GUSTO14

Can anyone tell me if any of the 1955 Corvettes came with the 3703524 blocks in them?

Thanks,
GUSTO

scopeli

690 out of 700 came with the 3703524 block. all are flint blocks which use a single digit for the year which is cast in the block. the others were 6 cylinder blocks.

MikeM

I believe that was the only V-8 block cast in '55. Corvette, pass car and truck.

GUSTO14

Thanks for the responses, I guess my second question then is did they have the oil filter?

Thanks again...
GUSTO

scopeli

the block has no provisions for a oil filter. no 55 corvette had a oil filter. passenger cars had a oil filter that could be mounted on top of engine.

GUSTO14

This may be legit then if someone in Eastern North Carolina is looking for a '55 V-8 for their Corvette...
http://eastnc.craigslist.org/pts/2033485982.html


I have no affiliation, but for $700 it sounded suspicious, hence the questions. It does say it's been bored to 283...

GUSTO

MikeM

Boring a '55 block to 283 can be a little "iffy". Heads are later issue.

scopeli

first question to ask is what letters are stamped at the end of the pad. a corvette will end in fg for powerlide and gr for 3speed. except for an ultra-rare corvette overdrive these are the only letters used for a 55 corvette with a v8. most the time a f is at the end which is a passenger car. also ask about casting numbers and if this block has numbers 54 or 55 at the end of the casting number it is likely to be a tonawanda casting which corvettes do not have. flint used a single digit for the year.

MikeM

Didn't '55 Corvette have a RH dipstick in the oil pan? This engine has a LH block mounted dipstick.

I don't think the harmonic balancer is right either. Or the oil pan.

scopeli

top of dipstick nearly touches steering shaft on driver side

scopeli

looked at oil pan. it also appears correct. the 265 oil pan has a long and short indentation on the side of pan. most people tell them by a triangular indentation at the front of the pan, but this view isn't shown.

Vette Daddy

The closer number for 1955 six cylinder engines is more like 6 units produced.

DZAUTO

As mentioned, NO 55 V8 block had a provision for an oil filter. PERIOD!
In 1955 ONLY, an oil filter was an option and it was mounted ON TOP of the intake manifold. It was connected to a bracket that was installed BETWEEN the thermostat opening of the manifold and the water outlet. This option was ONLY installed/available on pass cars, never on 55 Vettes. Consequently, the 55 block, AND THE OIL PAN, are ONE YEAR ONLY!!!
The 55 block is ONLY valuable to someone who is doing a VERY correct NCRS type of restoration.
Back "in the day" 55 engines were discarded like a bad habit. First, no provision for a full flow filter, second, it was only a 265 and when the 283 came out 2yrs later, NO ONE wanted a 265! I personally am from that school of philosophy---------------------that's why I have a SB400 in the 56 instead of a correct 265.

Tom Parsons

scopeli

compiled data based on transmissions used in 55. powerglide, rpo 313-10 cars, three-speed, rpo224b-75 cars, powerglide, rpo 224-615 cars. powerglide rpo313 is for a 235 car. off the top of my head #229, 230, 320 and 433 have six cylinders. i know i have several more in my folders

Vette Daddy

We all have our own beliefs.

scopeli

brett. belief is one thing, but knowledge and research is another. looking at your profile i know you are aware of more 53s than most know exist. this is not belief it is backed by knowledge and research. try to accept that others might be doing the same thing and with the internet and ease of travel alot of knowledge can be accumulated. a 55 caught my attention the other day and i travelled over 4,000 miles within 22 hours to look at this car. it happens to be a car that has sat for many years and me and now roy braatz know it still exist.

DZAUTO

Based on credible information which has been accumulated for MANY years, it has been pretty well determined that for the 55 Vettes there were about 10 with 6cyl/PG (virtually identical to 54s with a 6volt system), about 75 with 3sp (which of course were all V8s) and the remainder were V8/PG cars.
So, I have to agree with John's numbers.

Tom Parsons

Vette Daddy

I'm perfectly ok with others' opinions and knowledge. I do not claim to know anymore than anyone else. I'm always open to more fact. I simply believe what I feel is factual to me.

The one fact that I strongly believe is that hardly any of us were there in 53-55 and we only believe what we feel is true to us.

Not everyone will always agree with our beliefs.

scopeli

brett, i also enjoy gaining a little knowledge, especially 53 or 55. are you able to tell us which of the first ten 53s still exist.i had read years ago that many of the first 10 were destroyed, but conversations with members who have supplied me with 55 parts seem to lead me to believe that most exist.

Vette Daddy

There is "data" to suggest that numbers 3,4,5,6,8 existed much later than 1953. Most of these are well documented.

Even though #7 and #10 are not in the Registry, I do have the engine data.

E53F001007 LAY300602 481 block

E53F001010 LAY341016 481 block