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Purchased a 1967 air coupe with 300hp with automatic trans about 7;years ago. Having engine rebuilt. All casting numbers and date codes seem correct. The engine stamping is 7S115255 V0327HO. All indications are that this engine has not been apart. Has the GM rod and crank bearings, factory head gaskets,,original pistons,etc.
can someone tell me why the “S” is in the stamping? I have attached a pic showing the number and also what looks to be the factory correct broach marks. Thank you
I have seen the "S" used in early '66 Stamps. I have not seen this used in a '67 until now. Makes one wonder when the engine was stamped. Possibly, if original from the factory, the engine was stamped later at the St. Louis Factory repair shop if something went wrong with the original installed engine? IDK. Below is a comparison of 7115XXX series stamps- both Big and Small block stamps. Perhaps someone has another stamp similar to this one and would like to share. Anyway, another one for my archive of stamps. Early '66 L-36 VIN 7115XXX Comparison
Transmissions used the "S"
Purchased a 1967 air coupe with 300hp with automatic trans about 7;years ago. Having engine rebuilt. All casting numbers and date codes seem correct. The engine stamping is 7S115255 V0327HO. All indications are that this engine has not been apart. Has the GM rod and crank bearings, factory head gaskets,,original pistons,etc.
can someone tell me why the “S” is in the stamping? I have attached a pic showing the number and also what looks to be the factory correct broach marks. Thank you
Wow, that pad looks pretty original to me except for the "S". Here's a photo of my original '67 pad with a similar VIN. I'll be interested to hear people's theories about the "S" on the PO's pad stamping.
Wow, that pad looks pretty original to me except for the "S". Here's a photo of my original '67 pad with a similar VIN. I'll be interested to hear people's theories about the "S" on the PO's pad stamping.
more information
Block casting 3892657. Date code C22 7
head casting 3890462. Date code C14 7
intake casting 3872783. Date code B9 7
LH exhaust casting3846559. Date code C21
Al has amassed a vast library of pad photos and other GM documentation. Within the NCRS, Al is generally regarded as the final authority on whether a given pad stamping is real. While he can be very tough on a pad that most people thing is real but he doesn't, Al also takes great interest in factory anomalies, where his role is to argue that the pad is real even though most people think it isn't.
In this case, the pad has a very obvious deviation from typical factory appearance, but there are reasons to think that it might be a real pad. So, for this situation, I think Al is the right person to consult with.
This is true, so the OP should be careful to think about what he really wants/needs. My impression is that Al will usually offer an informal opinion of the pad itself if he is provided with good, high-resolution photos. Perhaps the best possible outcome would be for Al to say, "Yes, I have seen other examples of original pads that had this deviation from typical."
On the other hand, if the OP is trying to sell the car and wants Al to provide an official "certificate of authenticity" signed by Al, that might be expensive. I think that Al typically wants to review all of the available factory documentation and all of the available numbers before he puts anything in writing and signs his name to it.
1967 engine stamping
