I have a SBC that I got out of the '71 Chevy P/U - and it is obviously not the original motor. It had a nice set of "492" heads on it - that are now sitting on the shelf for a future project or whatever. Anyway the block has me a little confused because I can't figure out what it really is. -Casting# is: 3959512 (Mortec says that is a '62-'67 327cid & that it was "also used for some "CE" replacement blocks??") - www.nastyz28.com says it is a '62-'63 327cid) -Front Pad is: S1112"CFB" - "CFB" = '82 or '85 305cid according to nastyz28.com) -Date on the back reads: 1175 (or l175) = which means it is a '65??? -Crank Casting# is: 3941174G = according to nastyz28 = '68-'73 307cid or 327cid ***Large Journal*** (2.45" Mains & 2.10" Rods) Mortec also says this - but not the years. The bearings are stock as they say "GM" on them More clues: this block HAS the canister in the intake valley for the early style road draft/PCV set-up which leads me to believe that it is pre '68 Block is 4.00" Bore as well I guess what has me confused is that the block is ***Large Journal***, has the Canister in the intake & the date code - I thought that all pre '68 motors had the small journal 2.30" Mains and 2.00" Rods Any ideas???? Thanks, Andy
Heres a clue The CE6P20845 stamping the CE means it was a warranty or over the counter replacement block/motor
Interesting. If it was a replacement - why would it have the Canister in the Intake Valley? -But the heads are "492" castings and the have the small seperated double humps - which I believe are the over-the counter-replacements not the originals as originals have the integrated large camelhumps Yeh Root - it has a 4" bore - I checked it & a late 327 wouldn't have the canister either would it?? The other thing that I noticed is that it has the larger style 350 Balancer on it - not that it matter since it is internally balanced anyway.
As far as I can tell Nastyz28's site is only for camaro years and has numbers for what was offered in them, not for all the chevys. This may explain the difference in years ect... Useless
3959512....327(c.i.d.)...62-67(year)...2(bolt mains)...Was also used for some "CE" replacement blocks...according to- http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm
As was said, the CE is a replacement engine. I wouldn't read too much into the little differences. The motor has obviously been changed from stock and who knows what has been done to it. As for the date code, it goes like this. A letter, then one or two numbers, and then a number. The letter is the month, A is jan, B is Feb, etc. The second (and third if two digit) is the day of the month, and the last number is the year, but there is only one digit for the year. So a 5 could be 55, 65, 75, etc. So usually you need to look up the casting number to find out the years made, and then take your best guess. So, if your block number says that it was made from 62-67 and your date code ends in 5, it must be a 65. By the way, I wouldn't use the nastyz28 site, Mortec does a good job, I've never come across any obvious discrepencies there.
There was a lot of changes with Chevrolet engines in 67'. I had a 67' Camaro that was an early production unit with a 350ci engine in it. It was a 4 inch bore, large jounal crank, and had the breather canister in the lifter valley. I would guess you have a 327 block with earlier heads installed on it. Did you look at the date casting on your heads?
being large journal, and having the 3 letter suffix, leads me to believe it's probably a 1975 engine, made at the S foundry (Saginaw Service) and sold over the counter to replace a 327.
Thanks for all the replies guys Couple of things: #1 - Groucho - Carb is a Brandy new 780CFM Holley D.P. and NOT FOR SALE! - why would you assume it was for sale?? - I have a BBC that needs something to replace the '69 Vette 3x2 that I'm thinking hard about selling #2 - I used Nastyz28.com cause that is the only place that I know of that has the suffix codes - and I have had very goo luck with I.D.ing motors by the suffix off thier site. Anybody got a better suffix decoder?? #3 - Coupster - the casting date on the heads is: J 30 5 - I'm pretty sure that they are the "Over the counter" type replacement "492" heads as they have the small seperated camelhumps and not the BIG Integrated ones. #4 - Squirrel - dumb question but if it was made in '75 to replace a 327 why wouldn't they just give someone a 350motor were they still casting block with the Vent Tube set up in the intake valley past '68??? - I thought that ended around then. Anyway I guess it doesn't matter much - most likey senario is that it is a replacement motor - who know's when it was made. It's a 4" bore (Still .Std), Large Journal, and has the Venting setup in the Lifter valley - I can build a nice 350 or 383 and use some early style valve covers with no holes - oooh sounding better and better already.
beats me! but I've never seen an engine with the S foundry code before, so I expect strange things would occur at a "service" foundry
btw, this is the reference I have to the S code, from the 1975 parts book and everything I've seen indicates that the suffix was two characters until the 1970 model year...except for 1960s built replacement engines that had an R added to the end of the suffix, such as IVR which is a replacement IV engine code (1965 pass car 396)
Interesting stuff: Thanks guys At least I think I made out ok on this deal - and the motor is somthing that could come in handy. I just like the fact that it is 4" Bore, Large Journal, and has the Canister thing in the intake valley.
#3 - Coupster - the casting date on the heads is: J 30 5 - I'm pretty sure that they are the "Over the counter" type replacement "492" heads as they have the small seperated camelhumps and not the BIG Integrated ones. aren't the 492's a turbo casting....? i know there were 292's....but seems like i ended up with a pair of turbos that were 2 different number....and one was a 4 something number.... small chamber , big valves...replacement off road heads....?.brandon
head and block casting dates are very close together, could be original heads. the FB code was used on 69 327 engines....maybe they added the C to it? as all the early 70s chevy engine codes started with C and were 3 characters
Have had this same casting #in my 34 Roadster for 20 years now. It was believed to be a Corvette engine as told to me by F&R Engines-Arcadia Motors as I had dropped off 3 Engines in the late 80's (2) 307's from 69 Camaros and one 327 from a 64-66 Corvette that I had at the time. For my 34 3W Coupe I thought that I got back the 327 w/Camel Back Heads and a Weiand intake with an AFB. I never checked the casting #'s on that build and always thought that it was the 327. That engine hauled ass in that coupe, It was a great combo for some reason and had tons of power. When I sold the 34 Coupe, I was under the impression that it was the 327.....It wasn't and it cost me a great deal. I asked the engine shop about the engine, They said that they had my 327 block on the shelf and had built me the modified 307=I have no idea of what its cubes really were after it's .030 over bore, its .010 crank and mains and it's requested 30/30 Hydraulic version of a Duntov Cam which I never seem to remember any kind of a rump. When I built my 34 Roadster I put it on the coupes chassis, with 11:00-16" Firestone large angle block dirt track tires on Americans with 15x5"ers up front. This car was fast and I really enjoyed it this way. The Roadster ended up with a chassis that P-Wood built for it when my former boss under his ownership wanted to build a Hi-Tech Roadster for the Oakland Roadster Show for 87..... Thankfully that never happened, and I ended up putting a 58-62 283ci in the 34 roadsters chassis. of course it was now 1993 and the 283 was a take out of a friends car. Being in the 34, I drove it till Feb 96. Thought that there was something wrong with the 283 so I decided to now build the engine that bore casting #3959512. It being a 327, with a set of 202's with screw in studs, push rod guide plates, forged steel crank, I thought that it would tear up the pavement like the engine in the coupe. It never really has done that, but it has been a everywhere and even with its age I still drive it on the long runs. The block has been truly a great part. The engine as a whole has impressed me with the amount of abuse it has taken of the course of 30 yrs. Meanwhile the 283 found a home in my HAMB classified purchased 32 chassis under "C'Deuced". That problem that I thought that I had with the engine wasn't really a problem, it was a leak from a spin on oil filter adapter that really put that engine in retirement for 15yrs. She's still a leaker in other areas, but is a blast to drive and roll around with. CK.
Your 307 after a .030 over bore is now 3.935 and with a 3.250 stroke (same as a 327) it's now a 316 unless they bored it out .125 over which would make it a 327 again.
It was built in 1989 and I have no idea where that coupe is now, but if its a 316 or even a 327, I sure do miss it as it was really a fun one to drive. Speed Gems, Thank you for the info on the cubes.
492 are late camel bumps, that casting number was also on most of the "over the counter" 2.02 camel bumps dealers would sell in the '70's/'80's, 292 are turbos.
OK, I waited all day for somebody else to ask this question. What the hell are "camel bumps" George Just to clarify: This is not all of the small block Chevy cyl head casting numbers. There is at least one number that is missing, the 3782461 and 3782461x, these were the very first camel hump heads for 327's, then the "462's" and then for 1968 only, the "291's". Camel "bumps" probably are a closer name to the ones George mentioned, they are more commonly called accessory bolt heads, they were first put into production for the 1969 model year and they should never be confused with the true "camel hump" heads of the 62 thru 68 versions. 8
Bumps, humps and lumps... camel by any other name is still a funny looking horse with long legs that spits and smells bad... and theres a LOT of 'bumps" missing from that chart...
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