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[C1] Block Date Code

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Old Mar 3, 2021 | 03:52 PM
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Default Block Date Code

Anyone want to take a whack at this engine block date code?


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Old Mar 3, 2021 | 04:05 PM
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December 14, 1961?
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Old Mar 3, 2021 | 04:06 PM
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L 14 1 - November 14, 1961. What is the block casting number?
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Old Mar 3, 2021 | 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Panama 58
L 14 1 - November 14, 1961. What is the block casting number?
3789935

I am not sure about the "L" It looks to me like the date plate slipped in the casting. There is no inside corner on the L is why I thought this.
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Old Mar 3, 2021 | 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by ByByeAmericanPie
3789935

I am not sure about the "L" It looks to me like the date plate slipped in the casting. There is no inside corner on the L is why I thought this.
What other letter besides "L" could it be from "A to M"?
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Old Mar 3, 2021 | 11:23 PM
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L= December
14= 14th
1= 1961 So it would be for a 1962 passenger car because 62 Corvettes had 327 engines and the one you have is a 283. (3789935)

Last edited by 65GGvert; Mar 3, 2021 at 11:32 PM.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 08:35 AM
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I seem to recall that the letter I was not used as a month indicator because it looked like the number one, therefore the letter L is November and M is December. Was this not the case in '61 and '62?
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Panama 58
I seem to recall that the letter I was not used as a month indicator because it looked like the number one, therefore the letter L is November and M is December. Was this not the case in '61 and '62?
Think I made same mistake. Appears "I" was used for block casting dates making the "L" a Dec date; however, "M" can also appear on "some" blocks indicating a special casting modification block and a specific date would be unknown.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by tgtexas02
Think I made same mistake. Appears "I" was used for block casting dates making the "L" a Dec date; however, "M" can also appear on "some" blocks indicating a special casting modification block and a specific date would be unknown.
Yep. I checked it in some of my old JG's and I am wrong. "I" was used in the casting date so L would be December. My bad. I stand corrected.

Quote from JohnZ from prior threads, "Nope, "L" is November on a GM-manufactured component with a stamped date code - they didn't use the "I" character; casting dates did, but stamped dates didn't."

Cast parts used the "I", stamped parts did not. Example is the expansion tank which is what this thread was about.

Last edited by Panama 58; Mar 4, 2021 at 09:08 AM.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Panama 58
Yep. I checked it in some of my old JG's and I am wrong. "I" was used in the casting date so L would be December. My bad. I stand corrected.

Quote from JohnZ from prior threads, "Nope, "L" is November on a GM-manufactured component with a stamped date code - they didn't use the "I" character; casting dates did, but stamped dates didn't."

Cast parts used the "I", stamped parts did not. Example is the expansion tank which is what this thread was about.
Wait.... what????? There are numerous examples of the letter "I" being used to stamp date information on the engine pad.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 09:44 AM
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The date code on the pattern was small & part of the sand could break off or sand could fall in part of the date depression when the sand mold was made. It could be a L or I. There are also a lot of times ite hard to tell 6/8/9 . **** happens when you pour molten iron in a green sand mold.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by jim lockwood
Wait.... what????? There are numerous examples of the letter "I" being used to stamp date information on the engine pad.
JIM I made many patterns that we put the date tags in but NEVER used a capital I. The brass/ aluminum # we put on the date tag looked like a I not a double T. Dont remember the letter sets we bought had that kind of I
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by jim lockwood
Wait.... what????? There are numerous examples of the letter "I" being used to stamp date information on the engine pad.
Jim, I assume you are talking about something like this where the capital I is used for the number one? January 18th- stamp from my '67. But then you knew that I am sure.

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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Panama 58
Jim, I assume you are talking about something like this where the capital I is used for the number one? January 18th- stamp from my '67. But then you knew that I am sure.
Yep, that's a good example of what I mean. So, I'm not following the claim that "I" was not used on stamped dates. We are still talking about an engine block, aren't we?
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by jim lockwood
Yep, that's a good example of what I mean. So, I'm not following the claim that "I" was not used on stamped dates. We are still talking about an engine block, aren't we?
Yes. My point in posting John's quote was to explain where I had forgotten and incorrectly applied the "no I" to casting dates as well. Clearly stamp pads are an exception as you have drawn out and I have have validated with a photo.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Panama 58
Yes. My point in posting John's quote was to explain where I had forgotten and incorrectly applied the "no I" to casting dates as well. Clearly stamp pads are an exception as you have drawn out and I have have validated with a photo.
OK, I feel better. For a moment there it felt like everyone had turned left while I went straight.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 10:51 AM
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Wait a minute, is it a capital "i" or is it a Roman numeral 1? Just a passing thought, as long as we all agree that an "L" is December on a block casting date and no letters were skipped from A to L in that case.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 10:53 AM
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Originally Posted by 65GGvert
Wait a minute, is it a capital "i" or is it a Roman numeral 1? Just a passing thought, as long as we all agree that an "L" is December on a block casting date and no letters were skipped from A to L in that case.
There is a difference?
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 11:31 AM
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Here is the pad stamping


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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 11:37 AM
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Heres something else...I cannot find out what the engine code would have been for a 61 283 245hp with 4spd
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