BB decoding help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Owings Maryland
BB decoding help
I have had this motor for a couple years. I got it for a 55 chevy and I never installed it. I dont think its anything special. I just would like to know what car it came in from the factory. Its a 2 bolt main block that says hi perf/pass. thanks for any help. Mark
engine pad
T0522COW
70S412865
Casting#
3963512
across from casting#
L 15 9
engine pad
T0522COW
70S412865
Casting#
3963512
across from casting#
L 15 9
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1,281
From: Florida
3963512 427 68-69 Passenger 385,425 HP
3963512 427 69 Chevelle,Camaro COPO (Central Office Production Order)
3963512 427 69 Corvette Late 69
3963512 454 70 Corvette,Passenger 360,390 HP
3963512 454 70 Chevelle LS-6 450 HP
3963512 454 70-71 Pass,Chevelle, Monte Carlo
3963512 454 71 Corvette 365,425 HP
L 15 9 means December 15, 1969 so it went into a 1970 vehicle which makes it a 454
3963512 427 69 Chevelle,Camaro COPO (Central Office Production Order)
3963512 427 69 Corvette Late 69
3963512 454 70 Corvette,Passenger 360,390 HP
3963512 454 70 Chevelle LS-6 450 HP
3963512 454 70-71 Pass,Chevelle, Monte Carlo
3963512 454 71 Corvette 365,425 HP
L 15 9 means December 15, 1969 so it went into a 1970 vehicle which makes it a 454
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
3963512 427 68-69 Passenger 385,425 HP
3963512 427 69 Chevelle,Camaro COPO (Central Office Production Order)
3963512 427 69 Corvette Late 69
3963512 454 70 Corvette,Passenger 360,390 HP
3963512 454 70 Chevelle LS-6 450 HP
3963512 454 70-71 Pass,Chevelle, Monte Carlo
3963512 454 71 Corvette 365,425 HP
L 15 9 means December 15, 1969 so it went into a 1970 vehicle which makes it a 454
3963512 427 69 Chevelle,Camaro COPO (Central Office Production Order)
3963512 427 69 Corvette Late 69
3963512 454 70 Corvette,Passenger 360,390 HP
3963512 454 70 Chevelle LS-6 450 HP
3963512 454 70-71 Pass,Chevelle, Monte Carlo
3963512 454 71 Corvette 365,425 HP
L 15 9 means December 15, 1969 so it went into a 1970 vehicle which makes it a 454
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1,281
From: Florida
ok...I am confused...very...the engine code T0522COW means
T-Tonawanda
05-May
22-22nd
COW-there is NO COW engine suffix...no O follows a C in the engine suffix codes...the only 3 letter code that starts with a C and ends with a W is CTW
Camaro 1970 400cid 8cyl, TH400
Chevelle 1970 396cid 8cyl, TH400
T-Tonawanda
05-May
22-22nd
COW-there is NO COW engine suffix...no O follows a C in the engine suffix codes...the only 3 letter code that starts with a C and ends with a W is CTW
Camaro 1970 400cid 8cyl, TH400
Chevelle 1970 396cid 8cyl, TH400
Last edited by papawana; Jan 26, 2011 at 02:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Owings Maryland
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
COW can easilly be mistaken eyeball wize for a CGW
if it is a GCW then it is a 1970 corvette 454 390 horsepower engine block, with Automatic Transmission.
The block was cast on Dec 15, 1969 and assembled over 5 months later on May 22, 1970 in the tonawanda engine plant.
it was shipped to the corvette plant and placed in a corvette number 12865 on approximately June 22, 1970.
according to the numbers this is what you have..
now, it is very fishy that the block sat around the engine plant for over 5 months before being assembled. as a result it is either a very rare exception, or a restamp/forgery/counterfeit stamping, and was . stamped to make a date line up for the corvette that it used to be in.
either way it doesn't matter.. you have a 454 block from that period and they built and put 454s in big chevys, chevelles, trucks, .. and corvettes. doesn't matter to anybody, unless you happen to know where corvette 12865 is...
i had heard that there was a strike in april, 1970 for 4 weeks halting production, so this explains about 1 month of the 5 months. but don't know if the strike halted tonawanda also as well as the corvette production line.
if it is a GCW then it is a 1970 corvette 454 390 horsepower engine block, with Automatic Transmission.
The block was cast on Dec 15, 1969 and assembled over 5 months later on May 22, 1970 in the tonawanda engine plant.
it was shipped to the corvette plant and placed in a corvette number 12865 on approximately June 22, 1970.
according to the numbers this is what you have..
now, it is very fishy that the block sat around the engine plant for over 5 months before being assembled. as a result it is either a very rare exception, or a restamp/forgery/counterfeit stamping, and was . stamped to make a date line up for the corvette that it used to be in.
either way it doesn't matter.. you have a 454 block from that period and they built and put 454s in big chevys, chevelles, trucks, .. and corvettes. doesn't matter to anybody, unless you happen to know where corvette 12865 is...
i had heard that there was a strike in april, 1970 for 4 weeks halting production, so this explains about 1 month of the 5 months. but don't know if the strike halted tonawanda also as well as the corvette production line.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Owings Maryland
COW can easilly be mistaken eyeball wize for a CGW
if it is a GCW then it is a 1970 corvette 454 390 horsepower engine block, with Automatic Transmission.
The block was cast on Dec 15, 1969 and assembled over 5 months later on May 22, 1970 in the tonawanda engine plant.
it was shipped to the corvette plant and placed in a corvette number 12865 on approximately June 22, 1970.
according to the numbers this is what you have..
now, it is very fishy that the block sat around the engine plant for over 5 months before being assembled. as a result it is either a very rare exception, or a restamp/forgery/counterfeit stamping, and was . stamped to make a date line up for the corvette that it used to be in.
either way it doesn't matter.. you have a 454 block from that period and they built and put 454s in big chevys, chevelles, trucks, .. and corvettes. doesn't matter to anybody, unless you happen to know where corvette 12865 is...
i had heard that there was a strike in april, 1970 for 4 weeks halting production, so this explains about 1 month of the 5 months. but don't know if the strike halted tonawanda also as well as the corvette production line.
if it is a GCW then it is a 1970 corvette 454 390 horsepower engine block, with Automatic Transmission.
The block was cast on Dec 15, 1969 and assembled over 5 months later on May 22, 1970 in the tonawanda engine plant.
it was shipped to the corvette plant and placed in a corvette number 12865 on approximately June 22, 1970.
according to the numbers this is what you have..
now, it is very fishy that the block sat around the engine plant for over 5 months before being assembled. as a result it is either a very rare exception, or a restamp/forgery/counterfeit stamping, and was . stamped to make a date line up for the corvette that it used to be in.
either way it doesn't matter.. you have a 454 block from that period and they built and put 454s in big chevys, chevelles, trucks, .. and corvettes. doesn't matter to anybody, unless you happen to know where corvette 12865 is...
i had heard that there was a strike in april, 1970 for 4 weeks halting production, so this explains about 1 month of the 5 months. but don't know if the strike halted tonawanda also as well as the corvette production line.
Here is a shot of the number
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Owings Maryland
yeah i see what your saying. I can kinda see the ghost of what could be another set of numbers. I may take some paint thinner and clean it out. It doesnt really matter cause i dont have the car it came in, I was just curious. The guy i got it from had it in a 4wd Chevy van.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
the numbers don't line up, you can see a little of the previous stamp under and near the letters, the broach marks stop at the start of the pad. And there is paint on the pad and in the letters which means the engine has been out and painted.. so who knows what was done while it was out.. i would guess it was restamped to match a june 1970 corvette it went in at one time.
it also could possibly be a 427.. you should check the stroke and make sure it is 4.00"
interesting life of the motor. was probably a CE engine or another 454 in another car.. was acquired and restamped and put in a 70 corvette, then sold to a guy that put it in a 4wd van, then sold to you.. thats the minimum, it might have had more owners and been in more cars..
it also could possibly be a 427.. you should check the stroke and make sure it is 4.00"
interesting life of the motor. was probably a CE engine or another 454 in another car.. was acquired and restamped and put in a 70 corvette, then sold to a guy that put it in a 4wd van, then sold to you.. thats the minimum, it might have had more owners and been in more cars..
Last edited by joewill; Jan 26, 2011 at 07:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Owings Maryland
the numbers don't line up, you can see a little of the previous stamp under and near the letters, the broach marks stop at the start of the pad. And there is paint on the pad and in the letters which means the engine has been out and painted.. so who knows what was done while it was out.. i would guess it was restamped to match a june 1970 corvette it went in at one time.
interesting life of the motor. was probably a CE engine or another 454 in another car.. was acquired and restamped and put in a 70 corvette, then sold to a guy that put it in a 4wd van, then sold to you.. thats the minimum, it might have had more owners and been in more cars..
interesting life of the motor. was probably a CE engine or another 454 in another car.. was acquired and restamped and put in a 70 corvette, then sold to a guy that put it in a 4wd van, then sold to you.. thats the minimum, it might have had more owners and been in more cars..
