307/327/350

[502chevySS]

How do I tell if my 1969 Camaro origionally came with a 307/327 or a 350?
I don't believe the ME suffix block in it now is correct? ME is for 1967/68 correct. Would it matter that my car was an early production car built October 68. There is no VIN on either the pad or by the oil filter.

[rich69rs]

Without documentation, or the original engine with the partial VIN stamped on it, I am not aware of any way to pin it down exactly if multiple engines were a possibility. 

LF7 (327) to L14 (307) changeover occurred sometime between mid Dec 68 and mid Jan 69.  CRG data indicates that there are numerous L14s from 01A, 01B, 01C in the CRG database.  The last documented LF7 the CRG has is 12C, along with a couple of undocumented LF7s from 12D. 

[hotrod68]

All 350 cars were Super Sports--that'll narrow it down some.

[502chevySS]

And with a 3'rd week of October build date on the cowl tag it would be to early for a 307? Is this correct??

[lakeholme]

In a Camaro, yes, October would be too early for a 307.  I've never seen the data that Richard mentioned, but it certainly sounds accurate.  But general reference, like Hooper, lists the changeover as 1/69.

You mention the present ME suffix, but no VIN on the pad.  I assume the present motor is a 327.  What transmission and what numbers on that?  Is there an engine code with that ME?  Richard is right: It is hard to "back into" what a car originally was without documentation.  Post all the numbers you can find, trim tag and all.

[502chevySS]

Yes it is a 327, It has the ME suffix 210 horse with powerglide and no VIN stamp anywhere. I'm not sure what you mean by an engine code wother than the ME suffix? I has been converted to a 4 speed Muncie.

[lakeholme]

There is more to the engine code than the suffix.  You need this:
Alan L. Colvin's Chevrolet By The Numbers, The Essential Chevrolet Parts Reference, 1965-69, Robert Bentley, Inc., 1994. ISBN 0-876-0956-9

[RickH]

All 350 cars were Super Sports--that'll narrow it down some.

In 1969 that is not true. The LM1 and L65 cars were not considered Super Sports.

Rick H.

[RickH]

Yes it is a 327, It has the ME suffix 210 horse with powerglide and no VIN stamp anywhere. I'm not sure what you mean by an engine code wother than the ME suffix? I has been converted to a 4 speed Muncie.

Without a partial VIN stamp and a stamp of ME, the engine is probably a 1967. Look at the casting date on the block. That should help you narrow it down a little.

Rick H.

[KurtS]

What's the axle code?

[RAfbody]

It sounds like a 67 or 68 engine.  What is the casting number and the casting date of the block?

[lakeholme]

The engine code (what Hooper calls "Engine Identification") is the code that should be stamped on the engine pad.  And I quote, "1965 through 1969 engine codes consisted of seven alpha-numeric characters." (Colvin, page 39)  The engine suffix is the last two characters.  The other five tell you assembly plant, month and day.  The reason that Rick can say it is probably a 67 is because VINs were not consistently stamped on the pad until 68.  So if it is missing the VIN, probably a 67.

Of course this doesn't help much with your original question about original motor.  But it will make a difference if you are interested in replacing the motor for "matching numbers".

The casting date should confirm about the present motor and the axle code (rear springs, etc.) will start you in the right dirrection about original motor (assuming that wasn't changed, too).

[502chevySS]

It is a December 66 cast motor: L136 with V1215ME on the front pad. That would mean the block was cast on Dec 13'th and the suffix code stamped on the 15'th

Also it has the 1967 Camaro only rear crankcase venting system on it.

The rearend numbers on it I don't have in front of me but it was 3:08 non posi with a coresponding (to the car) date code. Transmission is non original. And the VIN# id's a v8 car.

With all that said It is safe to assume it left the factory as a 327

[RJ_RS_SS_350]

Either a 327 or a LM1 350.