Technical 327 SBC stamped engine number???

Hi everyone I have a 327 powered 1960 El camino I am about to get the car licensed in Australia the casting number of the engine is 3914660.
The problem I have is the stamped engine number on the front pad has been ground off when the engine must have been rebuilt. Cannot read any of the numbers.
I need a unique engine number for licensing i will stamp it on myself is there any website that shows what an engine number may look like for a 327 ???
Its really just so the inspector can write it down on my license papers he needs to visually see it.
Any help appreciated

 

others will jump in here but here is some preliminary info from the web

The Code
The code consists of an ***embly plant code, date of production and suffix.

Decoding the 327 Code
First letters of "F," "S," "K" or "T" denotes Flint, St. Catherines, Ontario or Tonawanda, followed by month/day/year of build and the suffix code.

327 Suffix Code
Suffix codes are R, RA, S, SA, RB, K, SB and SG, with each suffix denoting the type of carburetor, transmission and whether the Chevy is equipped with air conditioning.

327 Casting Numbers
Casting numbers for 1962 to 1965 models generating 250 to 375 horsepower is 3782870; 3789817 for 1962 to 1967 models providing 210 to 275 hp; 3791362 for 1964 to 1967 models with 250 to 300 hp; 3814660 for 1968 to 1969 models with 250-hp engines; and 3830944 for 1963 models with 300 hp.

VIN Code
The vehicle identification number is stamped next to the engine code number with model year, plant identification and vehicle serial number.

 

negatory , your heading into trouble, just ask at your local rego place who can restamp it, they will provide the number, your probably looking at a trip to the local police as well, got a receipt? its easier being legit.......

 

From my understanding the VIN number was only stamped on actual Corvette engines in the 1960’s.

 

BR549

 

I am not sure how they do it but they can still pull a number or image off of a ground down block. It has something to do with the metal getting pounded down when they stamp the numbers.

 

Just make sure you stamp a vin number from a stolen car on your small block.

 

The number (for a 1968-9 model engine) would include one letter for the engine plant, four numbers for the ***embly date (MMDD), and two letters for the Suffix code.

If you use google images to search for images of stamped numbers, you'll find several examples. They used an interesting font, which changed over time.

The number won't be unique, completely, because every engine with that suffix made on that date will have the same number. The odds of finding two engines today, that have the same stamping, are very very low, however.

Like he said, talk to the registration folks, let them know what's up, maybe they'll help you? I don't know how things work down there.

 

Acid etching of the tag may bring back the ID to the point that you can read it.

 

I don't know if its true or not since i've never tried it, but i've been told by some of the old hands that if you p*** a torch over a ground off number it will show up faintly.
Might consider it.

 

No one wants to hear this but your engine was probably stolen at some point. no one removed the serial number when they rebuild one.

This is a @squirrel question. he has the books for deciphering the serial numbers and could give you a legit number sequence.

Uh edit damnit. I did not see that Jim had already posted. Sorry

 

I didn't see anyone mention that if a block has been decked the numbers can go away. Legally. I just had one decked .020". The numbers are gone. I probably should have taken a pic, but I really didn't care.

 

On SBC blocks that I have had machined, whenever I have had it decked, it removed the
stampings on the front pad. The DZ 302" Z28 guys normally will not have an original
Z28 block decked for this reason.

 

yup, the numbers go away when decked...and in my experience, they all need enough removed to get them square, that the numbers will be completely removed. I don't know about the acid trick, sounds like a fun experiment.

And again, the engine number is not a serial number. The partial VIN that was added starting around 1969 is a serial number. They are two different number sequences.

 

Decking or not it is never ever legal in the united states to remove the numbers and any reputable machine shop will replace them if they disappear. As for the DZ guys that is unethical aside from being illegal.

That is an old fairy tale, they used to say that the police could bring the numbers back with acid. I have seen people try it, even cops who were trying to get a confession (it was a '70s thing). I have never seen it work at least not enough to come up with a readable number. Granted I have not seen everything in the world so maybe someone has successfully done it and if they have I would not dispute it.

 

Now, if that pad has been attacked with a 4-1/2" grinder, that's a whole different thing.

 

The George Jones song redone by Pinkerton & Bowden

Just because my attics full of hubcaps
Just because the ba*****t’s full of tires
Just because I ground the numbers off her engine block
She thinks I steal cars

 

I'd have to believe that is the only answer you really need.
That and the paperwork that shows that you legally purchased and own that engine.

A receipt for the machine work that says the block was decked would be excellent to have right now. Simply meaning that it shows that you did not intentionally grind the numbers off.
The only real reasons for the authorities to want the number are to show that the engine wasn't stolen or from a stolen vehicle and emission equipment do***entation in some areas. Meaning that having a 68 block says that you have to have required 1968 emission equipment on the engine to p*** in some localities.

3914660 shows up as a 68 only 327 block I'd have to ***ume that you already know that if you have searched that casting number on the net as there are more than one thread on different groups on that casting number.

 

@Mr48chev in Missouri there is a little known and seldom enforced law that says that you cannot have an engine in your vehicle that is older than the vehicle. I got an idea that it is an emissions thing, but who knows, right?

I got pulled over with a friend who has a twin turbo small block Vega. he went with a small journal motor because of bearing speeds and the cop ran the numbers. The engine was legally his and they proved that (from an old car that he owned) but dinged him on the older engine clause and his Vega ended up impounded.

I personally cannot recommend doing so but stamping numbers on the motor is an option for sure. I probably would not loose a car over it.

 

The block numbers can be brought back with heat, this must be done slowly and very carefully. I have personally done it for the State Patrol here in Washington. However it takes quite a bit of heat and although it has been done, I would not recommend trying it on a completely ***embled engine.

 

Sounds like Missouri is an anti car guy and anti recycling state.

 

Just stay trad and you are golden. Face it not many of us are going to stick an A banger in a '48 Ford. LOL

 

I get what you're saying. The only engine number they care about in Ky is the old bikes that didn't have a vin.

 

LOL the Harley Vin was the serial number on the left case until the bowling ball era. And if you were on a Harley you were a thief for sure when I was coming up. I could give you a whole list of states both Southern and Yankee that felt that way.

In Missouri it is used mostly to har*** people that they don't like I think. Well that and people they suspect have a chop shop.

 

I'm thinking that that law is on the books in more states than not. All under emission equipment. In Missouri at that time I'd say it was probably a gotcha by the particular cop. = I'm gong to nail the guy for something and will hunt until I find that something.,

With the engine in question in OZ it doesn't take much to get a 68 engine to p*** emissions equipment wise as long as it is not a California engine. Then it was possibly a smog pump. The casting number is 68 only and that is well do***ented so year model of the engine isn't a real issue, Two examples are Small Block Casting Numbers (1968ss.com) Or Engine block Identification question 3914660 - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

Still it is far better to go up the food chain of the rego people to find the answer rather than stamp a bogus number on the block and then loose the truck because the number obviously is bogus.

That might be something for the OZ folks to add to their list of "required do***entation from the seller" on buying vehicles from the states in that if the engine doesn't have a clear serial number stamped on it there needs to be some serious do***entation as to why it doesn't or it is a no go.

 

Sorry everyone I was so busy I forgot about the thread Yep thanks I will call the authorities see what they say.
I bought the car off Ebay 5 years ago it was from a cl***ic car dealer in California I was going to say he was reputable but he was not so much He had it advertised as it had a Corvette 327 but its just got the rocker covers. To be honest I got the car at a cheap price and I knew it was not going to be a corvette engine . He was very good in all other aspects of the purchase.
The engine number has been ground off through decking the block I had another look

 

There was no smog equipment in Australia till around the mid 70's that will not be an issue as I am the first to import the car to Australia and have the import approval I believe its like getting a new car first registered in a country. I have registered other cars before from the states the only do***ent they want to see is the import approval that has the VIN number, then during inspection they want to see the Vin number and engine number. I have the pink slip ***le for the car but that only has the VIN.
Recently in Australia (Perth) all vehicle inspections are done by private repair shops I will give the one closest to me a call.
The only other thing they will want to see is the engine size which has to be fairly close to what came out in the period and I believe it cannot be more than 10% bigger . I am safe there as all 1960 cars came out with 235 283 and 348 they all ran the same brakes etc.

 

Not sure if its helpful to me the 327 I have in my El camino is the same as the one in our locally produced Monaros same casting number

 

This is my El camino she is a bit rough around the edges