Big Block 454-290 Numbers
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Boca Raton Fl
Big Block 454-290 Numbers
I have a 1970 Corvette with a 454-390 Big Block, somewhere in the past the motor was rebuilt (not by me) and there are no numbers on the front pad, I guess they were machined off when the rebuild took place. The vin # is 194370S4166XX. Does anyone know how to figure out the complete original engine number? It has the TH400 transmission,PS,PB,PW,. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards
Bob in Boca
Best Regards
Bob in Boca
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
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From: Indy Indiana
Your Car's birthday should be on or around july 25-27 1970, certainly a real late 70, last week of production. This should show on your trim tag.
your car should be stamped TAABBCGW and Partial VIN Derivitive will be 70S4166XX
the XX will be the last 2 of your VIN
the AA will be probably 05 or 06, or 07 for an engine build date of may or june or july
the BB will be just about anything from 01 to 30 for the day of the month ( beware of holidays/weekend.. you don't want to stamp it as built on a sunday.
also your engine block cast date should be 2 weeks to 8 weeks before your car's birthday and your engine cast date needs to be before your engine build date by at least 3-4 days.
The NCRS in judging allows up to 6 months age of the engine cast date to the car's birthday to allow for strikes and other things that may delay the build of your car or engine. But if I was a buyer, I would not buy a car with a claimed original engine and pay original engine money for a cast date that was more than 2 months before the car's build date.
So check your cast date of your major parts, block, manifolds, heads, this will get you closer to verification, but it may also prove the opposite..
your car should be stamped TAABBCGW and Partial VIN Derivitive will be 70S4166XX
the XX will be the last 2 of your VIN
the AA will be probably 05 or 06, or 07 for an engine build date of may or june or july
the BB will be just about anything from 01 to 30 for the day of the month ( beware of holidays/weekend.. you don't want to stamp it as built on a sunday.
also your engine block cast date should be 2 weeks to 8 weeks before your car's birthday and your engine cast date needs to be before your engine build date by at least 3-4 days.
The NCRS in judging allows up to 6 months age of the engine cast date to the car's birthday to allow for strikes and other things that may delay the build of your car or engine. But if I was a buyer, I would not buy a car with a claimed original engine and pay original engine money for a cast date that was more than 2 months before the car's build date.
So check your cast date of your major parts, block, manifolds, heads, this will get you closer to verification, but it may also prove the opposite..
Last edited by joewill; Apr 1, 2010 at 01:00 PM.
