Hi all,
First some history - My 1960 Vette has a 327 in it (well out of it) and am considering getting it pulled down and reco'd BUT have looked on ebay and there is a 283 long block with the following casting numbers: Block 3756519, heads 3774682 (I think Vettes were 3774692). I have looked up numerous websites with conflicting information and numbers.

Basically are the 519 and 682 number okay (I live in Aus and not many Vettes over here). What other codes should I be looking for (Stamped and Cast) considering my C1 was assembled Dec 59?

I am thinking of future value - or should I just stick with the 327? Not many 283 come up for sale over here especially 519 codes.

Thanks in advance

Mick

P.S. There is one other with Block 3794226 think this is a wrong number or could be truck(stamped # e1063 and 0394p ???) and heads 3917291 - late 60s camel hump

 

Mick I also live in Australia. I have a 1960 with the correct motor sitting beside the car. If your not getting the car judged in my opinion I would leave the 327 in the car. Hey 40 odd cubes is better in your favour than a 283. The 327 can be mocked up to look original very easy beside the castings with the extra cubes.
If your getting the car judged and it will cost you a ton of money living down under. freight will kill you and the time will eat you away waiting for the slow boat to bring in the heavy items after you have spent 3 years on ebay and sites looking for correct dated product.
The engine should be a 3756519 Then you have casting dates up on top of the transmission flange of the motor. Casting dates begin with a letter representing the month. A is Jan B is feb and so forth following this is the day 1 through to 31 followed by a single digit for the year. Yours should read for example L for the month of Dec, 02 for the day and 9 for the year. If the year is in double digits 59,60,61 that means it was cast in the wrong foundry for a Corvette block made in Tonawanda incorrect.
Then you have heads which are 3767465 and they are as scarce as rocking horse dung and real expensive and the dates are cast as well. You can't see the casting dates on the when the motor is together on the heads. Also the manifold has dates single carb or dual ? The carby's are rear and real dear. So it's up to you to do what you think is the path you want to take.
If it was me I would be dummying up the 327 to look like the real deal and spend the other 10k on the rest of the car.
My car is a Nov 59 build were not far apart. People over here don't have a clue what the car is without getting into the dates and stuff like that. If you need any help give me a PM. Stewy

 

I have more information, apparently this is the suffix code on the block: TO 131D 2683. Can't quite figure it out though!

 

This site will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about early Corvette engines: http://www.corvette-world.com/corvet..._1953_1967.php

When you are done reading that hit the "Corvette Specifications" tab at the top of the page and even more info on individual engine components (heads, intakes, etc.) is available.

 

T0131D is a Tonawanda-built 2-barrel 283 from a Powerglide passenger car, not a Corvette; Corvettes never used Tonawanda-built small-block engines - all Corvette small-blocks were built at Flint V-8 (pad stampings started with an "F", not a "T").

 

Your car will never have the original motor in it. So why worry about it, you will alway know. Just make it look original and enjoy the ride.

 

Keep the 327. You will be disappointed in the relative performance between the two. Back in the day, the desired swap was to jettison the 283 for a 327/340,350 or 365 hp motor. A lot more fun for the buck.

 

Thanks guys, you have convinced me to stay with the 327 and dress it up to look original. There are so few C1s over here - I could probably put a 4 banger in it and apart from those in the know, no one would look twice (that is apart from the disappointing sound out the back and under the hood and the extra room in the engine bay).

 

Another number cruncher.... What is the deal with the restamp / block numbers ? Is anyone really going to care ? You don't have the orig block SO its not original. You worry about investment too much and not enough about owning / driving / enjoying. SELL the investment and buy GOLD... then you can count your " originals ".

* By the way... the 327 is five times the engine the 283 ever will be.

 

Nothing wrong with number crunching. I have been doing it for 3 years while driving my car every day. It's not a Hyundai for christ sake it
's a piece of motoring history and there is nothing wrong with trying to get it correct. Yes it may not be the motor it came with but if he want's a correct motor to make it a touch more authentic there is nothing wrong in my book in doing that. There is 15000 NCRS members who also think the same. I love modifications as much as the next bloke but I also think there is merit in keeping the car as original as possible. If the car is to far gone then yeah give it 502 cube chev and independent rear and drop it on it's guts but not if the car is still showing promise ! Stewy

 

I agree, it may not be THE original part but at least it's "period correct". Guys are building "numbers" correct cars with parts that come from China. Parts that never were on a GM car. If you have enough money you can build a car from a catalog if that's what you want. Give me a beat up ratty old GM part anytime.