I have seached the site........but.........

[WayneinNZ]

Hello all.

Right, time to decode my 68SS.
I suspect it does not have the original engine, but would like to find out what it is anyway.

No partial VIN as I would expect on the engine pad in front of the passenger side head.
What I found was : 01884 ER VO828HO. The "O" is very faint and may be a "G" or "C" or "Q". I have figured out the VO828, just not sure on the suffix.
I can make no refernce to the "ER".
The VIN of theh car is 124378L338993, so the "01884" is a mystery also. The stamping of the "01884" also seems a little odd. A couple of the digits look as if they have been double stamped, as if someone had another go at them because the first attempt wasn't hard enough. Has anyone struck this before?
I have had a look for the casting Nos.
All I can find at the back of the engine is : "14GM" cast above the oil filter on the block behind the inlet manifold on the drivers side;
and: an "x" inside a circle, followed by"H18" cast on the passenger side .

I have not found any other cast numbers or stamped numbers at the back of the engine YET.
There is what appears to be a bracket that supports either the accelerator or the kickdown rods that runs right at the back of the block on the drivers side where the bell housing bolts up. There may be more under there. I will investigate this weekend.

Any help  would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Wayne

[Claus]

Hello all.

Right, time to decode my 68SS.
I suspect it does not have the original engine, but would like to find out what it is anyway.

No partial VIN as I would expect on the engine pad in front of the passenger side head.
What I found was : 01884 ER VO828HO. The "O" is very faint and may be a "G" or "C" or "Q". I have figured out the VO828, just not sure on the suffix.
I can make no refernce to the "ER".

I have not found any other cast numbers or stamped numbers at the back of the engine YET.
I will investigate this weekend.

Any help  would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Wayne

Is the engine in the car? Anyway even if it is, it is still possible to get the casting number. Difficult to see but possible, its on the driver side rear of engine 'above' where the bellhousing bolts on.

It looks like this:



You should be able to sqeeze your head below the hood in the brake booster area.

The HQ code could be a 69 LM1 350motor, V0828 supports this - but the 01884 ER puzzles me, maybe the experts here will chime in.

[lakeholme]

...And HO & HC motors were 327s --Corvette and Passenger.

The kickdown rod can cover your view of the stamp...  If you cannot find an angle to look under it, you can loosen it (carefully)...

[lakeholme]

BTW, do you have a copy of Alan Colvin's Chevrolet By the Numbers 1965-69?
Look here: http://www.camaros.org/geninfo.shtml#InfoSources

Nova in 69 had 350 HC & HQ --69 Camaro had a 350 HC & HQ...

[WayneinNZ]

Hello again guys.
I have had the car in to have the trans swapped over from a powerglide to a TH350.
I have been able to get the casting numbers finally from the rear of the block........ Now for the surprise.....
The casting  number is 3892657, which is a 1967 casting if I am correct.
As I mentioned above there is 14GM cast above the oil filter and the H18 is in fact H1 B. Still unsure how to decode that for the casting date, if I have got the right numbers.
The stamping on the front of the engine is still a mystery as well.

Any help would be appreciated.

[1968RSZ28]

As I mentioned above there is 14GM cast above the oil filter and the H18 is in fact H1 B. Still unsure how to decode that for the casting date, if I have got the right numbers.

Hi Wayne -

The H 1 B is not the block casting date.  On your small block the date that the block was made is cast into the rear of the block, next to where the bellhousing bolts up, on the passenger's** side.  In my block casting date photo below, L 19 7 decodes to December 19, 1967.  If you can get the block casting date it will help to solve your mystery.  Hope this helps!     

Paul

** Kurt,  the location of the engine block casting date is wrong on the CRG Drivetrain Decoding page.  It says the casting date is on the driver's side!     

"The date that the block was made is cast into the rear of the block, next to where the bellhousing bolts up, on the driver's side. Some big blocks will have the cast date next to the engine mounts, near the freeze plugs."




 

[9T4Z]

** Kurt,  the location of the engine block casting date is wrong on the CRG Drivetrain Decoding page.  It says the casting date is on the driver's side!     Smiley

Paul... my 69 casting date is on the drivers side as noted in the CRG page.  Maybe different in 1967?

[JohnZ]

** Kurt,  the location of the engine block casting date is wrong on the CRG Drivetrain Decoding page.  It says the casting date is on the driver's side!     Smiley

Paul... my 69 casting date is on the drivers side as noted in the CRG page.  Maybe different in 1967?

I've never seen a small-block casting date on the driver's side.

[KurtS]

Corrected (and clarified):
The date that the block was made is cast into the rear of the block (where the bellhousing bolts up), right behind the distributor boss.

I assume that's correct for BB too, but can't easily confirm.

Anyone know which side of the block for the big blocks that "have the cast date next to the engine mounts, near the freeze plugs"?

[1968RSZ28]

Corrected (and clarified):
The date that the block was made is cast into the rear of the block (where the bellhousing bolts up), right behind the distributor boss.

 

Anyone know which side of the block for the big blocks that "have the cast date next to the engine mounts, near the freeze plugs"?

Right side (passenger's).

Paul

[WayneinNZ]

Ok guys.
I have double checked and the "H1 8" is definately cast on the back of the block at the bell housing flange directly behind teh distributor and ever so slightly to the passengers side.
Now, the "8" could be a "6" as it is not perfectly defined but I am positive that it is in the correct location to be the casting date.
I have had a really close look at the "VO828HO" stamping on the front pad.
The "HO" look now as if it may be "HG". It all depends on the light at the time.
which means it could be one of:
HG - 1965 327  fuel inject, m/t   375  FI  Vette
HG - 1968 327  Powerglide   250  2  full size
HG - 1969 350  manual trans.   300  4  full size
Along with:
3892657 - 302 & 350  1967 casting number
and:
H1 8 - August 1 1968

Sooooooooo now i am confused as none of this seems to make sense when put together.

Wayne

[1968RSZ28]

Ok guys.
I have double checked and the "H1 8" is definately cast on the back of the block at the bell housing flange directly behind teh distributor and ever so slightly to the passengers side.
Now, the "8" could be a "6" as it is not perfectly defined but I am positive that it is in the correct location to be the casting date.
I have had a really close look at the "VO828HO" stamping on the front pad.
The "HO" look now as if it may be "HG". It all depends on the light at the time.
which means it could be one of:
HG - 1965 327  fuel inject, m/t   375  FI  Vette
HG - 1968 327  Powerglide   250  2  full size
HG - 1969 350  manual trans.   300  4  full size
Along with:
3892657 - 302 & 350  1967 casting number
and:
H1 8 - August 1 1968

Sooooooooo now i am confused as none of this seems to make sense when put together.

Wayne

Wayne -

Since you are positive about the block casting number (3892657) we should start there.  This block was only used in 1967.  It was used for the 302, 327, and 350 cid engines.  Knowing this fact, the casting date has to be H 1 6 (one of your guesses) which is August 1, 1966.  Now your engine assembly code (V0828HO) works.  In 1967 the "HO" engine suffix code indentifies a 1967 Corvette 327cid/300hp with a 4-barrel carb and Powerglide transmission!  Mystery solved!  Everybody agree?     

Paul   

[KurtS]

Thanks Paul!  So noted.

[9T4Z]

** Kurt,  the location of the engine block casting date is wrong on the CRG Drivetrain Decoding page.  It says the casting date is on the driver's side!     Smiley

Paul... my 69 casting date is on the drivers side as noted in the CRG page.  Maybe different in 1967?

I've never seen a small-block casting date on the driver's side.

Uh I took the picture while standing on the drivers side with the camera pressed up against the cowl.  I assumed it was pointing straight down!  My bad

 

[WayneinNZ]

Hi again everyone.
Thanks again for all your input.
I have attached some photos of the engine numbers.
I am not totally computer savvy so please excuse me if I get this all worng.
Pic one is pretty obvious. Could this still be a 350?
Pic two is of the front pad. Its really hard to make out the last letter of the suffix. The 01884 appears to be double stamped. The ER has me stumped.
Pic three is the casting date. Hard to tell if its a 6 or a 8 at the end. More experienced eyes may be able to tell.
The heads appear to be early fuelies withoug the water temp sensor hole in them. I will get the casting numbers off them in teh weekend. That may help to nail down what it is.

Thanks again guys for your input.