Orphaned block 19N571318

[z28z11]

Attention 19N571318 Camaro owner - your block is taking up space on my engine stand.

[1968RSZ28]

What's the engine assembly stamp?

Paul

[KurtS]

Umm, could this be a 396 block??

[z28z11]

Quite possibly - if the car is still around, it would be a nice thing to reunite this one. Wouldn't mind it coming here to meet the engine and get acquainted.

[KurtS]

I don't know where the car is but I will ask. It's blue, btw.

When you get a chance, can you email me a close-up picture of the engine pad?

Thanks!

[z28z11]

I'll try to get to it this weekend - I have it buried in the garage, but the corner of the block above the filter is visible enough to see the VIN.
Curious about the info you have uncovered - could you determine if it's a coupe or convertible ? You really have my interest up a notch -

Regards,
Steve

[KurtS]

It's a coupe. Take a look at page 105 of Jerry's book....

[1968RSZ28]

Wow, it's a L78!

Paul

[z28z11]

Amazingly sharp eyes - as many hours/years as I have spent going through the Definitive book, I never thought to look at the window stickers (or shippers) to see if it matched. That's almost as good of a detective job as Jerry locating the 'Old Reliable' '68.

Yes, it is a JH, standard bore - now you also know why I was a little cagey in releasing that info. If we could only find the car (intact), maybe the current (legit, and only legit) owner would like to deal for the original block - wonder where Jerry got the window sticker copy ?

Great job - BTW, if the car is gone, this block will reside in my '69 L78 Cortez original SS someday - the original block is damaged (makes a good 500 pound Protect-O-Plate). Got both blocks with the car when I bought it -

Regards,
Steve

[z28z11]

Kurt,

  I apologize for not sending these sooner. Lighting conditions in my garage are not conducive to high contrast pictures, so I used White-Out to highlight the stamping, in case you are wondering what the light colored stuff is. T1215JH, cast date K228, VIN 19N571318 (stamped from the transmission side up, kind of the opposite direction from a lot of blocks I have seen. Casting date is on the side of the block, my original is behind the manifold at the bellhousing flange (also is VIN stamped on the front pad, prior to the January location change).
I did measure the bores (for the first time) - I had stated in an earlier post that it was standard bore, but it's .060 over. No ridge, could possibly stay at .060, but at least it is an original block.

Regards,
Steve

[KurtS]

Thanks for the pics!
Hope the leads turn out and the block gets reunited.
Kurt

[z28z11]

Evening -

I'm going to request as many opinions as I can on this - I won't be surprised if they are pretty diverse. Just no offensive remarks, please - I'm a car owner like many of you, and an enthusiast like the rest of you.

I have been in conversation with the subject VIN car's owner concerning this block, and have offered it to him at what I think is a reasonable price - $1500.00. What I think is a reasonable price doesn't exactly coincide with what the owner thinks it should be.
 
I also think of my own situation, in that when and if I give this block up, I'm back to square 1 with my car, an original L78 with a damaged original block. Both blocks came with my car, with the intact block meant as a "spare" L78 block intended as the builder for restoring this car to driving condition. Do I search for a close date 272 4 bolt block to build, or build a later model block and hang all of my matching-casting-numbered/dated engine pieces and accessories on it for visual correctness ? My personal preference would be to get as close a match to the casting date and codes as I can (but not to restamp or clone one, as I already have the original salted away).

$64 question - how much is an original block worth to an original car ? How much value does it add to the vehicle ? Is $1500 too much to ask for  a 1-of-4,889 L78 original motors (blocks) ? Am I way out in left field ? Do I forgot all of this, and build it and drop it in my car ?


I welcome any opinions - the ones mentioned above are strictly my own -

Regards,
Steve

[69Z28-RS]

if the block is "good", I'd think 1500 would be a more than fair price .. if he won't pay it.  then use it for your car!   

[Kelley W King]

If you had 557961, I would give you $1500.00 for it. There is a guy up north that makes 4 bolts out of 272 blocks that probably has a later date coded block he could fix for you and even stamp it CE. Then you are not fooling anyone that it is a replacement block. My 12A has a F119 CE in it. If I see one of the 4889 that says born with block I would be suspious about it because I can,t believe that many survived. My car is an auto with 355,s and the original block still did not make it.

[jdv69z]

I would think that the original block would add at least $1500 value to said car. Just curious, how far apart? A lot? A little?

Another thought: No time issue for either of you regarding this. Maybe let in sink in for a while, and who knows, maybe the positions change?


Jimmy V.