Author Topic: Caveat Emptor...block stamp  (Read 14178 times)

usa1ti

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2021, 12:19:19 PM »
H 1 9 heads on a Feb 02C car? Either I am missing something or those cant be original. Block is a T restamp so I don't think any of it is original. May not even have a 1178 crank in it. Looks like it started life as a 350/300.
Todd, East TN

WorkinProgress

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2021, 01:29:40 PM »
My 04A built Van Nuys JL8 Z/28 has a 3932388 block, cast B-25-9 and assembled V0318DZ.

                                     - Warren

They transferred castings between the foundries and the machining operations in order to ensure that the castings were able to be machined in BOTH locations for redundancies in case something happened to one of the machining locations or one of the foundries. There were not that many and very few ended up in a vehicle WE have any interest in.

Guess that makes my car "Double" rare.

                                    - Warren

Danzo

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2021, 01:58:58 PM »
HOT302 - Did you ask the owner about the rear bumper?  Did GM stamp date codes on bumpers?
Very rare according to this:

I think the date code occasionally popped up on some of them - I had the occasion to help a friend with a 7000 mile original '68 SS car, a survivor that was featured in one of Hooper's books because of the frame markings, original Corvette Bronze paint, and extremely low mileage and originality. To make a long story short, my friend proceeded to re-chrome parts of the trim, including front and rear bumpers and the guards through Advanced Plating in Nashville, with the car stored at my house while waiting for a local (and talented) painter to touch up the car. When we removed the rear (and detached the center bracket from the bumper) it exposed a date stamp (impressed) on the back side of the rear bumper, an April '68 stamping (car was a May or very early June car if I remember correctly). First one I had ever witnessed, and unfortunately before cell phone cameras and even my first digital camera came into being, but it was there. Moral of the story - I should have discouraged him from even touching such a low mileage example, but he was really obsessed with a blemish free car. And he eventually got it - before he sold it. True story -

click

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #18 on: January 06, 2021, 02:47:04 PM »
I think the CRG comment on the ...388 block as beginning 'mid season' could be slightly off. My 10d build 69 LA car has the original ...388 block. Over the years I've seen many many of the LM1's like mine with the ...388 block as well as many of the Pace cars and replicas and standard Camaros as well. Mine was a 4 bolt main too. I guess I'm not sure what the definition of 'mid season' is? It seems it was a very strong block casting during it's lifetime.
Click is Jim , central Minn.  Moderator at Team Camaro www.camaros.net

KurtS

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #19 on: January 06, 2021, 08:06:46 PM »
The word 'season' is not used on the site.
http://www.camaros.org/drivetrain.shtml#BlockCast
Kurt S
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click

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #20 on: January 07, 2021, 03:28:11 PM »
 Kurt my error on wording, the site says "mid-69 production"  so that was my question, what is considered "mid production" in the discussion of blocks and when they were introduced? If production began in late August of 68, is my Oct built car considered 'mid production'?  Im just curious if there are actual dates of these various blocks coming online for the Camaros?
 My old original engine is under plastic on a pallet and is being replaced with an LS1 by the guy that bought the car from us. He's keeping the old engine for sure.

Happy New Year Kurt and CRG gang.
Click is Jim , central Minn.  Moderator at Team Camaro www.camaros.net

KurtS

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #21 on: January 08, 2021, 12:33:46 AM »
There's tons of running changes and we haven't tried to define the time periods for all of them.
Should for this one....
Kurt S
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william

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #22 on: March 14, 2021, 06:41:02 PM »
It's back with a pic of the VIN stamp. Seems they forgot some of it.
Learning more and more about less and less...

rocco376

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #23 on: March 16, 2021, 06:45:24 PM »
Can anyone tell me what the "K450" means on the bottom right of the trim tag on 124379L524035?

Listed on ebay and previously discussed here.


bcmiller

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #24 on: March 16, 2021, 07:51:26 PM »
Can anyone tell me what the "K450" means on the bottom right of the trim tag on 124379L524035?

Listed on ebay and previously discussed here.

It’s the body scheduling code. See this link

http://www.camaros.org/numbers.shtml#CowlTag

Body number 450 on the 11th day of the Fisher Body production month calendar. That calendar usually does not match up with a regular calendar.

The letter indicates the approximate day of the month for the start of the assembly of the vehicle body.

Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

rocco376

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #25 on: March 16, 2021, 08:06:40 PM »
Thank you sir.  Does that mean early build?  I'm used to X33, X77, D80 in that area

bcmiller

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #26 on: March 16, 2021, 09:11:32 PM »
Thank you sir.  Does that mean early build?  I'm used to X33, X77, D80 in that area

Build is third week of February 1969 (02C).

No X codes on a VN tag.
Bryon / 1968 Camaro SS 396 coupe - now old school 468 big block
1967 Camaro RS/SS 396 coupe L35/M40 - 4 generation family project
Looking for 68 Camaro with body # NOR 181016

firstgenaddict

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Re: Caveat Emptor...block stamp
« Reply #27 on: March 17, 2021, 12:00:29 AM »
I realized I didn't specify something regarding the transfer of castings between the operations.
Any solid lifter small block will have the square plug at the front cam galley - as this feauture is unique to machining at FLINT, even if the block were cast in Tonowanda, the machining operations at flint produced the hole which needed to plugged CONVERSELY If a 618 were cast in Flint - machined and assembled in Tonowanda IT would not have the cam galley plug.
James
Collectin' Camaro's since "Only Rednecks drove them"
Current caretaker of 1971 LT1's - 11130 and 21783 Check out the Black 69 RS/Z28 45k mile Survivor and the Lemans Blue 69 Z 10D frame off...
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