Hey everyone. I picked up a SB and cleaned it up a bit but can't figure out what the PAD stampings mean. I'm thinking the the 9B means February of 1969 but the casting is September of 1969. The broach marks look original so this is really throwing me off. This is presented as a 1969 CE 302

Any ideas?

 

Here is the block cast date and crank flange that should indicate a 302 forging.

 

What is the casting number on the left rear of block?

 

The format that you have pictured is more typical of a factory replacement for the time period.

 

I was told this is a replacement motor that was removed from a 1969 Z28 Camaro. A posting in a Camaro forum says that the 0010 block was used for 350's only so that's another thing I'm questioning. All indications with pistons, crank, solid lifters, 4 bolt mains indicate this is a 302 but recoding it would be nice.

 

that is the correct casting number used for the 350 (69-79) and for the 302 in 69. One noticeable difference is rod length. As far as the stamped suffix code in the front, that is a common format for a factory replacement engine.

 

Thanks for your info. The pad is not as important as the internal hardware that all matches the 302.

 

correct, but without the "DZ" suffix code its more difficult to prove. I am sure there are way to decipher the CE code that you have. You are also on the right track by documenting all of the other date and shift codes on the block. Good luck.

 

more info.


http://chevellestuff.net/qd/engine_stamp_numbers.htm




There is another type of stamping found on some blocks. This is the "CE" code. You might see something like this "CE056789" on the front pad of the block deck on the passenger side. The "CE" stands for "Chevrolet Engine" but is sometimes referred to as "Counter Engine", "Counter Exchange" and "Crate Engine" was used on blocks that were warranty replacement engines. If a customer had problems with his original engine, while it was under warranty, it was replaced with an engine that was stamped "CE" with a 6-digit number following it which serialized that particular engine. It's important to note that the "CE" designation for replacement Chevrolet engines did not start until 1968 so any year designation in the engine number would be for 1968 and later. The CE block stamp year is the year the block was stamped and not for what year of car the block was destined for since a generic block for fitted engine could be used as a warranty replacement for any number of years' engines, applications, and for cars produced from any assembly plant.

It's been reported that beginning in 1970, if more engines were needed at a given plant in a year than the range of sequence numbers allotted, the plant would re-use the numbers using the letter "A" after the "CE" and year designation. For example, Tonawanda was assigned the sequence range of 50,000 to 79,999 so if more engines were required the numbering would start over again at 50,000 but the "CE" prefix would become "CExA" where 'x' is the year such as CE0A50000.

It is believed this method of identifying replacement engines stopped after the 1975 model year. This is supported by a notation in a 1976 dated Chevrolet parts book, "The engine plants are to stamp the serial pad of all current model service engines with the source, production date, and same type designation as stamped on a comparable production engine."

 

Sorry for not responding sooner. Time flies faster than the restoration Your info makes sense and matches the cast date of the block. It supports the CE codes stamped in my LT1 cast in 1970 as well. I'm moving forward with refreshing these two 302's with hopes of using the original pistons and honing the bores. The target is keeping the DZ block as the more valuable engine and the future of the CE is undetermined. If the DZ fails the rebuild then CE will become the winner.
I will be taping more of your brain cells soon with the head dates form the CE engine. One 186 head is dated C 3 9 that matches the build date of the original Z29 but the other 186 has M 4 4. DUH?

Thanks.

 

Good luck with the build, P2e. My brother had a '69 Z with 302 in it. Fast, fast, fast! He sold it before he got married.(he got to keep his '72 c3!) Pristine, orange with black stripes, black vinyl top.

Fast forward to late one Friday night in 2007, I just got home from a long week on the west coast. Watching a little TV, paying bills on line, going thru email, I hear "... this has the rare chevy 302DZ motor..." as I look up to see a an orange and black Z28 roll across the blocks at a Barrett-Jackson event in Arizona. Looks identical to my brother's old car. Gavel drops at like $144,000!

I immediately email my brother. To my surprise, he was still up and was watching the same thing!

About 2 months later I am at the Scottsdale Air Center in Arizona waiting for a flight. They often have exotic or classic cars in the lobby. And there is an orange and black Z28 with 302, looks identical to my brother's! I take a quick photo of it and the vin, email it to my brother. He checked but could not find what the vin was from his old car. I am thinking it had to be the same one--too many coincidences, right? Never found out though. But how many of these did they make? Not a whole lot. And if you tell most people you had a Camaro with a 302 in it, they have no clue and insist you are a moron because that was a ford motor!!

Anyway, enjoy the heck out of it! I was like 8-10 years old when my brother had that car and it was fast, fast, fast!!

 

I enjoy hearing stories of people who either owned a 302 or dreamed of them Just over 20K 1969 Z28's were built but the original started in 1967 and only just over 600 rolled off the line. !968 switched to a larger journal crank and again, the production numbers were low. 1969 was the highest production numbers but if you look now there are more Z28's bearing the emblems than were ever made. Emblems are cheap but the 302's are not. One is on eBay for over $10k last time I checked.

My Z is Daytona Yellow/Black stripes and does run awesome! Last owner sold it because he lost his job but my promise is that when I'm ready to give it up he gets first dibs. I paid $14K in 1990 with just 98K miles on it! Another $2K and I got boxes of NOS parts and 2 factory rear quarters which the car does not need but are in storage just in case.

I have not found any records of how many CE 302's were built but from the history of this one with all the PN matching I'm convinced it is real.

I have several people interested in purchasing either one and that will give me the funds to pay for the other but I'm concerned that I may choose to rebuild the wrong one and let the better one get away. Also, while I'm jerking around with engines the '66 Vette resto is sitting collecting dust. I got quite far by following the Forums here but the front end has been laying in place for 2 years because I'm hesitant to bond it on without an experienced Vette tech available. Decisions, decisions, and priorities.

As far as the value of a real Z, clones have infested the market so when your brother is ready to replace or recover his make sure it is real otherwise he may never be happy. Any "Real" Z under $35K may have issues. Putting a value on my own is not in the forecast and of all my classics I'm hoping my daughter chooses the Z to keep.
so many people tell me they still have their parents Hot Rod. How any still have ALL of their parents HR?

BTW, which engine ends up in the '66 Vette is undertermined. Engines in line beside the 302 is the original 327-350 and a date matched 427-390. I built the suspension at BB specs so it will be high with the SB but then I can go off roading with it!! Again, decisions decisions.

Thanks for sharing your family story.