Looking for numbers/date code help..engine

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Jan 28, 2006 | 07:54 PM

mid-year crisis

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Dec 2002

Posts: 407

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From: Bridgewater CT

Looking for numbers/date code help..engine

..Hoping somebody out there's got more books than I do...just found an older"barn"engine purported to be out of a '68 vette..The casting number, 3914678, in my book, tells me it could be..the front engine pad characters are VO80IYK, with no VIN suffix visible. Date stamp on rear pass. side of block is G 3 7 , which I'm taking to be 7/3/67...seems odd to me, the engine has a "cannister type" oil filter, no "road draft vent" hole in rear of block,intake has an EGR valve.. Anybody out there have a book??

Thanks, Steve

Jan 28, 2006 | 08:38 PM

Mr D.

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From: Huntsville AL

The 3914678 block is a large Journal 327 block used in the 1968 year.

The G 3 7 cast date is July 3 1967

V (Flint Engine Plant) O80I (Aug 01 build date) YK (not a corvette code)

I don't have all my books with me, however, this is not a corvette engine. The YK code does not work (should be HE,HO,HP,HT) and there should be a VIN stamp.

Hope this helps

Last edited by Mr D.; Jan 28, 2006 at 08:45 PM.

Jan 28, 2006 | 08:51 PM

mid-year crisis

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Dec 2002

Posts: 407

Likes: 1

From: Bridgewater CT

..Thanks, Mr. D
I'm glad to know I'm on the rigfht track about the build date. The casting number, in my book, looks like it could've been for a 327 or 350. I'm hoping somebody can give me the info from the engine stamp suffix. Also, there is NO noticable VIN stamp. How is it that I've seen some engine stamps with VIN suffix's and some without..are the ones without "replacement blocks" as I've heard????

Thanks, Steve

Jan 28, 2006 | 09:11 PM

Mr D.

Team Owner

Joined: Mar 2002

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From: Huntsville AL

Steve, don't head down that replacement block rabbit hole. Chevrolet did not stamp replacement blocks using the engine code suffix.

All corvettes engines had the VIN stamp and most all other models started using this practice starting in 1968.

Jan 28, 2006 | 09:20 PM

mid-year crisis

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Dec 2002

Posts: 407

Likes: 1

From: Bridgewater CT

..Thanks Mr. D... While I suspected that this is not a 'vette engine, as purported, I'd still like to know what the heck it's out of, if anybody can tell me, and wether it may have redeemable value of any kind. Thanks.
Steve

Jan 28, 2006 | 09:50 PM

64roadster

Burning Brakes

Joined: Aug 2003

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From: Ocean Springs, MS

St. Jude Donor '07

I have copies of Chevrolet Dealer Service Information Bulletins for the 1963 - 1984 model years. Unfortunately, I only kept the bulletins that deals with car and truck identification numbers.

The "YK" for the 1968 model year represents a 327 with Hydramatic installed in trucks, CE10-20.

Jan 28, 2006 | 10:18 PM

Nick D.

Burning Brakes

Joined: Feb 1999

Posts: 1,057

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From: Patagonia Arizona

Alan Colvin's "Chevrolet by the numbers" lists 3914678 as either a 302, 327, or 350 (all 2-bolt) used primarily during 1968. It DOES NOT list the suffix YK as used in passenger cars so by elimination I would say it is a truck motor. Since the cast date is March I would say is' a 327.

68 Corvettes used this casting number also for the 300 & 350 hp motors so all you have to do is restamp it and you've got a "numbers matching" 68.