61 Roadster

I've been researching some numbers from my 61 using the Noland Adams book, . The steering SN plate and engine stamp numbers match.

The engine number is 105422 F0601CQ. From what I can tell this means the car was produced in January 1961 and the motor was built June 1.

Did the engine stay in inventory from June 1960 to January 1961? It seems a long time for a motor to sit unless they used a FIFO system.

1snake

Your car was built approx. Feb. 8th 1961 assuming the serial number is #105422 The motor was assembled June 1st, year unknown. You'll have to look at the casting date behind the pass. side head. It's highly unlikely that's the original engine for that car. Post the casting date.

Jim

gbvette62

According to the Corvette birthday calculator, your 61 Corvette (VIN 05422) was built approximately February 8th, 1961, not January. The last 61 built in January was VIN 05203, 219 cars before yours.

F0601CQ, indicates that your engine was built at Flint (F), on June 1st (0601), and that it's a base 283/230. Six months prior to the car's build date, is considered possible, and is the limit excepted by the NCRS. The engine you have, appears to have been built more than 8 months prior, to when the car was. I'm not going to say that it's not possible, but it's highly unlikely.

What's the casting date of the block, as well as the casting number? This info would be helpful in determining the correctness of your engine. The casting date is located on the bellhousing flange, on the right rear (passenger side) of the block. The casting number is in the same area, on the left.

The date will be in the form of a letter for the month, one or two digits for the day, and a single digit for the year. As an example, a block cast on June 1, 1960, would have a casting date of F10. The casting number should be 3756519. Some very late 61's used the 3789935 block, but the 935 wasn't being cast in 1960.

AZDoug

IMO, looks like the resptamper wanted to stamp F0106CQ, but was dyslexic, or didn't understand the date code system very well.

0601, would either be June 1, 1961, or June 1st, 1960. Engine casting date should be interesting.

Doug

61 Roadster

The engine cast number is 3756519. It looked like the cast date L20.

Unfortunately, I'm away from the car and can't confirm my notes.

I've been worried about that 8 month gap...

AZDoug

L20 should be Dec, 2, 1960, so, I think you had a dyslexic restamper, who wanted to put Jan 6, as the build date, but failed. The assembly date can't be earlier than the cast date, and a June, 1961 motor, wouldn't usually be made from a Dec 1960 block, AND certainly not put in a car built in Feb, 1960.

Stamper: There, finished, looks pretty good.

Buddy: hey, your numbers are backward.

Stamper: Oh, F@#&, well, maybe nobody will notice, too hard to deck block again.

Doug

61 Roadster

AZDoug, that theory of yours is disappointingly convincing

It won't lessen my enjoyment of the car since I'm not pursuing NCRS dreams, but it certainly affects the value.

Thanks everyone.