engine decode

[Chris L.]

Hi folks...thought I would check here as you guys seem to hve all the right answers !! I just bought another toy..56 Belair... and trying to find out what the motor is. Engine pad has the following 16D524785 T0625 CMJ . The only thing I can find on CMJ is a 1974 350 full size Chevy and a 1980 305 for a CAmaro, but the "6" in the number does not equate. Am I reading it wrong?? THanks in advance.

[Gary F.]

Re: engine decode

Look at the casting date on the block. It should tell you the year the block was cast. T0625CMJ looks like Tonawanda, June 25th. I believe Tonawanda used a double digit code for casting year on the block. Blocks were stamped by calendar year, not model year.

[John H.]

Re: engine decode

Chris -

The ViN derivative stamping says it came out of a 1976 Caprice or Impala built at the Doraville, Georgia assembly plant, and in '76, the "CMJ" suffix was a 350 2-barrel 145hp with A.I.R. and automatic transmission.