Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

[Steven S.]

Hello again. Have been shopping for a 68 or 69 L89 recently, and came upon this car. I am very suspicious of the stamping on this pad, as I do not see what should look like factory broach marks.

Can some of the more experienced people on this board please offer me your opinions as well? Below is the photo I have been sent by the owner of the car.

Thank you in advance,

Steve

[Edward J.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Steve, there must be hundreds of stamps in the archives, I am not a expert but it looks fine to me. If you go to the C3 registry there should be some others also.

[Peter L.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

The broach marks appear to be correct.

[Steven S.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

photo 1 copy 2.jpg
Here is a larger photo of the pad only. Am I the only one seeing the broach marks not perfectly parallel? To me, the stamp looks way too fresh, and the broach marks look strange. Maybe just my bad eyes, with one cataract? lol

Thanks again,

Steve

[Michael J.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

You might want to compare it to the one here:
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...s-in-the-heads

[Steven S.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Hi Michael. Thank you for that link. I had looked at that post a few days ago, and the VIN side of the stamp looks similar, but the one I have posted looks like a fresh stamp, IMHO.

I have not found any 1968 BB stamps that have the Number 1 stamped on the left side, and wanted to make a comparison of the digit 1 which looks like the letter I in the date on my post. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Steve

[Michael J.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

I would also say the broach marks look fine. As for the "I" or 1 on the engine suffix date, I am no expert on '68s, but the many '67s I have seen had much shorter tops and bottoms to the "I" than yours. But, that may or may not mean anything, as the stamps could have been different in '68 than '67. Maybe some '68 "I" experts will weigh in.

[Dick W.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Hello again. Have been shopping for a 68 or 69 L89 recently, and came upon this car. I am very suspicious of the stamping on this pad, as I do not see what should look like factory broach marks.

Can some of the more experienced people on this board please offer me your opinions as well? Below is the photo I have been sent by the owner of the car.

Thank you in advance,

Steve

Nah! Moving right along

[Edward J.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Steve, There are a few restoration engine companies out there that use the original engine stamps used at the factory. and it may very well be. there is a small detail I did not pick-up on the first glance when I looked at it, It appears that there are some marks on the water pump like a belt sander or milling marks. There has been some remarks about belt sanders being used to replicate the broach marks like the factory.

[Paul O.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Agree with Dick and ED if you enlarge the photo the broach marking in several places are at angles to normal broaching lines. It appears as if a sander was used. If you had a higher resolution photo you would see more imperfections in those broach marks I would think.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

I would question the width of the "I" character in the Tonawanda stamp. Wide I's are common on Flint engines but Tonawanda "I"s are typically narrow.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Steve, There are a few restoration engine companies out there that use the original engine stamps used at the factory. and it may very well be. there is a small detail I did not pick-up on the first glance when I looked at it, It appears that there are some marks on the water pump like a belt sander or milling marks. There has been some remarks about belt sanders being used to replicate the broach marks like the factory.

Think about it. You wouldn't try to replicate the broach marks with the water pump & heads on the block. Water pumps had the flash ground off the parting line at the foundry & many had these grind marks.

[Dick W.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

I would question the width of the "I" character in the Tonawanda stamp. Wide I's are common on Flint engines but Tonawanda "I"s are typically narrow.

I am with the "Perfessor"

[Terry M.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

Steve, There are a few restoration engine companies out there that use the original engine stamps used at the factory. and it may very well be. there is a small detail I did not pick-up on the first glance when I looked at it, It appears that there are some marks on the water pump like a belt sander or milling marks. There has been some remarks about belt sanders being used to replicate the broach marks like the factory.

There are grind marks on the end of the head as well. No big deal.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Engine Pad - 1968 L89 Opinions

There are grind marks on the end of the head as well. No big deal.

Terry -- here's one from a set of 842's cast mid to late August '67. I think the grinding was just casting flash removal. Then there's that strange symbol (looks like an "A") on the plug.



c