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I just bought a 78 Silver anniversary I don't believe it has the original engine. Vin #1Z87L8S426176. Engine Stamp 101135223 wondering which engine this is?
The engine stamp are the larger characters to the right side of your pic. Hard to read in the pic. The VIN derivative (smaller characters) does not look like a Corvette VIN.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Dec 3, 2019 at 04:01 PM.
If the engine originally was an L-82, the fifth digit of the VIn would be "4". Since it is not a 4, regardless of the VIN being a C3 or not, the engine would just be a base passenger car 350 V8 from 1978.....nothing special
There are no other numbers to the right. Is it possible those are the wrong numbers. The numbers are on the front passenger side of the block is that the correct location?
There are no other numbers to the right. Is it possible those are the wrong numbers. The numbers are on the front passenger side of the block is that the correct location?
Characters to the right ... characters includes letters, numbers, wingdings
Check and see if there is a casting number, behind the driver side head, on the block. That can shed some light on what it was originally(350, 400)
for example, my casting number is 3970010 which is the number assigned for run of the mill 350 blocks from 1969-1980.
It is an earlier engine from mid 70's The digits on the left are the VIN derivative that matches the vehicle it came out of. The larger digits on the right are the assembly date stamp and original application information. The last 3 larger characters are the original application, but it is partially cut off in the photo. Maybe starts with a "C" so it would be originally from a car, not a truck. Truck applications start with "T" as the first of the last 3 characters.
Not original engine.
Also - The "K" is for St Catherines Ontario Canada where the engine was assembled.
While not as bad a wire nuts, I always get scared when I see a number of those crimp on connectors with the yellow insulation in a car. They are notorious for poor crimps that seem to loosen with vibration.
As another said you're almost certain to have overheating problems without the radiator shroud at an utter minimum. Large engine + small engine compartment + oddly angled radiator = great potential for overheating. The engineers went to a lot of trouble to design a system to route air and minimize the problem and none of it is present in your car. The headers only increase the problem as they have far more surface area than the stock exhaust manifold and piping which means more radiant heat in the engine compartment.
Your best bet may be from the casting number on the back side of the block, just above where the transmission bolts up.
It should be plainly visible looking down between the back of the engine and the drivers side of the firewall.
I purchased a 454, 4 bolt main block for my 496 build and while the machine shop was checking and squaring the block it was decked, and the stamped numbers were removed.
From the casting number I was able to determine it was an early 454, passenger car, 4 bolt main, Mark IV block, which was what I was looking for.
Good luck.
Something traumatic happened to that engine compartment. Not only was the engine replaced with an earlier cast, assembled motor, but the alternator, brake booster and master cylinder were also replaced. It appears, as pointed out so was the radiator and some sort of canister that I've never seen before. With only photos to look at, nothing seems original to a 78 motor, even the manifold looks from either an earlier era or aftermarket.
I believe someone was trying to make a race car out of this car. It has a fuel cell in it and all the interior has been taken out, aftermarket gauges, different shocks, dual exhaust no mufflers. The car comes with all the original interior and gas tank, all in pretty good condition. When I get the car on Saturday I will be able to look it over better. I'm trying to decide to return it to stock as much as possible and keep it a street legal car or turn it into a wide body road race car. I'll put some more pictures up on Saturday
I'll be waiting on further pictures, but it looks like the whole HVAC system is gone as well. Hope they are including that in the missing interior pieces.
Looks like there is a small shroud and electric fan in front of the manual fan.
I've replaced my fan/shroud area with SPAL fans and shroud, so if you are looking for OEM replacements, let me know and we can talk. I have a bunch of original parts from my 78SA that are just sitting in my crawlspace and won't see the light of day on mine in the future.
Distributor looks like someone definitely wanted to go racing, no vacuum advance at all. Probably want to get an HEI if you are going to street drive.
Oh, and if it runs rough when you start it, first place I would look would be that vacuum connector on the power brake booster. That looks like a current, or just waiting to happen vacuum leak.
The casting numbers on the block are 3970010. I will not need any of the hvac parts. I am building this into a road race car for the NASA Trec endurance series. Any part or piece that does not need to be on the car will be removed. I will be installing the roll cage over the next few weeks and carbon fiber wide body. Motor has not been started in 9 years so don't know if I will be installing this motor or and LS. Hopfully this motor is usable. Here are some pictures of my current race car which is for sale and the 78.
racing with a bunch of amateurs: you in a $carbon-fiber$ body w/ unknown motor ... series isn't exactly flush w/ hi-$ support ... you Must have mo' money than ... g'luck
1978 Silver Anniversary Engine code
