AdamH65

Trying to figure out what I have. I have various manuals and am stumped.

'65 327 is in it. My father-in-law (whom I bought the car from a month ago) stated that he had read somewhere that there was a factory fire or something in '65 which resulted in some 65s getting oldsmobile engines. Not sure if that's true or what.... now comes the fun part

I had an appraiser come out today so I can get the car appraised for an insurance policy. He states that the engine is not original to the car.

I have a Black Book to use as reference and can't find my answer. It looks like the engine code is different than the book shows. Here's what I got: T0325HCH. Block casting # = 3858180 above this is a stamp = C116

So it's a Tonawanda, built March 25th..... what does HCH represent? Is the appraiser correct that the engine was replaced at some point or is it the right engine but one of those weird moments in history these cars saw errors / changes? For example, going by the serial numbers of '65 Vettes produced, the last VIN is 2 digits higher than the total number Chevy claims to have produced.....

DucatiDon

The cars serial number should be on the front pad.

Mike Ward

Depending on the model year car, which can be deduced from the block casting date, it's a '65, '67 or '68 ~250ish HP 4 bbl Holley with powerglide RPO L30 originally installed in an Impala.

AdamH65

can you help me understand how you were able to deduce that from what I shared?

There is another stamping above the block casting number = C116


The book I have states the Tonawanda blocks had limited use in the 65s so it's not totally wrong that this could be the right engine. Just trying to understand what the HCH stands for.

If you are correct that it is from an Impala, can the Muncie 4 speed manual mate up to this engine? It also has a Rochester Quadrajet on it if that helps.

AdamH65

What do you mean by front pad? The data plates are on the support brace under the glove box. Maybe I am missing something.


edit: I guess front pad refers to the data plate at the passenger side front. Gotcha. That's where I got the T0325HCH

oldsarge

The data plate, if original, will give you most of the info about the car. The front pad which is where the engine info is stamped, if they do not match, it is not an original engine. Here is a photo of a typ. stamping found at the front right of your engine.

Mike Ward

The code HCH is the key. The last character 'H' means the engine came with a Holley carb. The 'HC' code was used three times by GM, as noted above each time for a low perf engine mated to a Powerglide and installed in an Impala.

The C116 doesn't look right for a Tonawanda engine casting date.

Bud2

No offense but use the search function on this forum to help yourself. There is a wealth of information there.

Bud.

AdamH65

I did search Bud. If you can find HCH in the search function you are a better man than I am. I couldn't find a reference to it. maybe that's cause it's not a Vette engine....

AdamH65

It looks like there was/is something stamped that I can't read. So it's C116?

I don't have a hosting site so I will attach the pics to my gallery.

AdamH65

apparently they pics are too high resolution. working on it

65GGvert

http://chevellestuff.net/qd/engine/sb03_codes_d_hz.htm

ifitgoesfast

HCH 1966 327 275 PG B. Holley

Doesn't seem to be something GM would use on the Corvette line. Who knows

AdamH65

Thanks for the help guys. Still going to keep doing some research on the few 65s that came from Tonawanda with the 3 character suffix to see if that sheds any light on the engine I have. Regardless of what ends up being the story behind it, it doesn't change my plans with the car. Can't wait for my wife to drive it again. last time she drove it was when she was 16.

Mike Ward

Adam-

No Corvette has been documented to have been delivered with a Tonawanda assembled engine. What is known is that for a short period, this foundry supplied some bare blocks to the Flint assembly plant. These few engines display a standard configuration Flint stamp pad with the appropriate Corvette suffixes including a derivative of the vehicle's VIN.

The other story about some Corvettes getting Oldsmobile engines is just one of hundreds of myths that circulate.

AdamH65

I appreciate the feedback. I plan to rebuild the engine in the next few months so I'll see what to do about performance, etc. It runs pretty good at the moment but it leaks out of numerous seals as well as a couple freeze plugs. I'd rather go ahead and rebuild it now.

Tampa Jerry

I have my cars insured through American Collectors. They only wanted general pictures of my three cars. I have "agreed value" on all three. Is your insurance company insisting that you have a numbers matching or original engine in your car in order to insure the car for what you think it's worth? A fair amount of vettes and muscle cars do not have their original engines. Back in the day, these cars were stolen for their engines etc. and or blown up as a result of racing. My 68 coupe has the original engine my 66 coupe and 70 Chevelle do not. The insurance company never asked me about that. Jerry

kcust62

Adam,
A very limited number of 3858180 blocks were used for low hp '65 vettes with powerglide tranny after an apparent factory mishap (not sure of the circumstance). The C116 more than likely indicates cast date March 11, 66.

JohnZ

There are no "mysteries" here - as Mike noted, that engine was built at Tonawanda, and originally installed in an Impala; that's the only application that ever used the "HCH" suffix. No Tonawanda-assembled small-block was ever used in a Corvette, although a few Tonawanda-cast 3858180 blocks (machined and assembled at Flint V-8, and stamped with the "F" prefix) were used in '64.

Where did you find the "C116"? That's not a Tonawanda casting date.

AdamH65

The C116? is located above the Block casting # = 3858180 above this is a stamp = C116?. The last digit is messed up. I have pics but they are too large to load in my gallery.

In the end it looks like I have an Impala engine. At least now I can build it how I want it without the dilema of changing it from stock and losing the originality. My wife's uncle had it before my father-n-law and had the engine worked on around '70 - '71. He always said he had the stock engine "built up" and all those who drove it could tell it. My father-n-law drove it before and after the work and can attest to the gain in HP. Apparently there was a loss in translation between the two of them. It seems to me her uncle had an engine swap done versus building the stock engine. Unfortunately he's been gone for about 10 years now so we can't ask.

All in all the appraiser says it is a good solid car. He didn't say the engine takes away that much from the price. I just wanted to know what I was dealing with so I can make the right decisions when it comes to how I build the engine. This car has been in my wife's family for over 40 years and I can't wait to take some of them for a ride in it again. It sat at my in-law's house for 5-6 years in a garage without being started.