How can I trace my engine origin? I can't find a VIN tag anyplace, just a GM number stamped in the rear. How could I get the specs from that number.
I know its not original, I'd just like to find out more about it.
Can't find a VIN tag on the body either.

 

From the looks of the car it seems to be either a 68 or 69, in any event the vin number is in just about the same place on all the years. On those years it is located either on the drivers side windshield piller post near the bottom or at the bottom of the piller post where the dash and piller meet. That number will give you the info about the car. If you cant find the numbers there they have to be on your registration and title. I dont think that you can register the car without it.
The engine number is located on the right side (passenger) of the engine on a small pad at the rear of the water pump. The numbers there should match the numbers on the vin.
Hope that helps some
JoeB

 

Thanks
I have the VIN on the post, but can't find one on the engine, I know its not the original. I'll try and look again by the water pump.
Thanks for the reply

 

30yr -- all GM small blocks have the number pad at the front of the right head. It's part of the engine block. Yours is down there, just keep digging. AIR pumps and AC clutches have a habit of getting in the way of seeing the pad and they make reading it difficult.

By the way, nice '69.
:)


[Modified by Easy Mike, 11:14 AM 10/23/2001]

 

At the back of the engine, driver's side, should be a number like 3932386 or 3970010. Both of these are 68 block numbers. Then on the passenger side, at the rear, will be a build date. Post those numbers and we can at least tell you when the engine was built. On your stamp pad, passenger side below the right head, should be some kind of two or three letter stamp. That is the application of the engine. If you don't have those letters, then you can only guess or take the engine apart, which of course, is not a desirable option.
Gary

 

I have the numbers 3970010 on the rear driver side on my 78. Does this mean I have a block from a 68. For the life of me I can't find the letters on the front. When I asked the person I bought it from about matching numbers I drew a blank look from him, so I assumed it wasn't

 

Is this your block? Maybe, maybe not. The 3970010 is used in so many different years and applications that the only way to know is to check everything on the block. That is: the casting date at the right rear of the block, the stamp pad with the build date and three letter application code, etc. According to the Corvette Black Book the 0010 small block was first used in 69 and continued through 1980 in the Corvette world. In addition, I have read where others state that this block casting was also used in passenger cars and trucks.

Gary

 

I found the 3970010 on the rear drivers side. On the passenger side is H187. I'll be damned if I can find the pad on the front
right of the head.
Does the H187 mean anything?
Pat

 

Check this link out. It's a previous post on a similar subject:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=170999

 

Yes! This code indicates that this block was cast at the foundry On August 18, 1977. The other codes that others have described on the front of the engine are stamped on. The pad where these numbers usually reside can best be imagined by this. If the passenger's side head were removed, the top (gasket surface) of the block extends out about 3/4's of an inch past the head itself. This flat machined surface (when the head is installed) is just in front of the head, at gasket level, and is usually just behind and below the air conditioning compressor on those cars equiped with the R-4 type compressors. There are two sets of numbers. They are stamped onto the engine at differant times. One of these numbers is the broadcast code. It is applied at the engine assembly plant. Sort of like a model number, this number Identifies which assembly plant assembeled the engine, when, and for what purpse (since these plants make these engines for many differant uses). This "assembly code" Would look like this.... V0324zbc or perhaps T0517URZ. What it tells you is first of all the letter V or T indicate the assembeling plant (V for Flint Michigan, T for Tonawanda, NY, etc.). The next four numbers are the month and day the engine bas assembeled. The last 3 letters is the broadcast code (ZBC for an 80 L-82, URZ for some kind of truck, etc.). After the engine is shiped to the auto/truck assembly plant the crated engines are stored until the day they are selected to join a chassis going down the assembly line. On The assembly line with "build sheet" in hand, some guy sets up a stamp which indicates the assembly plant and the last 5 digets of what will be the V.I.N. (this is suppose to match the VIN numbers on the chassis). This number looks something like 1AS442395. This would indicate the Saint Louis Corvette assembly plant for a car with a VIN ending with 42395.
On rare occasions these numbers were spamped on the raw cast surface around the oil filter, but I don't think anyone knows which engines were done like this or why.
Hope this helps.

 

Thanks between the picture in the old thread and description I was able to find the engine numbers, the last six match my VIN so I guess its the original motor. I was very suprised to find that out, does that mean I can tell everyone its matching numbers now?