For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

[Gerard F.]

I believe these to be my original starter bolts for a 67 small block:



Originally zinc or cad plated.

Any comments?

[Steven G.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Gerard, from what I can see as pictured, the left looks zinc, right, cad.?? I am courious what a side view would reveal, those xxxxxx expanded markings in relationship to head markings. Another side pic. could create a sturr. Steve

[Clem Z.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Gerard, from what I can see as pictured, the left looks zinc, right, cad.?? I am courious what a side view would reveal, those xxxxxx expanded markings in relationship to head markings. Another side pic. could create a sturr. Steve

are they knurled to expand the diameter on the shank ?

[Steven G.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Yes, this was done by GM for many years and indicates correct starter bolts. Steve

[Clem Z.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Yes, this was done by GM for many years and indicates correct starter bolts. Steve

if you use regular bolts instead of the knurled ones you will have the problem discussed above because the starter can move around on the bolts.

[Joe L.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

I believe these to be my original starter bolts for a 67 small block:



Originally zinc or cad plated.

Any comments?

Jerry-----


I would say yes, from what I can see of them. At least, the head configuration is correct. As has been mentioned, these starter bolts have knurled shanks and that is a MUST. NEVER use standard bolts for a starter attachment. Besides the knurling, these bolts have a long unthreaded shank and short thread length compared to standard bolts of the same overall length. This is another feature that's important.

Bolts for aluminum nose starters (like ALL 1963-65 Corvette starters) were of FLANGED HEAD design as seen in your photo. Bolts for cast iron nose starters were of NON-FLANGED head design.

I did a rather extensive post on starter bolts quite some time ago. It should be in the archives.

Also, the original and current replacement part numbers for the bolts you have pictured are as follows:

short-----GM #3880880; last available under GM #14097279 (discontinued)

long------GM #3830134; current GM #14097278

[Gerard F.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Steven,

Too late to get a side pic. I was in such a rush to get the starter on and the car out of the garage, I just took a quick shot of the heads.

If this was a scheduled restoration, I would have brought the bolts back to original finish.

However from memory, both bolts were zinc or silver cad plated from the finish on the sides. The stuff on the heads is just baked on grease and dirt.

I remember the long one having a knurking around the shaft, but don't remember the short one having it. It could have been there but I didn't notice it.

Next time I take them out I'll take some better pics.

[Mike E.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

The starter bolts on my May-built 67 are identical in head marks and everything else.

[Joe L.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Steven,

Too late to get a side pic. I was in such a rush to get the starter on and the car out of the garage, I just took a quick shot of the heads.

If this was a scheduled restoration, I would have brought the bolts back to original finish.

However from memory, both bolts were zinc or silver cad plated from the finish on the sides. The stuff on the heads is just baked on grease and dirt.

I remember the long one having a knurking around the shaft, but don't remember the short one having it. It could have been there but I didn't notice it.

Next time I take them out I'll take some better pics.

Jerry-----


All GM starter bolts were zinc plated. Every aftermarket starter bolt I've ever seen has been zinc plated, too.

[Jim S.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Steven,

Too late to get a side pic. I was in such a rush to get the starter on and the car out of the garage, I just took a quick shot of the heads.

If this was a scheduled restoration, I would have brought the bolts back to original finish.

However from memory, both bolts were zinc or silver cad plated from the finish on the sides. The stuff on the heads is just baked on grease and dirt.

I remember the long one having a knurking around the shaft, but don't remember the short one having it. It could have been there but I didn't notice it.

Next time I take them out I'll take some better pics.

Jerry ,

Since you did'nt take the time to get the side pictures or take it back apart so you could , I decided I would help you out this time !

Jim

[Gerard F.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Thanks Jim,

That's exactly what mine looked like. The knurling was more of a straight line vertical knurling, rather than an XXXXX knurling.

However, I'll admit I'm not a connoisseur of knurling.

[Jim S.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Thanks Jim,

That's exactly what mine looked like. The knurling was more of a straight line vertical knurling, rather than an XXXXX knurling.

However, I'll admit I'm not a connoisseur of knurling.

Connoisseur ! I didn't even know what the word meant !

JIm

[David L.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

While researching my starter braces and heat shields I came across my box of starter bolts that I have collected over the years. From the bolts that I "bagged & tagged" this is what I have found:

1. Short bolts (3/8"-16 X 1 7/8") w/"straight line vertical" knurling and "C" marking w/6 radial line segments (same markings as in Jerry's photos)
1967 Chev. 283 (Dec. 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (Aug. 1965)
1966 Chev. 283 (Feb. 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (May 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

2. Short bolts (3/8"-16 X 1 7/8") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "circle" marking w/6 radial line segments
1964 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

3. Short bolts (3/8"-16 X 1 7/8") w/"dot matrix" knurling and "M" marking w/3 radial line segments
(new bolts, source unknown, possibly bought them from my local Chevrolet dealer back in the 1980's)

4. Long bolt (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"straight line vertical" knurling and "C" marking w/6 radial line segments (same markings as in Jerry's photo)
1966 Starter 1107320 from Spring 1989 Carlisle

5. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "RBW" marking w/6 radial line segments
1966 Chev. 283 (Aug. 1965)
1966 Chev. 283 (Feb. 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (May 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)
1964 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

6. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "WB" marking w/6 radial line segments
1964 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

7. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"straight line vertical" knurling and "M" marking w/3 radial line segments
(new bolts, source unknown, possibly bought them from my local Chevrolet dealer back in the 1980's)

8. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "ABC" marking w/3 radial line segments
New GM # 14057099

9. Long bolt (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and with only 3 radial line segments
New Dorman part # 677-002

Dave

[Michael G.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

Here's a pic of an original and a repro. The original has the straight knurl and is cad plated here (it wasn't cad originally, but I used cad because it provides much superior corrosion protection and essentially equal electrical conductivity).

The knurl is slightly larger than the thread outer diameter. My guess would be that the knurl provides a closer fit in the starter and scrapes some paint off of the starter for better grounding.

photo-3.jpg

[Joe L.]

Re: For the bolt guys-Starter Bolts

While researching my starter braces and heat shields I came across my box of starter bolts that I have collected over the years. From the bolts that I "bagged & tagged" this is what I have found:

1. Short bolts (3/8"-16 X 1 7/8") w/"straight line vertical" knurling and "C" marking w/6 radial line segments (same markings as in Jerry's photos)
1967 Chev. 283 (Dec. 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (Aug. 1965)
1966 Chev. 283 (Feb. 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (May 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

2. Short bolts (3/8"-16 X 1 7/8") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "circle" marking w/6 radial line segments
1964 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

3. Short bolts (3/8"-16 X 1 7/8") w/"dot matrix" knurling and "M" marking w/3 radial line segments
(new bolts, source unknown, possibly bought them from my local Chevrolet dealer back in the 1980's)

4. Long bolt (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"straight line vertical" knurling and "C" marking w/6 radial line segments (same markings as in Jerry's photo)
1966 Starter 1107320 from Spring 1989 Carlisle

5. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "RBW" marking w/6 radial line segments
1966 Chev. 283 (Aug. 1965)
1966 Chev. 283 (Feb. 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (May 1966)
1966 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)
1964 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

6. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "WB" marking w/6 radial line segments
1964 Chev. 283 (unknown build date)

7. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"straight line vertical" knurling and "M" marking w/3 radial line segments
(new bolts, source unknown, possibly bought them from my local Chevrolet dealer back in the 1980's)

8. Long bolts (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and "ABC" marking w/3 radial line segments
New GM # 14057099

9. Long bolt (3/8"-16 X 4 11/16") w/"XXXXX" knurling and with only 3 radial line segments
New Dorman part # 677-002

Dave

Without respect to the headmarking or style of knurling, the long and short bolts you describe were used for applications using an aluminum starter nose designed for use with 12-3/4" flywheels or flexplates. One of the 4-11/16" and one of the 1-7/8" was used for each starter installation for these applications. Use of the 12-3/4" flywheels and flexplates was very common on early to mid 60's Chevrolets.

Two of the 4-11/16" bolts were used with the aluminum starter noses used on many 1970+ applications with THM transmission and 14" flexplate.

There was also another common starter bolt which was 3-5/8". Two of these were used for the cast iron starter noses used with 14" flywheels (and 68-69 THM flexplates).