about casting dates
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 208
Likes: 11
about casting dates
Can anyone explain to me how casting dates on the motor and carbs work from the time the product is made, to the time it is shipped out, and finally to the time it is installed in the car? For example would a car that has a biuld date in early march like the 10th, and a motor stamped the 20th of April, have a block dated April or March? Were engines, and carbs made every day and shipped every day? Or did they ever use any earlie left over stamped motors or carbs into the cars? Thanks
Pro
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 573
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From: Pine Grove PA
Can anyone explain to me how casting dates on the motor and carbs work from the time the product is made, to the time it is shipped out, and finally to the time it is installed in the car? For example would a car that has a biuld date in early march like the 10th, and a motor stamped the 20th of April, have a block dated April or March? Were engines, and carbs made every day and shipped every day? Or did they ever use any earlie left over stamped motors or carbs into the cars? Thanks
Steve
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
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Platinum Supporting Dealership
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,582
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From: St. Marys Ohio
Engines were cast and shipped round the clock. A March built car would not have a casting before the build date, as snydes mentioned. NCRS will judge an engine OK up to 6 months prior, but not a day after the build date of the car.
If you are looking at a car, maybe you can post the numbers so we can be sure you are reading them correctly. Lots of guys here will be glad to help out on this one.
If you are looking at a car, maybe you can post the numbers so we can be sure you are reading them correctly. Lots of guys here will be glad to help out on this one.
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Tom Hendricks tom@budschevy.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buds-Chevrolet-Buick-Corvette/176730955684255?ref=hl
Corvette Specialist Since 1993
BUDS CHEVROLET
St. Marys, Ohio
800-688-2837
WEBSITE WWW.BUDSCHEVY.COM
HOURS MON-WED 7:00AM - 5:00PM
FFRIDAY AND SATURDAY BY APPT.
OFF THURSDAYS
NCRS # 23758 Miami Valley Chapter ( Ohio )
NCM Founding Member #1143
NADA Classic Car Guide Advisiory Board Member
C5/C6 Registry Corporate Member # 5
My Corvettes. 63, 71, 73, 78.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 859
Likes: 53
From: Magnolia Texas
I'm curious...
We know that if a car had a component failure (alternator for example) on the line, a "like component" was grabbed and fitted. If the car had an ENGINE failure, would that not be treated the same way, possibly resulting in an engine with a SLIGHTLY later date? I know NCRS won't accept it and I'm only asking out of curiosity.
When I got my car, way back in about '74, it had an alternator with the correct date code and a GTO part number. Interestingly, same situation for the starter. Never have figured that out except for possible replacement on the line with a "like part" out of a bin.
Steve
We know that if a car had a component failure (alternator for example) on the line, a "like component" was grabbed and fitted. If the car had an ENGINE failure, would that not be treated the same way, possibly resulting in an engine with a SLIGHTLY later date? I know NCRS won't accept it and I'm only asking out of curiosity.
When I got my car, way back in about '74, it had an alternator with the correct date code and a GTO part number. Interestingly, same situation for the starter. Never have figured that out except for possible replacement on the line with a "like part" out of a bin.
Steve
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
Interestingly my '61 has one head with a May 1st casting date and the engine has a May 2nd assembly date. JohnZ verified this was rare but possible as tens of thousands of castings were shipped from Saginaw to the Flint assembly plant every 24 hours.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Northeastern PA
Clarification is needed....what do you call the build date. If you are using the stamped date on the trim tag, that is not necessarily the day the car came off the assembly line. You need to determine if you have an AO Smith body or St. Louis Body (A or S precedes the body number on the tag). AO Smith built bodies could be setting around for weeks before being used on the line. Typically, St. Louis bodies were used the same or next day as the date stamped on the trim tag. However, there are exceptions all over the place. You need to use the serial number and do the math to estimate the date the car came off the assembly line. Or you can find the "birthday calculator" on the internet which is not necessarily the exact date you car came off the assembly line, but it is a close mathematical estimate. As for dates of things on the car and motor, that can be a long story. With few exceptions, the items on the motor must not be older than the assembly date on the motor pad.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Houston Texas
St. Jude Donor '10-'12-'13
Clarification is needed....what do you call the build date. If you are using the stamped date on the trim tag, that is not necessarily the day the car came off the assembly line. You need to determine if you have an AO Smith body or St. Louis Body (A or S precedes the body number on the tag). AO Smith built bodies could be setting around for weeks before being used on the line. Typically, St. Louis bodies were used the same or next day as the date stamped on the trim tag. However, there are exceptions all over the place. You need to use the serial number and do the math to estimate the date the car came off the assembly line. Or you can find the "birthday calculator" on the internet which is not necessarily the exact date you car came off the assembly line, but it is a close mathematical estimate. As for dates of things on the car and motor, that can be a long story. With few exceptions, the items on the motor must not be older than the assembly date on the motor pad.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 208
Likes: 11
sorry for the mix up. What I ment to say is if the car was made on march 10th according to trim tag, St.luois Plant is it possible to have a block from january and the engine pad stamped febuary 20th for example? Thanks and again sorry for mix up.
Pro
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From: Pine Grove PA
Team Owner
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From: Washington Michigan
