I purchased a 76 that supposedly has a 350 out of a 72 corvette. Where do I find the number on the block, and where can I go to I.D. the origin of the engine? Thanks! :cheers:


[Modified by TJRed76, 9:56 PM 1/10/2002]

 

The casting number of the block is located on the drivers side top of the bellhousing flange. The casting date is located on the passengers side of the bellhousing flange, near the distributor "hole". The assembly date and VIN stamping are located on the passengers side of the engine block. There is a "pad"...in front of the cylinder head, near the water pump. The casting number and date are "cast" onto the block. The assembly date and VIN derivitive are "stamped" into the pad. Chuck

 

If the block is out of a '72 Corvette, the cast number that Chuck mentioned will either be 3970010 (block used between '69 and '80) or 3970014 (used in late '72 production only). This casting number is raised off the surface of the block.

Part of the assembly date and VIN stamping that Chuck mentioned will have three letters signifying the engine suffix code. These codes for '72 models w/ 350 ci motors could be one of the following; CDH, CDJ, CKW, CKX, CKY, CKZ, CRS, or CRT.

Post the numbers from your block.



[Modified by QikStik, 8:46 AM 1/9/2002]

 

Thanks for all the info. I got the numbers off of my engine.

Casting number: 390014
Casting date: not sure which it is, the cast items were
T1 and below it was conv 2
Suffix code: MMP

Thanks again, any more info from these numbers will be greatly
appreciated.

TJ :flag

 

TJ,
Are you sure the casting number isn't 3970014??

I can't find that suffix code either! However, I am not the expert on this board for identifying engines. Hopefully, someone can help that is an expert!

Mark

 

Here are the numbers and letters that I can find:

Casting number from drivers side bell housing flange: 3970014
Between this number and the distributer, on the bell housing flange: L15 72 (also cast)

Passenger side bell housing are castings: T1
conv 2

Passsenger side front, on pad in front of head: MMP (That's it, no partial VIN. No other stampings anywhere on front of block. I removed the
alternator to look, but nothing else.)

Once again, thanks and any info. is greatly appreciated.

TJ


:flag

 

The 3970014 block was used from 1970 through 1976 in many different Chevrolet vehicles. It also could have been used briefly in the Corvette from late 72 through early 73. One unique thing, as far as the Corvette goes, is that this is I believe the only time that a Tonawanda, NY cast small block was used in the Vette. Nearly every single Corvette small block was cast and built at Flint, MI. The 014 Corvette blocks were probably only cast at Tonawanda, and then shipped to Flint for assembly. You can always tell a Tonawanda cast block by looking at the casting date format, ie: L1572 meaning December 15, 1972. A Flint cast block would have been coded L152 with only the single 2 denoting the year rather than 72. What was stamped on the front pad would have told us more info about where it was built and what it went into, but your pad has a non-standard stamp. This could mean that this engine was never installed in a production vehicle, and could have been purchased over the counter as a partial or complete engine. The MMP could also mean a marine application, but still think it would have had a normal suffix stamp. So I don't really know what it was originally used in, but it is the same basic engine that would have been used in all base engine Corvettes.