[C2] build date
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,073
Likes: 9,398
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Typical is one to two weeks before cars build date. NCRS accepts up to six months. There was no first in first out rule either. If it was a common engine they didn't sit around too long. But if your engine combo is rare it's hard to say
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 31,744
Likes: 2,379
From: Middle TN by way of KY, OH, VA, IL, CA, FL, NY, SC, HI
Best would be January of 1963, but as Kieth said, you can go back as far as early August 1962.
It was recently pointed out to me that the small NCRS deduction for a non-matching block does not prevent earning top honors during judging.
My '65 came with a November '65 block out of a '66 Corvette, and the wrong serial number ("174"). It might as well have been a block out of an Impala.
The replacement block I'm building now was cast on 13 May (last hour of the second shift) and assembled on 14 May and my '65's final assembly date was 1 June 1965.
Note that the engine build assembly date can be after the body build date, but must be before the final assembly date by at least enough time for the engine to make it from the engine assembly plant of Flint, MI to St. Louis.
Also as Kieth said, there was no first-in first-out parts inventory control system in place, and the last engine in a shipment may have been the first one installed into a car out of that shipment.
NCRS allows the six months to account for the fact that some engine blocks may have gone to the back of the line for several reasons, including problems during engine assembly.
However, Nolan's book shows the engine build dates of numerous cars as compared to final car assembly dates, and while NCRS accepts up to a six month gap (because it has been evidenced in actual cars), the majority of engines were assembled within the month of the car final assembly date.
It was recently pointed out to me that the small NCRS deduction for a non-matching block does not prevent earning top honors during judging.
My '65 came with a November '65 block out of a '66 Corvette, and the wrong serial number ("174"). It might as well have been a block out of an Impala.
The replacement block I'm building now was cast on 13 May (last hour of the second shift) and assembled on 14 May and my '65's final assembly date was 1 June 1965.
Note that the engine build assembly date can be after the body build date, but must be before the final assembly date by at least enough time for the engine to make it from the engine assembly plant of Flint, MI to St. Louis.
Also as Kieth said, there was no first-in first-out parts inventory control system in place, and the last engine in a shipment may have been the first one installed into a car out of that shipment.
NCRS allows the six months to account for the fact that some engine blocks may have gone to the back of the line for several reasons, including problems during engine assembly.
However, Nolan's book shows the engine build dates of numerous cars as compared to final car assembly dates, and while NCRS accepts up to a six month gap (because it has been evidenced in actual cars), the majority of engines were assembled within the month of the car final assembly date.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 537
Likes: 105
From: Abington Pa
thank you both. Great info. I'm building a fresh motor for my 63 and I have the opportunity to purchase a December 62 block for my Feb build date car.
Just not sure I want to spend $2500 for a bare block
Just not sure I want to spend $2500 for a bare block
Last edited by Shift_Happens; Jun 25, 2017 at 08:20 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 31,744
Likes: 2,379
From: Middle TN by way of KY, OH, VA, IL, CA, FL, NY, SC, HI
FWIW, as you undoubtedly know by now, there are many available blocks for sale coming and going, and $2500 is on the top 1% of prices for a non-rare block. Hard to justify.
There are a handful of of bulk sellers that tend to run around $1200-1500, and have lots of dates available, even some closer to your build date.
It took me over two years to find mine dated about two weeks before my car's build date, and it is crack-free with original 4.000 bores, and even came with the rotating assembly (even though I'm not using most of that).
Of course shipping is expensive, and there is a lot of junk out there that you don't want to get stuck with.
Last edited by Easy Rhino; Jun 25, 2017 at 09:48 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 537
Likes: 105
From: Abington Pa
I agree.
FWIW, as you undoubtedly know by now, there are many available blocks for sale coming and going, and $2500 is on the top 1% of prices for a non-rare block. Hard to justify.
There are a handful of of bulk sellers that tend to run around $1200-1500, and have lots of dates available, even some closer to your build date.
It took me over two years to find mine dated about two weeks before my car's build date, and it is crack-free with original 4.000 bores, and even came with the rotating assembly (even though I'm not using most of that).
Of course shipping is expensive, and there is a lot of junk out there that you don't want to get stuck with.
FWIW, as you undoubtedly know by now, there are many available blocks for sale coming and going, and $2500 is on the top 1% of prices for a non-rare block. Hard to justify.
There are a handful of of bulk sellers that tend to run around $1200-1500, and have lots of dates available, even some closer to your build date.
It took me over two years to find mine dated about two weeks before my car's build date, and it is crack-free with original 4.000 bores, and even came with the rotating assembly (even though I'm not using most of that).
Of course shipping is expensive, and there is a lot of junk out there that you don't want to get stuck with.
Any bulk sellers you can refer me to?
