Block Pad question
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Pro
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From: ny
Block Pad question
1957 block , casting 3731548
S/N puts the car @ mid February 1957
Stamp is all the way to one side leaving off the "F" Couldn't get the casting date unfortunately. Broach marks look good. Reads one of the folllowing.
I208F
T208F
I know it's not a corvette engine by the one letter Suffix. 185 HP passenger engine with powerglide. Did the Tonawanda plant use the casting 3731548 though? Could it just be a misplaced hit with the gang stamp and that's why the F or T didn't make the pad? It has a 56 intake on it also. 2/8/57 was a friday where 12/08/56 was a saturday. February 8 1957 would be perfect for the date for the car. Did they work on Saturdays? Opinions please
S/N puts the car @ mid February 1957
Stamp is all the way to one side leaving off the "F" Couldn't get the casting date unfortunately. Broach marks look good. Reads one of the folllowing.
I208F
T208F
I know it's not a corvette engine by the one letter Suffix. 185 HP passenger engine with powerglide. Did the Tonawanda plant use the casting 3731548 though? Could it just be a misplaced hit with the gang stamp and that's why the F or T didn't make the pad? It has a 56 intake on it also. 2/8/57 was a friday where 12/08/56 was a saturday. February 8 1957 would be perfect for the date for the car. Did they work on Saturdays? Opinions please
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
If it's a Tonawanda cast engine, regardless, it wouldn't be correct for any Corvette.
Tonawanda blocks have many embossed and debossed "T's" on the block. In addition, the casting date on the block uses the double digit year format, i.e. 57 instead of 7.
There are also other visual difference in the block, the most noticeable being the plug in the oil galley above the timing chain.
Tonawanda used the same casting #'s as Flint.
Chuck
Tonawanda blocks have many embossed and debossed "T's" on the block. In addition, the casting date on the block uses the double digit year format, i.e. 57 instead of 7.
There are also other visual difference in the block, the most noticeable being the plug in the oil galley above the timing chain.
Tonawanda used the same casting #'s as Flint.
Chuck
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From: ny
Thanks Chuck I knew it wasn't a vette engine just that the first letter is hard to make out. (really looks more like an "I" ) But the bottom is the faint part so that's why i'm thinking "T". It is right on the edge of the pad. I thought the "F" just didn't make the pad when it was stamped making it 12/08/56. Is that possible with that being a Saturday? Too bad I'm a few hundred miles from it for another inspection. Still a NOM no matter what. I need a book for a resourse that shows Tonawanda blocks. Thanks for the info that both plants used same casting numbers. I thought that would help distinguish it. Thanks again Glenn.
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From: Washington Michigan
Thanks Chuck I knew it wasn't a vette engine just that the first letter is hard to make out. (really looks more like an "I" ) But the bottom is the faint part so that's why i'm thinking "T". It is right on the edge of the pad. I thought the "F" just didn't make the pad when it was stamped making it 12/08/56. Is that possible with that being a Saturday? Too bad I'm a few hundred miles from it for another inspection. Still a NOM no matter what. I need a book for a resourse that shows Tonawanda blocks. Thanks for the info that both plants used same casting numbers. I thought that would help distinguish it. Thanks again Glenn.
Tonawanda blocks also didn't have the square-head 1/8" NPT plug Chuck mentioned above the timing cover at about 11 o'clock shown in the photo below; that plug was only used on Flint blocks.
