https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=153422
Yes I read that thread and others before posting. It's a real Gentleman's Club over there at Yenko. They tend to respect each others cars publicly, so not surprised no one picked it apart. I also can't comment in that section without being a paid member, which I am not.
You guys know this, but let me state for others who are casual readers:
The casting date should be shortly before the assembly date and the assembly date shortly before the car build date. Some people are using this information and thinking it is OK to have the engine stamp date shortly before the POP engine date. This is false. The POP engine date and code is read directly from the engine and imprinted on the POP and should match exactly. That said, this engine is not matching numbers, but that does not mean a mistake could not have happened and this could be the original engine in some extra ordinary exception to the rule that I have never seen before.
In order to prove that, the partial VIN stamp would be needed, but it is not shown. It's also not shown where it would be, on the pad near the assembly code or near the oil filter in the rough cast. That makes me wonder if there is a different VIN there making this a period correct instead of original engine.