For small block engine casting dates did they use the letter I for September of drop it due to confusing with the number 1? If they did then that means they used J for Sept, K for Oct, L for Nov, and M for Dec???

 

Correct no letter "I"

 

Are you sure??

The NCRS Judging Manuals show I as September for the small block (and big block) casting date. A = January and L = December.

Larry

 

no Im not was thinking the assembly stamp, and to think I was just looking at my NCRS book on casting dates earlier today

 

I know they use the "I" for a 1 in stamped numbers and I seem to remember that they did not use the I in date codes but it has been a long time since I was involved in any of this number **** stuff.

 

"I" was typically NOT used for the month date codes on machined surfaces........but it was typically used for the month for cast surfaces. But you really need a manual (NCRS Judging Manual) to help you sort thru the various car components to avoid mistakes. That is why it is good to ask.

FWIW.

Larry

 

I really believe you have this backwards. My 57 has a passenger car engine in it and the stamp code is FI207FC which according to the members on the NCRS site tells me it decodes as:
F=Flint
I2=Dec
07=7th day
FC= 1957 passenger car 283 4 barrel auto trans

 

It's easy to remember by knowing the word "staMp" has an M in it. So stamped numbers skip the I and use M for Dec. Castings use the I so L is Dec.

Verne

 

Your first question was regarding the engine block casting date.

Your second example/followup reply was regarding the engine stamp pad.

In the first case (engine block), the month is indicated by alphabet letters. That is the question I responded to..........places where the month is represented by a alphabet letter.

The second case/example was using the letter "I" in place of a "1" for date coding, when it is part of a month or a day or a year. In this example, the coding changes and this substitution is frequently seen/observed......but not always. Here the month is shown numerically, and not alphabetically.

I said "I" was typically not used for the MONTH for machined parts (where the month is shown by an alphabet letter). An example of this is as the alternator. Another example is the distributor band. For these type parts J = September, and M = December.

That is why I recommended that you either get a manual or data book that tells you exactly these details, or you ask someone for assistance like you just did. There are many nuances in the numbering and dating codes.

Larry

 

NO, Stamping characters don't use alfa characters for dates they use numeric BUT they use the letter "I" for a one. look at what I posted above of my stamp code.

I just posted this on the NCRS site with a picture of the casting date of my 57 engine and when they answer I will know for sure about the casting letters and weather they dropped the "I" for Sept. I am pretty certain they did because it looks like the casting date of my 57 is L 8 6
which decodes as Nov 8th 1956 IF they drop the "I" for Sept.

If not there is something screwed up regarding my codes on my engine because the stamp date would be one day BEFORE the engine was cast IF the "L" stands for Dec.

 

I just answered your question directly from the NCRS Judging Manual back in post #3. I can/will give you the same answer on the NCRS Site, as I also post there. Trust me......I have been a NCRS Master Judge for many years.

Larry

 

Yes, there is some confusion here because I am discussing two different things but if you read all of my posts in this thread it should clarify what I am saying.

I was a member of NCRS back in 1976 and used to know this stuff off of the top of my head. The judging manuals were about 1/4" thick back then. I bought new judging manuals about 10 years ago for mid year cars and they were about an inch thick. Lots of added info over the years. I gave all of those old manuals away years ago. I am not going to buy manuals again because I am done with all of the numbers matching stuff.

I only want to know the answer to this casting date to represent the 283 correctly to potential buyers because I am going to be taking it out and selling it. I am going to replace it with a 383 stroker engine.

 

Well If "L" is Dec for the casting date then I guess you should be able to tell me how this engine with a casting date of L 8 6=Dec. 8th 1956 could be cast one day AFTER the engine was stamped as in FI207FC=Dec 7th

 

There are a couple of possible answers:

1. You mis-read the casting date and it is really December 6, 1956..........not December 8, 1956. (This is quite possible......and it appears that way to me in your NCRS photo)

2. The factory guys cast/stamped the engine date incorrectly (not likely but possible)

3. Someone else stamped the engine pad incorrectly. (I do not know if this is possible in your case or not...............are you the original owner??)

I was trying to help you............not get you upset. We can just let the NCRS Tech Board sort it out. I think this has been going on for a few days already and you may get a better answer soon. I will watch what the others say/reply to you.

Larry

 

I don't want anyone to think I am upset.

I am reading the casting date as the 8th day NOT the 6th. For everything I know about engine casting and the production line that would be HIGHLY UNLIKELY as engines were typically cast a month or more BEFORE the engine was stamped and installed in the car. It is possible that it is the 6th though. It is hard to distinguish the day character from the impression I took. I took about 6 of them trying to get a clearer one with no luck.

Everyone here and on the NCRS site are saying that the "L" for the casting date is Dec. so if that is correct then I think there was a mistake in either the casting date or the stamped date made at the factory.

I am certain that the engine is the original stamping, the broach marks are there and I have looked at MANY original engine pads as comparisons over the years and am pretty confident in my ability to spot a re-stamp. Furthermore, this is not the original engine in this 57 Corvette but rather a replacement engine from a 1957 passenger car with auto trans. If someone was going to re-stamp the engine when installing it in the Corvette they would not have stamped it coded in the suffix as a passenger car code.

 

[/QUOTE]I am reading the casting date as the 8th day NOT the 6th. [/QUOTE]

Your just plain WRONG. The casting date is L 6 6 the 6th of December of 1956. As evidenced by your putty impression. Which would be even easier to see had you held the camera perpendicular to the subject.






[/QUOTE]For everything I know about engine casting and the production line that would be HIGHLY UNLIKELY as engines were typically cast a month or more BEFORE the engine was stamped and installed in the car. [/QUOTE]

WRONG again. Flint did not "TYPICALLY" have blocks sitting around for a month. The majority are machined and assembled shortly after casting at Saginaw. Tonawanda on the other hand did have Big Blocks that waited a month or so after casting before they were machined and assembled.


[/QUOTE]It is possible that it is the 6th though. It is hard to distinguish the day character from the impression I took.[/QUOTE]

It is not only possible but highly probable. Sure looks like L 6 6, December 6 1956 to me.

[/QUOTE] Everyone here and on the NCRS site are saying that the "L" for the casting date is Dec. so if that is correct [/QUOTE]

It is correct. Do your home work. Then accept what the members here have tried to share with you.


[/QUOTE] I think there was a mistake in either the casting date or the stamped date made at the factory.[/QUOTE]

Again your most likely WRONG. It does not appear that the the factory made a mistake. It does appear that you failed to read the casting date correctly. Then failed to accept the very verifiable information members here and elsewhere have given.

You keep making this harder than it needs to be.

L 6 6 December 6 1956

 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough or you misunderstood. I agree that the engine pad assy stamp would use a "12" for Dec, but all other parts (that I can think of, except for a 55-62 3rd member) with a stamped assembly date would use an "M" for Dec. I looked for a way for me to remember that and I came up with the word "staMp" which has the M in it. Makes sense to me.
I don't know of ANY cast part that uses the M because they all use the "I" for Sept. so Dec winds up being an "L".

Verne

 

As I said on the NCRS web site:

OK, Dec. 6th 1956 it is. That I the way I will advertise it. Thanks to all. I just did not want to mis=represent it.

 

Blocks were NOT cast month or more prior to assembly, they were typically cast with a day or two, or up to a week prior to assembly. Hollidays and other things can make it over week, but usually not by much.

The further you get from casting date to assy date, esp over two weeks, the more likely it is a restamp.

I think NCRS allows 6 months just so more people can claim matching numbers/points, with a bone thrown to people who swear up and down their engine cast 5 mos before assy is the "came with " engine.

Doug

 

That AL code was used from '62-4 on passenger cars. May I ask what the casting date is on this 4:11 posi?

Better yet a photo?