2500hd4x

Hi Gentlemen (and Ladies)-

I have a bit of a "barn find" on my hands- A few years back I purchased a truck from a farmers field to part out for the axles/transmission/etc... In the back, there were two engines wrapped up in tarps. One was a 350, (from a 69 camaro) and the other was a 283 w/only front mounts. I never ran the numbers on it past looking at mortec to see what it was. It has sat in a corner of the shop for the past few years, but now its in the way of the new sink so I need to move it out of the way....

Casting details on the 283-

Casting Number- 3731548
Stamp Pad- F73IP J4475CH
Date Code- G247

The engine is complete from oil pan to carb, still has the starter, water pump, alternator (generator?) and bellhousing bolted to it. The only thing missing is the drivers side exhaust manifold. It is a bit dirty/surface rusty, but it still turns over and the oil that remains actually looks pretty good. I haven't been able to find any good ways to decipher the stampings (My google-fu is weak today), and kept getting sent here during my searches, so I figured I would ask here if I have a junkyard jewel or a common boat anchor. I appreciate any information anyone has on this....Thanks!

Bowtie359

well G247 is telling me July 2, 1947. I think. So probably not out of a corvette. but possibly worth something.

champs65

It's a '57 283, date of July 24, 1957. CH shows it to be a FI engine on nasty z28 website.

1-2-b-67L89

3731548 283 57 No side motor mounts

FASTZ

well you know those Camaro guys should probably stick to Camaro numbers.The Casting Number- 3731548 is from 1957.There is a 250hp fuelie with the CH suffix except that it was used in 1958 on a block with casting#3737739.According to Alvin Colvins Chevrolet by the numbers 1955-59.There are only two applications that end with an H.They are EH and FH

66racer

CH would be correct suffix for 58 f.i.pass. car, I believe. The late dated ----548 block may have been used in early 58 .to get rid of carry over blocks as G.M sometimes did 66racer

emccomas

Definitely a 57 283 engine. The CH suffix code is a puzzle. 1957 engine codes that begin with C are C, CD, and CE. All are 57 versions of the 265 engine.

July 24, 57 is still well within 57 model year production time frame, so I don't see that as a possible 58 carry over. It is also a Flint engine, based one digit year code.

Can you post a picture of the front pad?

Oops, I should have read the description closer....

Stamp Pad- F73IP J4475CH

The suffix code for this engine is 'P', which is a 57 truck engine (usually heavy truck)

F731P = Flint, July 31st assembly date, suffix code of 'P'.

The J4475CH is a non factory stamping. Most likely a rebuilders stamp.

2500hd4x

Here are some pics of the casting stamps and codes.

emccomas

That looks like the J4475CH was added some time after engine assembly (stamped individually). The F73IP is the factory engine code stamp.

The engine color is also interesting, but there is plenty of evidence of Chevy Orange at one time.

Also notice the blue green paint in the J4475CH letters. Obviously painted blue green after those numbers were stamped. I am still betting on a rebuilders stamp.

66racer

I HAVE a CHEVY ENGINE CODE BOOK WITH 2000 PLUS ENGINE CODES --55 PAGES--IT SHOWS THAT THE P suffix would be a 57 283 160 hp truck engine. MOST OF THE TRUCKS HAD 265'S BUT a FEW WERE 283 66RACER

1-2-b-67L89

Wonder if GM was supplying engines to another mfg. for some type of application and they stamped it "J4475CH"?

2500hd4x

Hey, six years later and I've finally listed it on Ebay if anyone is interested. Google brought me back here again!!!!!!!!!! I'm tired of moving this thing around the shop every 10 years!

MasterDave

You are in the 'parts for sale' section sir. If you want to sell your engine please post a price. Thanks

vettebuyer6369

If you now have an active eBay auction, you need a link. If not, you need an asking price. Either way, start a new for sale thread that isn't 6 years old. This thread should have been moved to the general discussion thread years ago.