Hey, this last weekend I opened the hood of the 40 merc. Just to clean up some of the dust inside, the egnine area and mount the front tires from the truck. Well i can't find my engine ID book. Here's the number 737739. It's either a 57 or 58 (i think), staggered bolt for valve cover, draft tube and scew-on oil filter. It's mated to a 40 merc trans w/adapter, closed drive-shaft to orig. banjo rear. Anyways, what is a good reference book for these early engines (55-59)? I'm getting a little antsy (word?) here to start on this soon to be early 40's custom.
The code on the front pad of the engine ... is the accurate way ... Post the letters ... last in the sequence ... Also ... 57 SBC's had no side motor mounts and the 58's did ... I had the same basic setup in a 40 Ford coupe ... and it worked great ... drove it anywhere I wanted to go ... Florida, Ohio, Kentucky to the NSRA Nationals ... ( disclaimer ) ... the engine above is NOT mine ... I took the photo off the internet
Thanks fellas, yeah Im thinking 58, the guy I got it from said 57 (back in 2000). But cause of the side mounts and it does have a X58 on the front of the block too, left side. And if I'm right, staggerd valve covers were 55-58 only too? I do love the look of an early 265 and 283 chevy block. Funny thing is I have a 49 flathead block (clean with a toploader trans and banjo from a 47 truck) that I was going to put in, but maybe for something else, a 30/31 roadster???? Later Ken
I have read ... that Feb. 1959 was the changeover date for the staggered/straight valve covers. It was a production change ... just because it was easier ... to drill and tap the holes that way ... production wise ... I have seen 1959 Chevrolets with the staggered valve covers ... and I mean old, ratty wore out cars that LOOK LIKE they are original and never messed with ... BUT after 50 almost 50 years ... who knows ??
could the number be 3737739 ? if it is mortec lists it as a 283 1958- 1964 2 bolt main , like deuce roadster said the numbers and letters on the front of the block will tell what it came out of
If you could zoom in right here, (maybe clean up the surfacefirst), that would be a very big help. Also, look for some numbers cast into the block on the opposite corner, behind the drivers side head, above the bellhousing. Something like A 12 8 the last digit will be the last digit of the year it was made.
Alan Colvin's book, 53-59 Chevrolet by the numbers, lists the #3737739 as 1958 p***enger 185-290HP and Corvette 230-290HP. This is the first year with the thicker cyl. walls and the first small block to have the three motor mount holes cast in the side. It is predominately a 58 block but a few early 59's could have used it. Want to sell it?
From all I know of the staggered valve cover bolt heads is that they were done in the early 58 production, ie november 57. But I mite be full of ****. Grew up w/ 55 - 57 restorations so dealt w/ pleny of staggerd valve covers and very very rarely saw em in a 58 and never in a 59 that hadn't been screwd w/.
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