57 complete engine?
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Georgetown SC
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57 complete engine?
I have what I think is a 57 283 2x4 engine that come out of my dads 57. It is not the original engine but I'm sure it must be worth something to some one. Where should I start as far as getting info to sell this thing and get it out of my garage?
Team Owner
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Army
Look for numbers off the rear near the top of the bell housing -- should be a casting number and a date; likewise the heads should have similar info under the valve covers. Look for another number up near the front of the motor on the stamp pad...should start with an 'F' or 'T'.
Once you have those you can post them here and lots of folks will chime in with data on what you have.
Once you have those you can post them here and lots of folks will chime in with data on what you have.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Georgetown SC
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Ok here are all the numbers I found.
Stamped on the front of the block: F305EG
Cast on the rear left of the block: a large 6 the GM and the numbers 3731548
Cast on the rear right near the top of the block: B277
Cast on the inside of the right head near the front: 3731539 with a triangle below it and a 5 in a circle beside the triangle, in the middle was GM 3 and near the rear was D47.
Cast on the inside of the left head were the numbers 3731539 with a triangle below it and a number 7, GM2, and D27
On the front of the intake manifold was : Firing Order 18436572, and in the middle of the right side was 3739653 with GM below it.
On the Carter carbs, Front cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2613S, Rear cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2614S
On the right exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733978 then below it is RH 7
On the left exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733975 or it could be an 8 then below it is LH and an 8 or a 6.
Thats what I found.
So what do I have here?
Stamped on the front of the block: F305EG
Cast on the rear left of the block: a large 6 the GM and the numbers 3731548
Cast on the rear right near the top of the block: B277
Cast on the inside of the right head near the front: 3731539 with a triangle below it and a 5 in a circle beside the triangle, in the middle was GM 3 and near the rear was D47.
Cast on the inside of the left head were the numbers 3731539 with a triangle below it and a number 7, GM2, and D27
On the front of the intake manifold was : Firing Order 18436572, and in the middle of the right side was 3739653 with GM below it.
On the Carter carbs, Front cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2613S, Rear cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2614S
On the right exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733978 then below it is RH 7
On the left exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733975 or it could be an 8 then below it is LH and an 8 or a 6.
Thats what I found.
So what do I have here?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
Ok here are all the numbers I found.
Stamped on the front of the block: F305EG
Cast on the rear left of the block: a large 6 the GM and the numbers 3731548
Cast on the rear right near the top of the block: B277
Cast on the inside of the right head near the front: 3731539 with a triangle below it and a 5 in a circle beside the triangle, in the middle was GM 3 and near the rear was D47.
Cast on the inside of the left head were the numbers 3731539 with a triangle below it and a number 7, GM2, and D27
On the front of the intake manifold was : Firing Order 18436572, and in the middle of the right side was 3739653 with GM below it.
On the Carter carbs, Front cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2613S, Rear cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2614S
On the right exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733978 then below it is RH 7
On the left exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733975 or it could be an 8 then below it is LH and an 8 or a 6.
Thats what I found.
So what do I have here?
Stamped on the front of the block: F305EG
Cast on the rear left of the block: a large 6 the GM and the numbers 3731548
Cast on the rear right near the top of the block: B277
Cast on the inside of the right head near the front: 3731539 with a triangle below it and a 5 in a circle beside the triangle, in the middle was GM 3 and near the rear was D47.
Cast on the inside of the left head were the numbers 3731539 with a triangle below it and a number 7, GM2, and D27
On the front of the intake manifold was : Firing Order 18436572, and in the middle of the right side was 3739653 with GM below it.
On the Carter carbs, Front cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2613S, Rear cast # 6-1299 and it has a brass tag that has 2614S
On the right exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733978 then below it is RH 7
On the left exhaust manifold has a cast number of 3733975 or it could be an 8 then below it is LH and an 8 or a 6.
Thats what I found.
So what do I have here?
Heads are correct for '57 as is the intake manifold.
The carbs appear to be the correct 270HP carbs for that year and type of engine.
Appears you have a very original complete '57 Corvette engine...you can do the rest of the decoding (including seeing how close all the dates are) by going to this site: http://www.corvette-world.com/corvet..._1953_1967.php. After you read all about the engine stamp pad decoding click on "Corvette Specifications" tab at the top of the web page and all the other components' information is there. (I'm not doing ALL the work). Also, the brass tag on each carb contains a date code as well .. just below the numbers you've given above.
Why don't you think its the original engine ?
Frank
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 3, 2010 at 01:26 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
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From: Georgetown SC
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Thanks for all the info. I talked to a guy a a few years ago would told me that the car was built in November and the engine was built the following March. He told me it was a great engine but not the right one for the car.
Team Owner
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Forget that guy! I'll be right over. Got a street address?
Team Owner
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Army
Yeah really!!
After all the numbers bru-ha-ha the first question a buyer will ask is, "Does the engine run?".
If you are prepared to demonstrate that then the price goes up accordingly. If not the buyer will heavily discount the price due to the unknown factors inside the motor.
I can tell you that just the carbs (if they are indeed true 270HP) are worth North of $3,000 in running condition so you can get a feel for what the price of a complete, correct, date-code matched engine with all the bolt ons will go for.
After all the numbers bru-ha-ha the first question a buyer will ask is, "Does the engine run?".
If you are prepared to demonstrate that then the price goes up accordingly. If not the buyer will heavily discount the price due to the unknown factors inside the motor.
I can tell you that just the carbs (if they are indeed true 270HP) are worth North of $3,000 in running condition so you can get a feel for what the price of a complete, correct, date-code matched engine with all the bolt ons will go for.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 20
From: Georgetown SC
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Yeah really!!
After all the numbers bru-ha-ha the first question a buyer will ask is, "Does the engine run?".
If you are prepared to demonstrate that then the price goes up accordingly. If not the buyer will heavily discount the price due to the unknown factors inside the motor.
I can tell you that just the carbs (if they are indeed true 270HP) are worth North of $3,000 in running condition so you can get a feel for what the price of a complete, correct, date-code matched engine with all the bolt ons will go for.
After all the numbers bru-ha-ha the first question a buyer will ask is, "Does the engine run?".
If you are prepared to demonstrate that then the price goes up accordingly. If not the buyer will heavily discount the price due to the unknown factors inside the motor.
I can tell you that just the carbs (if they are indeed true 270HP) are worth North of $3,000 in running condition so you can get a feel for what the price of a complete, correct, date-code matched engine with all the bolt ons will go for.
How can I tell if they are indeed true 270hp carbs?
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
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Hi,
Do you have any pictures and what is your ph. no.? I might be interested. Please send ph. info and pictures to fleagle14@embarqmail.com Thanks Mike Anderson (317)729-2418
Do you have any pictures and what is your ph. no.? I might be interested. Please send ph. info and pictures to fleagle14@embarqmail.com Thanks Mike Anderson (317)729-2418
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
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Hi,
I submitted a post looking for your contact info. Please respond to fleagle14@embarqmail.com or send me your ph. no. Thanks Mike
I submitted a post looking for your contact info. Please respond to fleagle14@embarqmail.com or send me your ph. no. Thanks Mike
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Washington Michigan
The block is a 2x4 270, but it originally had 997 heads on it; the 539 heads on it now are from a fuelie. I think you'll find that the exhaust manifolds are 3733975 (LH) and 3733976 (RH), which are correct. 
Team Owner
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Army
The engine ran 4 years ago when I had it pulled from the car by a very reputable corvette shop who would testify that the engine was in running condition when the engine was pulled. It has been on a engine stand in my very clean garage since.
How can I tell if they are indeed true 270hp carbs?
How can I tell if they are indeed true 270hp carbs?
The engines in '57 did not have the car's VIN number on them and so nobody can say this isn't the original engine for the car and if the motor and sundry parts are dated within 6 months of the car's "birthday" it will pass NCRS standards. I would NOT sell it; especially just to "get it out of the garage" as you first posted.
It adds substantial value to the car if you sell the vehicle some day. It maintains the possibility that you or some subsequent owner could make this a Top Flight etc car some day worth 6 digits.
Especially this particular engine which was a high performance version with solid lifters, the famous Duntov 097 cam and the rare 270HP carbs.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 3, 2010 at 04:56 PM.
Safety Car
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From: St. Joseph Mo
Hi,
I submitted a post looking for your contact info. Please respond to fleagle14@embarqmail.com or send me your ph. no. Thanks Mike
I submitted a post looking for your contact info. Please respond to fleagle14@embarqmail.com or send me your ph. no. Thanks Mike
Original configuration '57 270 hp worth a bunch.
Original configuration '57 270 hp in number matching condition worth a really, really big bunch.
Original configuration '57 270 hp out the '57 Vette in your garage............................Pricel ess.
Last edited by 67L36Driver; Jun 3, 2010 at 05:54 PM.
Team Owner
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Army
I am now back at my OWN computer where I keep all my vette technical info. The carb tags you have on the dual quads are for '58-61' 2X4s...you may have 270HP carbs, possibly from another year car but the tags are definitely wrong. They should be: 2626S front and 2627S rear.... Your air horns indicate you do NOT have the early '57 carbs (really these were left over '56 carbs).
The tags are available in reproduction for with whatever you want on them....there are often originals on eBay.
The tags are available in reproduction for with whatever you want on them....there are often originals on eBay.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,383
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From: Georgetown SC
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I am now back at my OWN computer where I keep all my vette technical info. The carb tags you have on the dual quads are for '58-61' 2X4s...you may have 270HP carbs, possibly from another year car but the tags are definitely wrong. They should be: 2626S front and 2627S rear.... Your air horns indicate you do NOT have the early '57 carbs (really these were left over '56 carbs).
The tags are available in reproduction for with whatever you want on them....there are often originals on eBay.
The tags are available in reproduction for with whatever you want on them....there are often originals on eBay.
The web site you referred me to earlier in this thread states that the number you just listed were for the 245 hp engine and the tag numbers I have are for the 270 hp engine. So what info on your OWN computer would make this different?
Team Owner
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Army
A big HOWEVER though....lots of strange things happened during those '50s production runs; especially on VERY early or VERY late cars when they were transitioning between years; your carbs may be correctly tagged....the sources seem to disagree on that though.
This, and the fact that the tags can be faked, are why I only trust physical examination of the carbs (e.g. the component numbers, primary nozzles, etc.)....
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 4, 2010 at 10:25 AM.