
• The 3872783 manifold was cast one-per-mold on an older-style slow molding line; the process for high-volume manifolds was changed during 1966 to three castings per mold on modern high-speed mold lines.

3. Cars built between April, 1967 and the end of the model year also used
manifolds cast as early as June, 1966, with a few using manifolds cast on

cover a predicted shortfall against the original usage projection.

• The typical spread between manifold dates and car build dates in the

survey data squares precisely with the data found by Noland Adams
In his earlier survey of original 1967 327/300 cars shown on page 393
of his Volume II book.


Summary:



Note: This anomaly was recognized in the 4th Edition of the '67 JG, under "Intake Manifold", "Base Engine", on page 77.

[Kirk M.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

That's correct - here are the conclusions and summary from the article:

Conclusions:

• 1966, most of which have the GM3T
• The 3872783 manifold was cast one-per-mold on an older-style slow molding line; the process for high-volume manifolds was changed during 1966 to three castings per mold on modern high-speed mold lines.

3. Cars built between April, 1967 and the end of the model year also used
manifolds cast as early as June, 1966, with a few using manifolds cast on

cover a predicted shortfall against the original usage projection.

• The typical spread between manifold dates and car build dates in the

survey data squares precisely with the data found by Noland Adams
In his earlier survey of original 1967 327/300 cars shown on page 393
of his Volume II book.


Summary:



Note: This anomaly was recognized in the 4th Edition of the '67 JG, under "Intake Manifold", "Base Engine", on page 77.

So John,

How does my May 24th manifold jive with this when the car was built April 18, 1967? Does that sound correct to you??? Thanks.

Kirk

[John H.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

So John,

How does my May 24th manifold jive with this when the car was built April 18, 1967? Does that sound correct to you??? Thanks.

Kirk

Kirk -

I went back in my Survey file and looked at the raw data, and there are a number of submissions with intake casting dates in April and May 1966, so yours fits the overall pattern disclosed by the survey.

[Joel F.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

This board is the best . . .Simply amazing amount of useful knowledge.

[Mike E.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

My 67 is 186XX, and very original--it has a L186 intake. FWIW

[Dale S.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

Car is up on the rack so i will get the date and casting number tomorrow. March 30th build date. Dale

[Dale S.]

Re: May 24, 1966 Manifold on an Early 67 Block - Is This Correct?

I found my notes on March 30th 1967 build date. Cast Iron intake manifold 327/300 HP code ( HH) casting 3872738, GM-3T dated G 2 6 Sorry it took so long Dale