1. The block stamp pad on the p*** side front , there is a long (pad 3-4") and a short pad.. Is the short pad early years? What is the years for small pad and large(longer) pad? 2. What year did the dip stick go from Driver side to P*** side 1980 or was it earlier like '78-79? I havent found the answer on the stamp pad size anywhere years The dip stick im finding different year info , I know '81 had p*** side dip stick
long pad until late 70s. then they went to the short pad. Ok, it's a really hard question to answer, because the early pad is long and skinny, the later one is short and fat. 1980 was the first year of the p*** side dipstick hole, and it was near the bottom of the block, not on the deck surface like the 79 and older blocks.
Is the small stamp pad 1978 and newer ? I just found this: so maybe your 1. answer is wrong ? Small Block Chevy (SBC) engine blocks feature a machined pad on the front p***enger side, just in front of the cylinder head, where ***embly, date, and suffix codes are stamped. The size and shape of this stamp pad varied significantly over the decades, ranging from roughly 3 to 4 inches in length depending on the production era . Small Block Chevy Stamp Pad Year Reference (Length-Based) Medium Pad (approx. 3-4 inches): 1955–1966. Long Pad: 1967–1978. Short/Small Pad: 1979–up. Key Identification Details Location: Front p***enger side, in front of the cylinder head (often covered by the alternator). Suffix/***embly Code: The stamp pad (e.g., T0214IT) identifies the plant, date, and application. Casting Date vs. Stamp Pad: The stamp pad (front) shows when the engine was ***embled, while the casting date (rear driver’s side) shows when the block was poured. Warning: If the block was "decked" (machined) during a rebuild, these stamped numbers may be completely removed. Pad Size Evolution 1955–1966 (Medium): Used on early small journal blocks. 1967–1978 (Long): Used for 1967-1978 models, with 1967 featuring both small and large journals, and 1968-up being all large journals. 1979–Up (Short/Small): These are often found on later models, including Goodwrench engines and truck engines. short pad
I think you'll find a mix of small and large pads on late 70s blocks. Like 305s had the new style, while some 350s kept the old one. If you are trying to ID a specific block, it really helps to have the casting numbers on the back, including the casting date code.
@squirrel helped me with mine, but here's a page with info and other links. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/the-toolbox/chevy-small-block-casting-numbers/28660
Yeah , Im going back tomorrow with a flash light and mirror, climb up on the motor in the truck and look at the cast # and date on back of block. Its a 1971 4x4 truck and I think it has a 79 block in it from the front "small short" stamp pad Id number V0604 TBF .
yup, it sounds very likely that it's the 1979 TBF. The 1970 version would have the long, skinny pad. ***uming it has driver side dipstick. One other way to tell without the h***le of the casting number inspection, is to look at the partial VIN stamp on the pad up front. It will give you the carline, year, and ***embly plant info for what the engine came out of. If you see a C for Chevy Truck, and 9 for 1979, in the first three characters, then it's from a 79 truck. (or T if it's from a GMC, or 1 if from a Chevy car).
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