'65 BB assy. stampings (factory or rebuilder ?)

[Wayne M.]

This thread is to solicit opinions on the oil pan rail stampings found on my mid-May '65 396 block. Previous threads discussed cylinder number stamping on the rods and caps. (Ref. https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...84516&uid=5973)

Driver side: Cyl. 1 stamped "9 (with underline)"; Cyls. 3, 5, 7 all stamped "7".
Passenger side: Cyl. 2 (same "9" as cyl. 1); Cyls. 4, 6 8 all stamped "10".

Large auto-load pics show Cyl #'s 1, 7 and 8, respectively. [to show each of the 3 different stamped digits]

4 thumbnails show cyls 3, 4, 5 and 2, respectively. Number 6 was also a "10" but too weak for a good pic.

So, you eagle-eyes , were these stampings to indicate piston size required at Tonawanda ? Or, are they some bozo re-builder with a nice set of dies ?

BTW, nice broach marks, eh ?

[Terry M.]

Re: '65 BB assy. stampings (factory or rebuilder ?)

I vote "Tonawanda's best work"
Outstanding broach marks -- just what one would expect.

[John H.]

Re: '65 BB assy. stampings (factory or rebuilder ?)

Driver side: Cyl. 1 stamped "9 (with underline)"; Cyls. 3, 5, 7 all stamped "7".
Passenger side: Cyl. 2 (same "9" as cyl. 1); Cyls. 4, 6 8 all stamped "10".

Large auto-load pics show Cyl #'s 1, 7 and 8, respectively. [to show each of the 3 different stamped digits]

4 thumbnails show cyls 3, 4, 5 and 2, respectively. Number 6 was also a "10" but too weak for a good pic.

So, you eagle-eyes , were these stampings to indicate piston size required at Tonawanda ? Or, are they some bozo re-builder with a nice set of dies ?

BTW, nice broach marks, eh ?

Wayne -

Typical pan rail stampings denoting bore size, created in the block air-gaging station at the head end of the assembly line, and teleprocessed to the Piston Department to make up the piston/rod assemblies for that particular engine.

Yup, nice broach marks .