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Old Jan 21, 2017 | 09:04 PM
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Default BBC casting # help

Hi,

I am new to the post and recently came across a BBC with the casting #3998289. I have looked everywhere to find out any info on the motor. All i have found is the #3999289. It is complete, carb to pan. Can anyone help with this.
I pulled the valve covers and the casting # is 3931063. It is also stamped E69 and GM3T. The heads are from a 69-70 396/427, according to what I have found. So, is this block also 69-70 396/427?
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 01:14 AM
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From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
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Sounds like a cool piece to me. The block is more likely a 454. Seen that casting # before. To be sure what you have you will need to find the stamp pad on the front of the block, right hand side. Those numbers will tell you when it was made and what vehicle family it belongs to. When you find out post it up. Good luck.
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 07:22 AM
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Originally Posted by che curlee
...recently came across a BBC with the casting #3998289...All i have found is the #3999289...
FWIW: You may want to take another look. 9s can sometimes look like 8s at first glance.
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 09:14 AM
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It does appear that it is a 3999 motor. It looks like the block has been decked. There are no castings on the front pad. Thanks for your help!
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 10:02 AM
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what you have is a truck engine 72-78 std deck height 2 bolt from a c series truck.
check the pad in front of the intake some times the stamp is there just above the timing chain cover.
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 10:07 AM
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oh the cast number 3999289 is a good number for the heads they are a 69-70 396- 427 head closed chamber oval port 100.9 cc
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 01:04 PM
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So, the motor is a 454 and the heads are 396/427. The motor, I was told had just been rebuilt by a machine shop in Orlando, FL and had around $5500 put in to it. Will these heads support a moderately built 454, or would I be better to buy an aftermarket set?
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 02:50 PM
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that block was the casting numbers for a 454 engine block put into chevrolets from 72-on up. look on the opposite side of the casting number in the back behind the distributor and you will finds a casting date of the block, that will tell you what year the block is.

those heads were used in the 69 cars including the corvette 390-400 HP and are the oval port smaller valve that are just fine for streetability of that era.

unless you can look at the pistons and any re-bore the rebuild might have done as well as if any crank work was done or thickness of head gasket.. or even the cam specs of the engine, you can't really estimate how 'hopped' up the engine is and make a determination of the block's sturdiness.
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 03:06 PM
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From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
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Yes. The block you posted the picture of is a mid 70s 454. These are good blocks for performance applications. Some were also used in the Monte Carlo and Malibu. But without the stamp pad info can't say for sure. The heads will also work well on this block and should be good for performance, depending on how it is set up. Not in every case, but as a rule a smaller chambered head on a bigger cylinder will be good for low end torque.
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Old Jan 22, 2017 | 03:23 PM
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I just checked and the casting behind the distributor is C11 74. Without pulling it from the car and tearing it down, I have no way of knowing exactly what was done during the rebuild. The owner of the car passed and there was no paper work on the build with the sell. I do know that it has new ARP head bolts and the gaskets all appear to be new. It's a mystery until the next build. Thanks for the help.
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