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Engine suffix code.. LT1?

Old Sep 6, 2014 | 08:42 PM
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Default Engine suffix code.. LT1?

I'm interested in a 1976 corvette. The owner claims it has a 1969 LT1 (already a red flag) so I decided to try and figure out WTH it is. I took a pic and have been trying to decode it but I cant find anything for that particular engine suffix. If someone could help me figure out what kind of engine I am looking at I would appreciate it! Here is the pic http://imgur.com/f41wlWr
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Old Sep 6, 2014 | 09:27 PM
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Tell the owner 1969 Corvette engines dont have 3 digit suffixes.
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Old Sep 6, 2014 | 10:24 PM
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Tell him also that it's a really bad restamp.

Never seen an OTU or 0TU code before.


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Old Sep 6, 2014 | 10:39 PM
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Glad I'm not crazy. So what would be the point of restamping an engine with a suffix that doesn't exist?
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Old Sep 6, 2014 | 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Toxizzle
So what would be the point of restamping any engine
FTFY.

Bubba does strange things.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 12:05 AM
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Very true.. Thanks for your help!
At this point what would be the easiest way to figure out what it is?

Last edited by Toxizzle; Sep 7, 2014 at 12:10 AM.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 07:47 AM
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Hi T,
I guess once the original suffix has been changed there's really no SURE way of telling what this engine was when it was built.
All you can do is make an assessment of the parts that are presently on the engine and see what they seem to add up to.
Regards,
Alan

The braided heater hose cover is worth at least 15 horsepower, and the unpainted (chrome plated?) timing chain cover 10 more.

Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 7, 2014 at 08:30 AM.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 08:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi T,
I guess once the original suffix has been changed there's really no SURE way of telling what this engine was when it was built.
All you can do is make an assessment of the parts that are presently on the engine and see what they seem to add up to.
Regards,
Alan

The braided heater hose cover is worth at least 15 horsepower, and the unpainted (chrome plated?) timing chain cover 10 more.
Alan I now have to clean the coffee off my iPad.

When i was looking for a C3 I asked one owner what the engine stamped numbers were. His reply was what do you want them to be.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Toxizzle
...At this point what would be the easiest way to figure out what it is?...
Divine guidance. Otherwise you have to resort to casting numbers and guesswork.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 09:40 AM
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So you already know that it is a non original engine to the car. you know now that it is not stamped as a LT1. It could be loaded with LT1 parts and perform as an LT1 would ( or even better).
if the block is not a casting date coded 69 then does that matter? I suppose it would from a standpoint that the seller is either ignorant or telling you a lie since there is no such thing as a factory LT1 in 69.

getting casting number and date code for the engine block ( check the heads too) will tell you when the engine was made. but it will not tell you what it was rebuilt, or built with.. if it even was rebuilt.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 10:30 AM
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Joe you are correct that it doesn't really matter. I'm just a very curious person and like to know what is going on, and to be able to say that I have X under the hood. But it does indeed perform well which I guess is all that matters at this point.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 10:43 AM
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http://www.nastyz28.com/gm-chevy-cod...s-suffix-8.php

A TU would be a 1978 305, but who is to say that is what it is
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi T,
I guess once the original suffix has been changed there's really no SURE way of telling what this engine was when it was built.
All you can do is make an assessment of the parts that are presently on the engine and see what they seem to add up to.
Regards,
Alan

The braided heater hose cover is worth at least 15 horsepower, and the unpainted (chrome plated?) timing chain cover 10 more.
That baby probably has Tennessee go faster mud flaps also,
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 03:13 PM
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So I went back and looked at the casting number on the block and it is 3970010. Half the sites I've looked at say it is a 302, the other say 350. Could it pretty much be either?
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 04:33 PM
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that casting number is a number used for a decade long run of chevy 350's they made millions.. now you need to look at the casting date of the block.
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Old Sep 7, 2014 | 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by joewill
that casting number is a number used for a decade long run of chevy 350's they made millions.. now you need to look at the casting date of the block.
This !

There is a raised date on the other side back of block . ..the casting date

First determine when the block was cast ......

Is there a partial vin .....small digits to the left of the larger letters you show.
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Old Sep 14, 2014 | 02:13 AM
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Hey guys, finally got around to looking at the casting date. It appears to be A28 9. This means the block was cast in 1969 right?
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To Engine suffix code.. LT1?

Old Sep 14, 2014 | 06:39 AM
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Hi T,
Sorry, but it could be 1979 too.
The TU indicates that's what it would likely be.
Regards,
Alan
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Old Sep 14, 2014 | 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi T,
Sorry, but it could be 1979 too.
The TU indicates that's what it would likely be.
Regards,
Alan
Just to add to that a bit. If my memory serves me the 010 block was not used in 69's until later in the production year. "A" being January means to me that, as Alan said, it's a 1979 dated 010 block.
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Old Sep 14, 2014 | 09:56 AM
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An 0010 block cast in 1979 would have a squarish stamping pad, not the rectangular pad seen on this engine.

Post a pic of the casting date. Maybe the 9 is a 3 or a 6.
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