1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

[Bob B.]

Hi all,

I recently got a 519 engine to use for restoration of my 1957 Corvette race car and the engine code is CY, which is for the 283/275 aluminum head engine that was reportedly not released. The casting date is A50. The pad date is F404CY, probably for March. This engine was a dealer replacement for a 1960 283/290 and was put in in the early 1960s, probably within the warranty period. It was rebuilt in the past and and shows light machining swirls on the pad. The font and spacings do not match what is on other pads of the period, but then there's no apparent reason for someone to have ever tried to restamp the pad. So, I wanted to see what the experts out there thought.

Thanks,

Bob

[Bob B.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Hi all,

Here is a closeup of the date/engine code on the pad.

Bob

[Edward M.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

I am very skeptical about this engine stamp. If memory serves, the engine assembly date was 4 digits starting in 1960. 1957-1959 engine assembly dates were either 3 or 4 digits, depending on the month.

A month between January and September could be represented by a single digit (1-9).

Starting in 1960, the month was represented by 2 digits, with a leading zero for the months of January through September. So, if I have this right, this 1960 engine assembly code should be F0404CY.

This isn't the first time restamps have missed this detail.

The font also seems "not quite right", but I can't absolutely call it a restamp based on that.

Just my 2 cents.

[Gary C.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Ed,

57 to 69 were 4 digits; two for month, two for day

You're correct - an April 4th stamp should be F0404

Gary
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[Edward M.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Gary;

I think 57-59 were 3 or 4 digits, depending on the month. As an example, a May 26, 1957 283 hp FI engine would be F526EL (no leading zero for the month). The leading zero began in 1960 (I think).

[Tom D.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Could I have seen Chevrolet aluminum heads at the Chevy-Olds parts counter in Fairfield, Iowa? Pretty sure it was 1961, but not sure who made them...

[Gary C.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Ed,

Leading Zero begain in 1957.

Gary
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[Don H.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Tom, Fairfield, Iowa??? Would that have been Bolt Chevy-Olds? (I am from that area.) Don H.

[Edward L.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Gary:

Ed McComas is correct, there were no leading zeroes until 1960. Ex: F304EG= March 4.

Ed

[Gary C.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Ed & Ed,

You guys are correct. Don't know what I was thinking, Not. Sorry about that. CRS.

Gary
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[Edward M.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Ed & Ed,

You guys are correct. Don't know what I was thinking, Not. Sorry about that. CRS.

Gary
....

No problem Gary. I know all about CRS.

Now, to the OP post, the date code of A 5 0 indicates January 5th, 1960 (probably). However the engine assembly date of F404CY indicates an assembly date of April 4th,
That is a long time between casting and assembly.

The OP also indicated that this engine was a dealer replacement. One theory is that the dealer stamped the engine when it was installed in the car. I have seen a number of over the counter engines that had absolutely blank pads.
A dealer stamping this pad would explain the format issues. Just a thought....

[Jim L.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

A dealer stamping this pad would explain the format issues. Just a thought....

I'd discount the possibility of this being a dealer stamp because it is too neatly done. A dealer mechanic would have used individual letter/number stamps, each hand held. Alignment would have almost certainly been awful.

Jim

[Edward M.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

I'd discount the possibility of this being a dealer stamp because it is too neatly done. A dealer mechanic would have used individual letter/number stamps, each hand held. Alignment would have almost certainly been awful.

Jim

I have seen dealer stampings that were pretty good, and dealer stampings that were just ugly. This one almost looks like a gang holder stamp...almost.

It could also be a machine shop stamping.

I don't think we will ever know for sure, but I do think it is safe to say that this is not a factory stamp.

[Jim L.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad



Probably true for CY engines also.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1960 CY (Aluminum Head) Pad

Probably true for CY engine also.

I remember this....