C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

[Richard M.]

No help in the archives but I recall I saw the explanation of this somewhere......I have read that the first group of characters were stamped first, then the final character separately for the hp/trans configuration, but
a question was raised about two different script "2"'s used on the engine stamp pad. This was common right?

Rich

May 57 built '548 283 220hp/PG

[Gary G.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Rich,
I believe that the characters were all "gang" stamped at one time. There are a number of previous Restorer articles which explain this stamping process in detail.
As to the two different "2's', my April stamped '57 engine pad also makes use of these same two numerals. I suspect that GM had more than one supplier of these stamp characters.
Gary

[Gary G.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Rich,
See Page 49 of the new 1956-57 Tech Info Manual & Judging Guide (Fifth Edition). It states that "1957 engine stamps used a five digit holder for the suffix only and when a sixth digit was required it was struck individually". That seems to explain your stamp configuration.
Gary

[Jim D.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

I've seen several engines where different "2's" were used in the same assembly stamp.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Gary, Ok page 49 thanks,....yes that's where I saw how they stamped the first group then the last letter for config, but no mention of different "2"'s. The example from the book has a 2, but only one. It's the wider of the 2 scripts. Hmmm, the example is "F527FH"(Monday May 27,1957), 5 days after the one I pictured(Wednesday May 22,1957). Coincidence, both 220hp Powerglides.

Jim, do you recall what years those engines were where you saw the different 2's?

Rich

[Jim D.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Rich,

The ones I remember were late 50's - early 60's. I have a picture of one for a 1960 that has the same different 2's as in your picture. I can e-mail it to you if you'd like. It's pretty blurry but you can see the difference.

Jim

Just found another picture. This is a 1959 283.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Thanks Jim.....That's good enough for me. I appreciate the help.

Rich

[John H.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Rich -

There are LOTS of examples of mixed font styles in the same stamping - the dies were purchased from at least three different suppliers, thrown in bins by character, and when the setup man made up the gang stamps before the day shift started, he (or anyone else) could care less about font styles. If he needed 2's, he just grabbed them from the "2" bin and inserted them in the gang holder. Nobody at Flint V-8 paid any attention to font styles.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Thanks John

[John M.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's


I am lookingfor others who may have had a similar experienced with their 57 engine blockstamp. I purchased the car from the original owner in 1961 with 30,000 miles onit. The engine has been in my position since that time but it was recentlyjudged as having a re-stamped block.
The originalblock stamp shown in the picture below clearly does not fit the criteria in theNCRS judging manual.

Could thishave been some kind of a rogue stamping at the factory or has anyone ever seenanything like this before?
John #885

[Joe R.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

Me thinks the NCRS judges are obsessing a little too much over trying to detect cars that have been re-stamped. This IS the NCRS (National Corvette RESTORERS Society).

With the history of this stamp I would not hesitate in giving it the full credit. The owner of this Corvette had no reason to misrepresent this Corvette and probably could not care less about fraud of automobiles.

JR

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

I agree....The odds of a separate "L" getting stamped in line with the rest of the 5 gang hit is certainly possible.

I don't feel a deduct was warranted for just that "feature".

Rich

[Todd H.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

My original '57 EL stamp.

[James G.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

I am lookingfor others who may have had a similar experienced with their 57 engine blockstamp. I purchased the car from the original owner in 1961 with 30,000 miles onit. The engine has been in my position since that time but it was recentlyjudged as having a re-stamped block.
The originalblock stamp shown in the picture below clearly does not fit the criteria in theNCRS judging manual.

Could thishave been some kind of a rogue stamping at the factory or has anyone ever seenanything like this before?
John #885

I think the judges are not CORRECT. Here are a few stamps I have captured over the years that are original. This is your car Todd.

[James G.]

Re: C1 1957 Engine Stamp pad - Two different 2's

This one is from 57 vin #4280 . 2nd owner also from 1959 until 2015.