Not having the VIN stamped into the machined surface at the front of the block bothered me so badly, that after a few years, I pulled the engine and spent a LOT of time .. cleaning, illuminating, photographing, etc.. until I could *see* the VIN in the cast surface. It looks so 'clear' to me now, that it's hard to believe it took so much effort to finally 'see' it and photograph it..
After the effort I went thru, It's difficult for me to believe that the cast surface stamped VIN could be read on an 'in-place' engine. It's also difficult for me to understand WHY GM chose to do that..
? Maybe that was a means that some smart ass GM executive chose to thumb his nose at the state of Georgia for requiring VIN information on engines and trans??