exposingtime

"Original Numbers Matching Block" was removed many years ago, but comes with the car...how does it look?

Gary



[img=http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4774/69427blockstampfv7.th.jpg]

schmegeggie

Looks pretty good to me. It's a late November 68/early December build because it's close to my#. Doesn't look like a restamp to me. Why would he have a restamp not in the car? Too much trouble if you ask me. Looks good.

razman

doesn't look right.........broach marks seem to wander a bit, and the broach marks only seem visible on the pad, and not the rest of the deck. hard to say for sure from the pick, but doesn't look right. looks like someone took a belt sander to the pad, then re-stamped.

kenba

Before anyone tries to judge a block stamping I would suggest a person would to go to a Al Grenning seminar. Original blocks from the factory were not all exactly the same had very faint broach marks & some had very deep ones depending on how sharp the inserts were. One would not see the marks under the heads because the gasket would darken that surface. Also it would take a hell of trick to just sand up to the head line & make those straight lines. Also one needs to know when I'S were used for 1's ETC. My point is that it's very hard to tell.
KEN

schmegeggie

That's why I thought it looked o.k. My 69 is a small block, but off by only days. The stamp on mine has a VI105, with the trim tag date being 11/12/68, very close(V=Flint,MI plant, I105 = 11/05), although there is definitely one I and 1 1, rather than 2 I's, could have been done that way at the big block plant??

razman

ken, i'm sure you know alot more about it than i do. but i was under the impression that original broach marks are machined in a very linear straight pattern (from front to rear of engine) these marks seem to be in a very random pattern? is that normal? thanks, rick

kenba

Small blocks were cast & machined in Flint Mi. Big blocks were cast & machined in Tanawanda NY. While the basic process was the same the stamps ETC were very different. Only the SN would be the same as it was applied at the factory with the trans.
KEN

Vetlovr

It's hard to tell from one picture. I have a stamp pad library I can see if I have anything close, Al Grenning would be your best bet he has the largest library. From what I see the broach marks do not look correct.

kenba

I have no idea if it is a factory stamp or not. If i was judging the car I could not say it was not factory typical. God knows if it is a factory stamp but would you deduct for the pad if you were judging?
KEN

early shark

I do not believe that the pad broach surface is factory. The linear graining pattern often seen on original pad surfaces are not like this one.

Vetlovr

There are two things to look at when looking at this pad. First, being I's were used instead of 1's, there should be other bb cars built before and after this one that have that similar stamping. Second is the integrity of the pad. It looks like from the only picture that is presented here that the broach marks are of a slight circular nature and whether or not they are light or dark isn't the question. The pattern should be vertical and fairly consistent. There are freaks of nature that make it through production but they are not the norm. In my opinion the broach marks don't look right thus not factory typical but that is just my .02

Vetlovr

Here is the pad refixed with photoshop. Notice the original T above the new set of suffix codes. Also notice the circular marks-not factory in my opinion.

Vetlovr

http://gs112.photobucket.com/groups/...ckstampfv7.jpg

kenba

So you would give the pad a full duduct if you judjed the pad with the heads on at a NCRS event,
KEN

Vetlovr

thats not the question he is asking. Unless I mssed it, did he say would you deduct point at an NCRS meet,s for this pad? I thought he asked for an opinion on how it looks. So you are telling me that in your opinion it looks factory?

razman

i can see the T above suffix code, and looks like you can see original letters just to the right of the suffix code also. looks like a re-stamp, pretty poor job of prepping the pad too.....

Vetlovr

Thanks, I totaly agree and with the photoshop picture it is even more evident.

Paul Borowski

....if I was purchasing this car on the belief that it "is supposed" to be the original broach marks/stamping, my money wouldn't come out of my pocket.

...someone else's money yeah, my money, NOPE.

SignMan59

of course the stampings arent all the same. This was the 60's the guys in the plant didnt care about your "investment" or even know about an NCRS, etc.. they stamped the damn things and sent them on the way. Sometimes they even misstamped them and stamped right back over them. Ive sween those myself. I was at an NCRS event
which by the way is a great organization) They had a guest speaker ...he was an old Corvette plant employee. He was a little taken back by all the interest in the way they were built....he was like hey...." we bolted on whatever it was we were supposed to....did it again and again....then went home and cut the grass." It was amusing, even though some guys were a little let down. Anyway....no telling what went on back in the day making these cars and engines etc.

SBR

To me the broach marks look wrong as does the Tonowanda stamping JMHO.