1968 BB timing cover dowel pins

[john302]

Does anyone know what month they started using the dowel pins ?Thought all 68s had no dowel pins. Just seen a May 31 1968 440 block that has the dowel pin holes,but no pins installed. Maybe they were drilled at the end of 68 production to get ready ?Does anyone have a June or July original BB to compare ?Thanks

[big iron]

I believe that Jan 68 was possibly the first 3935440 production blocks but 3916323 blocks where being phased out of production at that time. All 440 blocks should have dowel pins. So early 68 model production would have spin-on filter and no dowel pins and late production could have spin-on filter and no dowel pins or would have spin-on filter and dowel pins depending on the block installed. I have no idea when the last 3916323 block was installed but the 3935440 block would have been in production long before May 31 68 . Replacement block 3955272 for the 440 would start in approx. Sept.68.

[rare396bronze]

I have a very late April cast block 440 block that has no dowel pin holes in the block. Have seen some 440 blocks on Ebay  that have holes and some that don't have holes. Hopefully some one has a late block to answer your request.