Decipher CE Block Stamp
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 239
From: Ocean Township NJ
No. This ain't a loaded question. The last three numerals values are unimportant, and I don't want to publicize somebody's engine serial number. Just want to make sure everybody knows that they are numerals, and not "alpha" characters.
Where did the "512" guess come from?
Where did the "512" guess come from?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 239
From: Ocean Township NJ
This engine has been in a 1963 Corvette for many years. Could the "3" stand for 1983? 1993?. Might the "N" character mean Norwood, Ohio assembly?
In looking at CE engine typical stampings reference material, I see the following assignments:
1st character = Chevrolet
2nd character = Engine
3rd character = assembly year
4th to last chars = a) 00,001 - 19,999 = Flint L6 engine
..........................b) 20,000 - 49,999 = Flint V8 serial numbers
..........................c) 50,000 - 79,999 = Tonowanda serial numbers
This stamping seems to be at odds with typical ones that I have been able to find.
In looking at CE engine typical stampings reference material, I see the following assignments:
1st character = Chevrolet
2nd character = Engine
3rd character = assembly year
4th to last chars = a) 00,001 - 19,999 = Flint L6 engine
..........................b) 20,000 - 49,999 = Flint V8 serial numbers
..........................c) 50,000 - 79,999 = Tonowanda serial numbers
This stamping seems to be at odds with typical ones that I have been able to find.
Last edited by 65tripleblack; Jun 18, 2013 at 11:29 AM. Reason: Error in 4th to last character reference
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
I remember reading that in at least one year of the 5/50 warranty program, the engine plants ran out of assigned serial numbers for CE engines and were assigned a second lot. Possibly the N designates this.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,465
Likes: 149
From: Earth
This engine has been in a 1963 Corvette for many years. Could the "3" stand for 1983? 1993?. Might the "N" character mean Norwood, Ohio assembly?
In looking at CE engine typical stampings, I see the following assignments:
1st character = Chevrolet
2nd character = Engine
3rd character = assembly year
4th to last chars = a) 00000 - 49999 = Tonowanda serial numbers
..........................b) 50000 - 99999 = Flint serial numbers
This stamping seems to be at odds with typical ones that I have been able to find.
In looking at CE engine typical stampings, I see the following assignments:
1st character = Chevrolet
2nd character = Engine
3rd character = assembly year
4th to last chars = a) 00000 - 49999 = Tonowanda serial numbers
..........................b) 50000 - 99999 = Flint serial numbers
This stamping seems to be at odds with typical ones that I have been able to find.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 239
From: Ocean Township NJ
CE4A20001 would signify
Flint V8 number 30,000
They would have had to produce 420,000-plus Flint V8 replacement engines in the year in question (if no characters were skipped), in order to arrive at "N".
Last edited by 65tripleblack; Jun 18, 2013 at 11:38 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 239
From: Ocean Township NJ
If I'm not mistaken you can also judge the approx. year by the size of the pad. So to answer your question about 1983 or 1993 if the motor has a pad surface of approx. 4 1/4 inches long, then that would pre date the motor to early 70's or older. A later motor I think 1978ish would have a engine pad surface of half that. So a much smaller pad where the numbers are stamped.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
The standard format for "CE" engines (actually short blocks or fitted blocks, not engines) is as you posted:
1st character = Chevrolet
2nd character = Engine
3rd character = assembly year
4th to last chars = a) 00,001 - 19,999 = Flint L6 engine
..........................b) 20,000 - 49,999 = Flint V8 serial numbers
..........................c) 50,000 - 79,999 = Tonowanda serial numbers.
When they ran out of numbers in their originally assigned block of numbers for any year, they were supposed to add an "A" after the year of manufacture digit and start the number sequence again (and Flint V-8 got another block of 10,000 numbers, from 90,000-99,999).
This got too complicated, apparently, and the "standard format" began to fade away around 1973, and the "supplemental format" became random.
All the "CE" number will tell you is that the short block was replaced and the year it was made, and there's no way to tell what the innards are unless you tear it down.
1st character = Chevrolet
2nd character = Engine
3rd character = assembly year
4th to last chars = a) 00,001 - 19,999 = Flint L6 engine
..........................b) 20,000 - 49,999 = Flint V8 serial numbers
..........................c) 50,000 - 79,999 = Tonowanda serial numbers.
When they ran out of numbers in their originally assigned block of numbers for any year, they were supposed to add an "A" after the year of manufacture digit and start the number sequence again (and Flint V-8 got another block of 10,000 numbers, from 90,000-99,999).
This got too complicated, apparently, and the "standard format" began to fade away around 1973, and the "supplemental format" became random.
All the "CE" number will tell you is that the short block was replaced and the year it was made, and there's no way to tell what the innards are unless you tear it down.