1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Boston MA
1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D.
Hello,
Numbers on motor are as follows:
Rear passenger block: A 26 82
Front of block: T0129TKB OR I0129TKB
1223 1223
Rear driver's side: 11015445 or 14015445
Vette is a 1971 454 4 speed with an original console which reads 454 425 HP. My feeling is that the engine is not original. Possibly a 1982 454. Someone told me it could be a 402. Is there a vin number located anywhere on the 1971 model Corvette? I have no way of knowing what this car came with originally for a motor.
Thank You
Numbers on motor are as follows:
Rear passenger block: A 26 82
Front of block: T0129TKB OR I0129TKB
1223 1223
Rear driver's side: 11015445 or 14015445
Vette is a 1971 454 4 speed with an original console which reads 454 425 HP. My feeling is that the engine is not original. Possibly a 1982 454. Someone told me it could be a 402. Is there a vin number located anywhere on the 1971 model Corvette? I have no way of knowing what this car came with originally for a motor.
Thank You
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 6,744
Likes: 1
From: delmont pa
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (zmurph)
the 14015445 is a 454, 1971 454 425 HP corvette is,CPW or CPX depends on what trans. but the TKB is a small block sufix. :chevy i misread the years,should be 1975 to 1987.
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 5:17 PM 6/3/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 8:05 PM 6/3/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 5:17 PM 6/3/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 8:05 PM 6/3/2002]
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,866
Likes: 717
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (zmurph)
The A 28 82 is the casting date. A=January, B=Febuary, etc., so the cast date for the block is Jan. 28, 1982. Regarding the other numbers, T0129 is the assembly date, T=Tonawanda, New York assembly plant, 0129= First month, 01, 29th. day, so it's January 29 assembled. SO>.....block cast on Jan. 28 and assembled on Jan. 29. Can't help with the TKB suffix, but these suffixes denote the original horsepower/transmission, and other options for the engine that this was originally installed in. I would take Clem's info to the bank. :) Chuck
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Boston MA
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (clem zahrobsky)
Thanks Clem,
Unfortunately it's not the original engine as I suspected, but how can I decipher if this car was originally a 454 car. The console reads 425 hp 454, but I am sure that tag could have been added at some time. I do realize that only 188 425 hp vettes were made in 1971. It would be a miracle if this were one, even without the original motor. How can the small block suffix be on a 454?
Unfortunately it's not the original engine as I suspected, but how can I decipher if this car was originally a 454 car. The console reads 425 hp 454, but I am sure that tag could have been added at some time. I do realize that only 188 425 hp vettes were made in 1971. It would be a miracle if this were one, even without the original motor. How can the small block suffix be on a 454?
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Boston MA
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (Chuck Gongloff)
Thank You Chuck,
I am curious to find out if this was an original big block 4 speed car. The engine evidently is not. I can decode the original color as being Sunflower Yellow with Black Interior, but I am unable to discover any other details about this vette. Is there a vin on the car? I do have a Title with a vin. What are the chances the build sheet is there? Is there any other way to access the potential build sheet without dropping the tank. Thanks Again
I am curious to find out if this was an original big block 4 speed car. The engine evidently is not. I can decode the original color as being Sunflower Yellow with Black Interior, but I am unable to discover any other details about this vette. Is there a vin on the car? I do have a Title with a vin. What are the chances the build sheet is there? Is there any other way to access the potential build sheet without dropping the tank. Thanks Again
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 6,744
Likes: 1
From: delmont pa
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (zmurph)
more research i found TKB 1971-72 402 truck your guess was right about a 402. GM uses engine codes over and over so i guess TKB was used for both SB and BB. what is strange is that it has a 454 block casting number but a 402 engine code,so does this mean that if it is a 454 block can it be bored to 4.250? :chevy
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 8:49 PM 6/3/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 8:49 PM 6/3/2002]
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: GA
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (zmurph)
ZMurph, Big block cars had a rear sway bar. You can look at your tach. Lt-1 and Ls-6 cars had a 6500 redline. Ls-5 cars had a 5600 redline. The gas tank is your best hope for finding the build sheet. If it's the original tank.
Good luck. :)
Good luck. :)
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,653
Likes: 6
From: North Royalton, OH
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Re: 1971 CORVETTE ENGINE I.D. (zmurph)
Is there any other way to access the potential build sheet without dropping the tank.
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
