Crazy 350 engine ID number??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 281
From: Scottsdale Arizona
A pic of the number and it's location would be helpful. A casting number would be of some help too. You should be able to find the partial vin and engine ID number on a pad located in front of the passenger side head.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,180
Likes: 9,311
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Are you sure tha 4 is in the correct spot. I can find TFY but the 4 is throwing me off.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
If it is TFY and not TF4Y then you probably have:
This site has lots of good data and should be able to help you.
http://www.nastyz28.com/chevy-engine-code-stampings.php
Good luck with it, always fun to solve a mystery.
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
This site has lots of good data and should be able to help you.
http://www.nastyz28.com/chevy-engine-code-stampings.php
Good luck with it, always fun to solve a mystery.
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Take another look at the number. If it is supposed to be an engine ID stamp, the format is incomplete as posted and appears to contain a consecutive unit number. It is also not a VIN derivative. A pic would help.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Should some of this number be in the VIN #.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Should some of this number be in the VIN #.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
There should be two stampings on the pad. The first is the engine ID stamp. The second should be a VIN derivative of the car the engine was originally installed in. The two should not overlap each other, but stranger things have happened.
TFY could be part of the engine ID stamp, but you are missing other characters. 422651 could be a consecutive unit number from a VIN derivative, but, again, you're missing characters.
TFY could be part of the engine ID stamp, but you are missing other characters. 422651 could be a consecutive unit number from a VIN derivative, but, again, you're missing characters.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Aug 15, 2016 at 09:10 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
There should be two stampings on the pad. The first is the engine ID stamp. The second should be a VIN derivative of the car the engine was originally installed in. The two should not overlap each other, but stranger things have happened.
TFY could be part of the engine ID stamp, but you are missing other characters. 422651 could be a consecutive unit number from a VIN derivative, but, again, you're missing characters.
TFY could be part of the engine ID stamp, but you are missing other characters. 422651 could be a consecutive unit number from a VIN derivative, but, again, you're missing characters.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Time for some investigative work.
Lets get the engine casting number and manufacturing date, start building information from that.
You can find that data here:
We will figure this out, we always do.
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
Lets get the engine casting number and manufacturing date, start building information from that.
You can find that data here:
We will figure this out, we always do.
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
Last edited by AllC34Me; Aug 15, 2016 at 05:22 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,226
Likes: 4,313
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi M,
The surface of the pad (the circular groves) are an indication that the block has been 'decked' since it was originally built at an engine plant.
This has apparently/likely removed the original stamp that was put on the pad when the engine was assembled.
The information on the pad now MAY be something stamped by the 'rebuilder'.
Does any of the sequence correspond to part of your car's VIN? Evebn a couple of digits?
Regards,
Alan
Added: Hi s, you posted while I was rounding up the picture!
Here's a more typical sb pad with the Engine Plant stamp identifying the engine, (black), and the St.Louis Plant stamp identifying what car it went into (white)..
The surface of the pad (the circular groves) are an indication that the block has been 'decked' since it was originally built at an engine plant.
This has apparently/likely removed the original stamp that was put on the pad when the engine was assembled.
The information on the pad now MAY be something stamped by the 'rebuilder'.
Does any of the sequence correspond to part of your car's VIN? Evebn a couple of digits?
Regards,
Alan
Added: Hi s, you posted while I was rounding up the picture!
Here's a more typical sb pad with the Engine Plant stamp identifying the engine, (black), and the St.Louis Plant stamp identifying what car it went into (white)..
Last edited by Alan 71; Aug 15, 2016 at 05:42 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Hi M,
The surface of the pad (the circular groves) are an indication that the block has been 'decked' since it was originally built at an engine plant.
This has apparently/likely removed the original stamp that was put on the pad when the engine was assembled.
The information on the pad now MAY be something stamped by the 'rebuilder'.
Does any of the sequence correspond to part of your car's VIN? Evebn a couple of digits?
Regards,
Alan
Added: Hi s, you posted while I was rounding up the picture!
Here's a more typical sb pad with the Engine Plant stamp identifying the engine, (black), and the St.Louis Plant stamp identifying what car it went into (white)..
The surface of the pad (the circular groves) are an indication that the block has been 'decked' since it was originally built at an engine plant.
This has apparently/likely removed the original stamp that was put on the pad when the engine was assembled.
The information on the pad now MAY be something stamped by the 'rebuilder'.
Does any of the sequence correspond to part of your car's VIN? Evebn a couple of digits?
Regards,
Alan
Added: Hi s, you posted while I was rounding up the picture!
Here's a more typical sb pad with the Engine Plant stamp identifying the engine, (black), and the St.Louis Plant stamp identifying what car it went into (white)..
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
casting number shows 69 to 79 350 so I guess it is at least period correct. Guess it's been decked. Just wish I knew the horsepower but I'm guessing probably around the 195. Not that mean at all. Just good cruiser. Was just wanting more power (maybe crate engine) but didn't want to do that if this was original but I guess we can see it is not. If original was thinking of a rebuild.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,226
Likes: 4,313
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi m,
The 'Casting Clock' on the rear flange of the block has 2 pieces of info.
First to the right is the 'Shift' indicator… D, T, N. I believe T represents the twi-light shift.
To the left is a 'clock' that indicates what hour of the indicated shift the block was cast, not what time of the day it was.
Regards,
Alan
This info isn't really of much use today.
This block happens to have been cast late on the second, (twilight), shift of December 31 (L31). So the foundry was working, and the block was cast on New Year's Eve 1970.
The 'Casting Clock' on the rear flange of the block has 2 pieces of info.
First to the right is the 'Shift' indicator… D, T, N. I believe T represents the twi-light shift.
To the left is a 'clock' that indicates what hour of the indicated shift the block was cast, not what time of the day it was.
Regards,
Alan
This info isn't really of much use today.
This block happens to have been cast late on the second, (twilight), shift of December 31 (L31). So the foundry was working, and the block was cast on New Year's Eve 1970.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Lets make the assumption it has been decked then, okay, some work has been done on the engine. If now you might want to lift the valve covers and see what heads are on it, then remove the intake and see if it has been bored. Like I said, you are now entering the element of research and discovery. Once you have it apart you can make your decisions about rebuilding it or replacing it with a crate engine. With a nice cam; some aluminum heads, an aluminum intake, you can start to pick up some nice HP on the engine that you have. Great winter project for sure. My mild mannered Sparty 1971 picked up some new heads, a new mild loping cam, new intake and new carb (all originals are here, just not on the engine) and now it is far more spirited than its original 270 HP. You can easily get 300 HP out of that engine you have, why not have some fun with it?
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Lets make the assumption it has been decked then, okay, some work has been done on the engine. If now you might want to lift the valve covers and see what heads are on it, then remove the intake and see if it has been bored. Like I said, you are now entering the element of research and discovery. Once you have it apart you can make your decisions about rebuilding it or replacing it with a crate engine. With a nice cam; some aluminum heads, an aluminum intake, you can start to pick up some nice HP on the engine that you have. Great winter project for sure. My mild mannered Sparty 1971 picked up some new heads, a new mild loping cam, new intake and new carb (all originals are here, just not on the engine) and now it is far more spirited than its original 270 HP. You can easily get 300 HP out of that engine you have, why not have some fun with it?
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me
Best regards,
David Howard
AllC34Me