Thoughts on these engine stamps
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 9
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Thoughts on these engine stamps
Hello all.
I don't own a Corvette, and maybe never will, but I'm trying to learn in case I ever get the opportunity to buy one.
Do these stamps look original or is it possibly a restamp? What about the broach marks?
Thanks.
I don't own a Corvette, and maybe never will, but I'm trying to learn in case I ever get the opportunity to buy one.
Do these stamps look original or is it possibly a restamp? What about the broach marks?
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
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From: US-PNW
My 2¢:
- There are definitely circular scratches (non-factory) from the V of the engine stamp continuing through the VIN stamp.
- There's also something that looks like partial characters under the S and 0 of the VIN.
- I'm not understanding the shallow depth of the V compared to the date characters.
- The broach marks under the 230CGZ look decent, though light in depth.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Feb 2014
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My 2¢:
- There are definitely circular scratches (non-factory) from the V of the engine stamp continuing through the VIN stamp.
- There's also something that looks like partial characters under the S and 0 of the VIN.
- I'm not understanding the shallow depth of the V compared to the date characters.
- The broach marks under the 230CGZ look decent, though light in depth.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Little Rock AR
My take on it - The pad has been machined lightly. The VIN derivative looks like it has a "bounce" when it was struck. Not a huge deal. It's an LT-1, so a lot of care was taken to minimize the deck cut to preserve the "numbers".
This would theoretically line up with a sleeved bore on the passenger side of the block. If it has a sleeve, it all falls into place.
This would theoretically line up with a sleeved bore on the passenger side of the block. If it has a sleeve, it all falls into place.
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Racer
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1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
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From: US-PNW
My take on it - The pad has been machined lightly. The VIN derivative looks like it has a "bounce" when it was struck. Not a huge deal. It's an LT-1, so a lot of care was taken to minimize the deck cut to preserve the "numbers".
This would theoretically line up with a sleeved bore on the passenger side of the block. If it has a sleeve, it all falls into place.
This would theoretically line up with a sleeved bore on the passenger side of the block. If it has a sleeve, it all falls into place.
There are members here who have collections of stamp pad pics - maybe they'll come along and provide examples of engines near this date and VIN.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Feb 2014
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I've not had a chance yet to examine the car in person yet. All of the photos I've seen do indicate a 71 LT1. (6500 redline, correct emissions sticker) Of course, pretty much everything can be faked. I can check a few more things if I go see it in person such as the absence or presence of a return fuel line or a capped off nipple.
The price is more than reasonable assuming there is no major rust. The car has been repainted a different color. Another concern is that it's been listed for a while.
Appreciate the help.
The price is more than reasonable assuming there is no major rust. The car has been repainted a different color. Another concern is that it's been listed for a while.
Appreciate the help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
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2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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It is the original factory stamping. I have multiple V1230CGZ stamps in my engine stamp library. The LT1 engines were built in batches so it is common to see the same engine stampings within in a production date range.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
....I'm sure you're correct as I known you seen many of them, but the one pic of the original poster posted has such a "closed letter C" compared to almost all others that I've ever seen. Do you have others in your collection of pads with this "very closed letter C"??? Maybe it's the pic, but I don't like the broach marks and I've looked at a many hundreds of pads myself, but I'm not an expert either. JMHO
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Navigator
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I looked around at some pics of other pads and did see some supposedly real ones with the C fairly closed but also saw one where it was more open. Somebody with experience viewing more pads would need to chime in.
Just for fun, here is the engine in the car and supposedly the emissions sticker. Again, I've not seen the car in person yet. Just going by the pics I was sent.
Well, I just noticed he had marked the ad as pending. I might have missed out on a pretty good deal.
Just for fun, here is the engine in the car and supposedly the emissions sticker. Again, I've not seen the car in person yet. Just going by the pics I was sent.
Well, I just noticed he had marked the ad as pending. I might have missed out on a pretty good deal.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
I looked around at some pics of other pads and did see some supposedly real ones with the C fairly closed but also saw one where it was more open. Somebody with experience viewing more pads would need to chime in.
Just for fun, here is the engine in the car and supposedly the emissions sticker. Again, I've not seen the car in person yet. Just going by the pics I was sent.
Well, I just noticed he had marked the ad as pending. I might have missed out on a pretty good deal.
Just for fun, here is the engine in the car and supposedly the emissions sticker. Again, I've not seen the car in person yet. Just going by the pics I was sent.
Well, I just noticed he had marked the ad as pending. I might have missed out on a pretty good deal.
...I'm 63yrs old and I've learned & have the attitude about fate. If you were meant to have this car, it would've found it's way to you. If someone else got it, it wasn't meant for you. Many other cars will be along, sometimes you have to be very patient.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Waterford WI
The white emissions decal is a poor reproduction. Regarding the stamped pad, if that is a restamp, I want to meet the guy who did it. It is dead nuts on in terms of misalignment, exactly like known originals. The “V” is often shallower/lighter, because it was the only character that was used in every stamp, so it wore more than any of the others. I vote original stamp.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2022
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The white emissions decal is a poor reproduction. Regarding the stamped pad, if that is a restamp, I want to meet the guy who did it. It is dead nuts on in terms of misalignment, exactly like known originals. The “V” is often shallower/lighter, because it was the only character that was used in every stamp, so it wore more than any of the others. I vote original stamp.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Feb 2014
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I didn't have specific concerns, but I'm not very knowledgeably on the subject so I asked for opinions. The chances of my buying the car were always going to be slim because of financial reasons, but based on what I could tell in photos, the price was pretty good. Even more so if it did have the original engine.
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
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From: US-PNW
I didn't have specific concerns, but I'm not very knowledgeably on the subject so I asked for opinions. The chances of my buying the car were always going to be slim because of financial reasons, but based on what I could tell in photos, the price was pretty good. Even more so if it did have the original engine.
After that, the heads will have casting numbers and dates under the valve covers -- they should be within a few days/weeks of the block date. Same for the intake manifold, water pump, and exhaust manifolds. If a part is cast, more often than not, it'll have a casting number and date. Obviously, no date should fall after the engine completion date stamp as all of these major engine components were installed at the engine assembly plant.
https://nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.html
https://nastyz28.com/bbcmenu.php
* NCRS says up to 6 months for engine components in relation to the car's build date, but that sort of span is far from typical.