Engine Pad Stamps

[bcmiller]

The "O"'s in the engine date/code appear to be different. One is wider than the other.

That's not unusual.

[1968RSZ28]

The "O"'s in the engine date/code appear to be different. One is wider than the other.

The first "O" is a zero, so they are different characters. One zero and one "O". Just like when I type it, V0831MO.

Paul

[X33RS]

Odd that they would care enough to be that critical about something like that when not much later you start to see stamps with the letter  "I" substituted for the number "1"

[bcmiller]

I suspect the capital letter I was used more when the number 1 was in short supply. If a lot of ones were being used in the stampers, I was substituted. The letter O was not used in a lot of engine stamped codes.

[z28z11]

The "O"'s in the engine date/code appear to be different. One is wider than the other.

One is a letter, the other a numeral. The position and font of the MO suffix is correct - seen this on many examples, including the original I have in the garage. Appears legit -

JMO - 

Steve

[jdv69z]

Looks to me like the date was done with one stamp, the MO with a another. But that's a total guess on my part.

[z28z11]

Looks to me like the date was done with one stamp, the MO with a another. But that's a total guess on my part.

Certainly appears that way - most verified original ones I've seen have the suffix a little off, like it was a second gang stamp.   

[jdv69z]

If I remember reading correctly, (my memory is suspect) I think John Z indicated that at Norwood they would make a stamp each day for every engine combination to be run with the date/engine code. What if it was done differently at LA such that they used 2 stamps, one for the date, the other for the engine suffix. They would only have to make up one date stamp each day, and not a stamp for every date/engine code. Just a thought.

[ZLP955]

Jimmy only the partial VINs were stamped at Norwood or LA, the engine assembly plants (Flint or Tonawanda) stamped the dated application code.

[Mike S]

Jimmy only the partial VINs were stamped at Norwood or LA, the engine assembly plants (Flint or Tonawanda) stamped the dated application code so they should have been consistent.

And to add to what Tim stated, the engine suffix was stamped on the deck before the heads were mounted (at least for BB's....not sure about SB's), which would explain how some stamps can be so close to the heads that would otherwise make it impossible for a gang stamp to reach.

Mike

[jdv69z]

That's right, my bad! Told you my memory was suspect. 

[BULLITT65]

I was thinking on the SB, that it was stamped with the heads on, and thats why some are a partial or stamped twice by the engine plant

[z28z11]

I was thinking on the SB, that it was stamped with the heads on, and thats why some are a partial or stamped twice by the engine plant

Pretty sure you're correct. Most small block stamps I've ever seen are far enough down on the edge to clear the stamp holder from the front face of the head, sometimes almost running off the pad. Big blocks have a core plug on the left side of the head over the pad: no way to get a stamp there unless you pull the core plug, which would be extremely difficult. That's why the engine code is on the side under the plug (before the heads were assembled to the block), and the VIN on pad stamped cars is in the clear (assembly plant stamping) on the open side of the pad. Makes sense -

Regards,
Steve

[69Z28-RS]

I have no idea if that's a cause for 'double stamps', but JohnZ has stated previously that small blocks were stamped after the heads were installed...

[bcmiller]

That's not the reason for the double stamps, in my opinion. And double stamps are not that common.