Hi- I have a 1972 200 hp coupe. In 1992 I had the engine rebuilt. My instructions were "if the block needs resurfacing, do not remove the numbers". Needless to say I just about had a heart attack when I saw the numbers missing. Well now 15 years later I need the transmission done and I thought I'd try to se if there is anyone out there that has a stamping set with a 10 lb dead blow hammer in California (Sac or Central CA if possible). The engine has 7000 miles on it since the rebuild but I'd rather take it apart and restamp it since the engine's coming out for the trans work. I have the Protect-O-Plate and you can still see a couple faint numbers on the block if you look hard enough. Any idea who might be able to help me? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

I wouldn't touch it. If you can see the numbers faintly take a few pictures with a good digital camera, one that you can zoom into the picture while reveiwing your photos.

I was able to see the numbers on a DZ302 stamping down by the oil filter doing this while you could barely see anything there with the naked eye.

 

If you re-stamp, nobody will ever believe its the original engine...

 

Try muriactric (?sp) acid. I've been told that will reveal the numbers.
Glenn

 

Thanks for the muriatic acid tip. I tried to get the Fresno California Highway Patrol to bring up the numbers via their methods but they told me they would only do it of the car was previously stolen. Nice huh?

Unfortunately I can only see two numbers and those are Extremely faint. All the other numbers and letters are totally not visible to the eye. I've head that the stamp sets were personal property of each person on the GM engine assembly line. Some relatives of the employees know the value of these stamp kits and sold them accordingly. If the surface is prepped to look like the original metal finish prior to stamping and you have access to the stamp set. One can lay down the numbers pretty much in the original manner. Since they were originally stamped by hand on the assembly line, how can one say "Oh that isn't the original numbers on the pad"? Jerry Ping in Clovis CA has a set but he moved back east before I could get him to do it. About 10 years ago a club member mentioned a guy in Sacramento CA has a set but I can't remember his name for the life of me. I'm simply looking for someone with the stamp set that knows what he/she is doing. Thanks.

 

You're about to make a big mistake by permanently branding your engine as a fake. Leave it alone. What's done is done.

How will you recreate the original broach marks that look just like the engine before yours and after yours from the Flint engines ***'y plant?

How will you recreate an engine machine code stamp that (again) looks just like the engine before yours and after yours from the Flint engines ***'y plant?

How will you recreate (is this getting repetitious?) the VIN derivative that looks just like the CARS just before yours and after your on the St. Louis ***'y line?

Once you can achieve all three of these you might have replicated the original stamp pad appearance. It's much more complicated than just wacking things with a hammer.

 

Don't re-stamp! If you still have the paperwork for the work that was done, that would document why the stamp is gone, and IMHO should suffice for all but the more **** speculator types. Unless you're only in it for the money, just relax and enjoy your Vette.

 

DO NOT TOUCH IT !!!

 

Dude, Your comment is so ridiculous... the chances of anyone EVER, EVER bringing three consecutively stamped Corvettes together, of any year, even if they were stamped 15 minutes ago, is as likely as me cutting a fart and flying to Jupiter and back. I have seen re-stamps fool NCRS judges easily. Do your research on the stamped year on Google images, buy those stamps on eBay, never make them perfectly straight, hit them medium hard, then let hydrogen peroxide sit on the re-stamped pad overnight, and BAM! You done fool. Works like a charm every time. NEXT...

 

Guess you got your point across after 16 years.

 

 

Savage…

Regards,

Stan Falenski

 

If only he was such an expert at thread dates, he'd see the last time the OP logged on the forum was January, 2010! I dare say OP has made up his mind one way or the other by now, and in fact probably no longer owns a Corvette.