Its been awhile since I visited the site and I'm still waiting for my vette at the paint shop - should be very soon.

Anyway, I'm looking at a 68 camaro rs/ss and went to look at the engine stamp today. I think that I know the answer (bad restamp) but just wanted to check to be sure because it would be a very good deal if it were correct. The funny looking 9 and/or 0 in the VIN stamp is supposed to be an 8 for it to be a match. Looks like the used a 9 and 0 tool to try and create an 8 Some of the other numbers look funny to me and the M and X look too faint as compaired to the other numbers. What do yuo guys think?

 

I'm no expert, but from what I've read, the numbers were put into a stamp holder and hit with a BFH. That would put all the characters in the same line. Yours don't look to be in line and are different depths. If you have to have a "numbers matching" car, I'd question this one.

Gary

 

And the 'adjustment' to the "9" appears to have been done with a Vibro-etcher....not another stamp.

 

Im seeing a 10608MX and a 19N31034, what is it being passed off as?

 

Its supposed to be a 68 camaro ss/rs big block. The 1 is actually a T so the engine style is correct, but someone tried to turn the 9 into an 8. The 9 would indicate a 1969 model. I am passing on the car. Too bad because its a really nice car.

 

I'm certainly not an expert at this, but....

The T0608MX stamp doesn't bother me. Although what Duke says is true, they used a gang stamp, you will only get a perfectly straight and even stamp when the numbers and letters are perfectly loaded into the stamper, and then hit it with a dead-on strike. Numbers a little off line and stamps that are a little shallower at one end than the other are common.

The VIN derivative is ridiculous if that number is supposed to be an 8. Even at a casual glance, it doesn't look anything like an 8. More on that in a minute.

Looking at the surface, this does not look like the factory decking device was used. The marks from the factory decking go straight across the pad. In the last picture, the marks from the decking tool are at an obvious angle, and are somewhat curved. At the left side of the pad, there appears to be a slight amount of cross hatching. These marks are consistent with the use of a decking tool at a machine shop.

So, given that, I would be led to believe that this block has been decked and restamped. But then whoever did that, put the wrong number into the stamping tool? And then tried to fix it in the manner I see here? In other words, Bubba was definitely at work that day!

 

Yeah, the "cross hatch" look of the decking removes any legitimate broach marks, but the 9 changed to an 8 looks like it was done by a 14 year old with an ice pick.

 

Do you require an original engine on the 68 camaro you are looking at?
just because the engine stamp looks hokey does not mean that the car is not in great mechanical and cosmetic shape. You state that it is a really nice car, and a really nice deal .. so the stamp is a show stopper for you?

or are you looking for a more legitimate stamp ( that may or may not be a restamp.. and.. may or may not be the original engine)?

my point is, don't turn down a really nice car due to the stamp. if the seller is asking original engine money for the car, then negotiate down.
perhaps I didn't realize that camaros with original engines are just as hyped up as corvettes.

 

do Camaros have similar VINs/block stamps like corvettes. I know my car has the same last numbers as the vin on the stamp. I would not imagine that the 8(9) is of any issue if the others numbers don't match the car as well..