87bob

350 Engine Block #3970010

F0413CKB

F=Flint
04=April
13=13th day
CKB=Not listed in the Corvette Engine suffix. Listed in the Camaro engine listing, but Camaros were never built in St. Louis (see VIN below)

12S253152

1=Chevy
2=1972
S=St. Louis
253152=Vin#

Any light you can shed on this is appreciated!
THANKS

87bob

37 views and no help. I'm I the only one trying to decode manufacturing information?

Tomi72

According to "Chevrolet by the numbers" book the CKB suffix was used in -72 to denote a 165 hp passenger car engine (with th350 or th400). In -73 the same code was used on Camaros (175hp with 4 speed). This would explain the St. Louis assembly plant.

I think everything else is decoded right

rgds Tomi

Nascar5085

I found this on a website. Looks like that casting number was used on different sizes of motors.


3970010....302.....69....4...Z-28 Camaro
3970010....327.....69....2...Trucks and industrial
3970010....350...69-80...2 or 4

lg4vette

The block currently in our '80 (non-original) is also stamped 3970010. I looked it up online and found that code was used on 1969 to 1979 350's with 2 or 4 bolt mains. Not sure of the other code.....can't really say I know where to look for it on the engine.

Mike Ward

You've neglected to provide the casting date of the engine block which would make narrowing down which type of car it came from much easier.

Also, you cannot decode the VIN partial stamping on the block in the same manner as the complete VIN number shown in the windshield frame.

Tom73

The 3970010 block is a VERY common block used from '69 through '80 in Vettes and all kinds of other Chevy/GM cars and trucks.

F0413CKB is decoded correctly. F=Flint; 04=April; and 13=13th day
The CKB can be an issue. It was used three times:

1972 as a 350/165hp automatic with 2 bbl carb in the A & B bodies;
1973 as a 350/175hp manual trans with 4 bbl card in the F, A, X, and Monte Carlo bodies
1974 as a 350/185hp with manual trans and 4 bbl card in the F & X bodies

But my concern is the "F" for Flint. The F designation was changed to "V" starting with the 1967 production. So a stamp with F would indicate a 1966 or earlier engine.

So we have a pre '66 engine with a '72/'73/'74 usage suffix on a 69-80 block. Something is just not right. Are you sure that you are reading the numbers correctly? If so, then I would have to assume that the engine has been restamped.

There is also trouble with the VIN deritive, 12S253152
For a '72 Vette this should be 12S500001 - 12S527004
The number after the S should be a 5. Then you have your build sequence, which show # 53,152 in this case, but only 27,004 Vettes were built for '72.

tom...

87bob

The Casting date is B22 which I read as February 2nd 1972. Some have speculated that the "F" is a problem and I quote

"But my concern is the "F" for Flint. The F designation was changed to "V" starting with the 1967 production. So a stamp with F would indicate a 1966 or earlier engine."

On page 65 of Corvette by the numbers the "F"=Flint was still used but only for Flint Motor Facility. No Corvette Engines were built at this plant so Tom73 is right it is not a Corvette engine.

Since the V.I.N. shows the "S" for St. Louis can anyone tell me beside the Corvette what else G.M. built in St. Louis in 1972?
Since it is not a Corvette engine it had to come from a passenger car or pickup.

Thanks for your help.

427basketcase

I think the problem here is confusing "Casting" (raised) numbers with "Stamped" (indented) numbers. The stamped number contains no manufacture date information other than a year cross-reference from the suffix. You need to check THIS website for the "Casting" locations, and then you can determine the assembly plant, and date of build. Then reference the "Stamped" numbers for the suffix to determine the application, the numbers behind the suffix are VIN derivative of the car the block came out of and really contain no information at all.

87bob

Thanks, I am working out of "Corvette by the Numbers" and "Chevy V-8 Engine Casting Numbers".

The information I supplied in the first post is the stamped numbers on the front passenger side pad except for the block number (3970010) cast above the oil filter pad.

The B22 date code number on the oppsite side from the block number above where the bellhousing mounts.

As of now the only thing I don't know is what other car/truck lines were made in St. Louis in 1972. I was unaware of any other models made in St.Louis I though it was just Corvettes.

Tom73

St Louis had multiple assembly plants at one time. Believe some Camaros and some full size were built there but am not sure. May some history expert can advise.

tom...

lg4vette

So is the 3970010 casting correct for an '80? If so, I'm going to stay with that and not try to find a "correct" LG4 for our car!

Tom73

An 80 used three different blocks, the 370010 for the L48 and L82, the 14010207 also for the L48 and L82 but in limited production, and the 4715111 for the LG4 (the 180hp 305ci Calif engine).

tom...

Tom73

87bob, all Corvette small blocks came from the Flint factory. They used the "F" of the stamp pad through 1966 and then went to a "V" for 1967. That is the problem with it having an F, it would have to be a '66 or earlier engine for that to be correct.

The assembly date is stamped on the stamp pad as part of the engine usage suffix. In this case the F0422CDX, the 0422 is the assembly date. April 22nd. Now the year is not stamped there, would need the casting date for that. But the numbers are not adding up on this one.

tom...

87bob

Ok I'll try this again.

Block casting number 3970010
Date code B22
V.I.N. 12S253152
Engine code F0413CKB

Per "Corvette by the numbers" page 78.

Block Casting Number=3970010 found above the oil filter used 1969-1979 as a 350CID used in various passenger cars and trucks, also used as a 302CID in 1969 Camaro

Casting Date code B22 found adjacent to the bell housing on the passenger side of the rear of the block. the B22 is a cast number above the bell housing on the passenger side. B=February 2=2nd day of the month 2=1972

On page 65 of Corvette by the numbers it states for the years 1970-1974 V=Flint and F=Flint Motor Facility (no Corvette engines produced at this plant). So it is safe to say this is not a Corvette block. Only the plant desiginated as "F"=Flint produced the Corvette Engines.

The partial V.I.N. stamped on the front of the block has to be read in reverse the last six digits are 253152 and they are the sequence number. The "S" in front of that is the vehicle build plant. The 2 in front of the build plant is the year. The first digit should be an engine code for a particular car/truck line.

So the only items I'm not clear on are:

The first digit of the V.I.N.
What car or truck this engine came from.

If I could find out for sure what else beside Corvettes were built in St. Louis in 1972 it would make sorting this out easier.

Thanks for all your input and help.
Bob

87bob

Ttt

87bob

Ttt