Hi guys... thought I would share this. Previous owner and engine rebuilder told me they could not find the partial vin by the rough cast area.
I couldn't see it either as the engine is in the car. After paint removal I began by soaking the area with muriatic acid. Took a lot of digital photos and finally I was able to figure out where it was. My son has better eyes than me and helped me figure it out. Shows up better without the flash and some indirect lighting. Matches my vin
