1963 Engine Stamping Question

[Brian T.]

I am currently in the process of rebuilding and engine. I just had the engine decked and am about to have it restamped and the machinist is asking me what style "R" that I want for my RD code. Are there really two types of R's that were stamped in 63??

[Philip C.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Hi Brian Yes two Rs were used, a regular R then later a R with a short leg on the right side of the R, The short leg R has a larger loop thats why the leg is shorter. Phil 8063

[Brian T.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Philip,

Thanks for the information. Do you know what style "R" I should use if my car was built in May of 63 (15272)??
The casting the my block is c21.

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Hi Brian,

My car was built the same day as yours, May 15, '63 and has a casting date of May 6 - E6.

I've confirmed two other cars that were also built the same day and they have casting dates of E2 and E3.
Serial range of these 3 cars is between 15,190 and 15,240.

Sorry, I don't know about the 'R' but I would guess that you need the later version.

Hope this helps you.

Syd

[Joel F.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Hi Brian,

My car was built the same day as yours, May 15, '63 and has a casting date of May 6 - E6.

I've confirmed two other cars that were also built the same day and they have casting dates of E2 and E3.
Serial range of these 3 cars is between 15,190 and 15,240.

Sorry, I don't know about the 'R' but I would guess that you need the later version.

Hope this helps you.

Syd

I do not think I would agree with you regarding the "R" type. The only way I'd even consider what is or is not correct is to see known original cars with the same engine suffix that were assembled on the same day and observe which R they used. For 63, I think there were 4 codes/configurations that had an R. Each configuration would have had it's own stamp set/gang holder on the assembly line, and the operator would pick up whichever was appropriate and use it to strike the assembly code on the pad. It is conceivable to me that an "RE" code could have used one style of "R" on a given day (say 5/15/63) while an "RD" used a different one. It is further possible (to me anyway) that on the very next day, that same pattern could have been reversed. For this reason, it is very very difficult to say what is or is not correct without having a very large library of known original pads to reference.

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

I do not think I would agree with you regarding the "R" type. The only way I'd even consider what is or is not correct is to see known original cars with the same engine suffix that were assembled on the same day and observe which R they used. For 63, I think there were 4 codes/configurations that had an R. Each configuration would have had it's own stamp set/gang holder on the assembly line, and the operator would pick up whichever was appropriate and use it to strike the assembly code on the pad. It is conceivable to me that an "RE" code could have used one style of "R" on a given day (say 5/15/63) while an "RD" used a different one. It is further possible (to me anyway) that on the very next day, that same pattern could have been reversed. For this reason, it is very very difficult to say what is or is not correct without having a very large library of known original pads to reference.

That's interesting Joel. I knew several holders were used but did not envision that a separate one for each suffix would be prepared for each day. Possible I guess.

I don't have a clear shot of the 'RD' from my pad but I'll try to convince someone to post that might have a good picture of the 'RD' from the same day in '63.

Syd

[Jon R.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Syd,

Here is a picture of my engine pad - it shows what I would guess to be the short leg "R". Hope this helps!

Jon

[Philip C.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

I do not think I would agree with you regarding the "R" type. The only way I'd even consider what is or is not correct is to see known original cars with the same engine suffix that were assembled on the same day and observe which R they used. For 63, I think there were 4 codes/configurations that had an R. Each configuration would have had it's own stamp set/gang holder on the assembly line, and the operator would pick up whichever was appropriate and use it to strike the assembly code on the pad. It is conceivable to me that an "RE" code could have used one style of "R" on a given day (say 5/15/63) while an "RD" used a different one. It is further possible (to me anyway) that on the very next day, that same pattern could have been reversed. For this reason, it is very very difficult to say what is or is not correct without having a very large library of known original pads to reference.

Hi Joel your thinking is logical, but they used two Rs not 42 Phil 8063

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Syd,

Here is a picture of my engine pad - it shows what I would guess to be the short leg "R". Hope this helps!

Jon

Thanks Jon!
Sorry to twist your arm to post but a great shot.

Looks like a short legged 'R' was used in the suffix for May 15th '63.
Pretty cool.
The other car I saw in this vin range was a 250 hp but I would doubt that the 'R' was different.

Syd

[Brian T.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Thanks for all your help guys. Looks like no definitive answer for the type of "R". Looks like I will go with the standard "R" for the casting date of c21 and hope this will pass. I looked on Proteams website and found a couple of cars that were stamped earlier than May and these both had the regular R. But it does look like the R changed sometime between middle of March and May???

Brian

[John H.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

I knew several holders were used but did not envision that a separate one for each suffix would be prepared for each day. Possible I guess.
Syd

Syd -

That's how it was done. A typical day's production schedule would include anywhere from 20 to 50 different suffixes, and a separate gang holder was set up prior to the beginning of the day shift for each suffix on the schedule. The holders were stored at the stamp station in a "pigeonhole" rack, with each suffix having its own "hole" in the rack for the day.

There was no time during production to fiddle with gang holder die setup or changes; Line #1 ran at 170 per hour, and Line #2 ran at 130 per hour. The stamp operator looked at the suffix scrawled on the side of the block in the bore air-gage station, grabbed the gang holder for that suffix from the rack, stamped the pad, and performed the balance of his operation.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

That operation was exactly the same in 1986 on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Small Block. And it was the same again when NCRS had their National Convention in Warren -- I think that was 1990 or so. Something over 50 million small blocks went through that station.

[Harry S.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

An example..............

[Joel F.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

Hi Joel your thinking is logical, but they used two Rs not 42 Phil 8063

Hi Phil,

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. I realize there were 2 variations of the R, but my point was that on a given day, one suffix could have used the short leg while or all of the others could have used the long leg, since each assembly stamp set was put together in it's own separate gang holder. The short R distribution would have been random based on what the operator pulled out of the character bin.

This may not be 100% accurate but it is my opinion based on how I understand the process to have worked. I'd welcome any clarification anyone else might have on the topic.

[Brian T.]

Re: 1963 Engine Stamping Question

An example..............

THANKS HARRY! I AM GOING WITH THIS SAME TYPE OF R.