My Block Number doesn't Match
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 14
Likes: 3
From: Weedsport, New York
My Block Number doesn't Match
My question is my block number on my 1972 Corvette is not the same as my last 6 digits of my Vin number 524900. What I have is CE247 4 5. The story about this car. In 1972 the 1st owner blew up the engine within the warranty and had the engined repaired under warranty and then sold the car. The 2nd owner had it for 43 years. I am the 3rd owner and I have had it for 7 years. The 2nd owner told me this story and said the engine block was decked and they didn't restamp the block. He said he was young and didn't care at the time. He did give me a 1972 Chevrolet new vehicle warranty and policy on owner service pamphlet. Nothing in it about the work that was done. Just the name of the person and dealership in Rochester NY. At the time I bought it I didn't care about no block number and just wanted to have fun driving it. Today, I decided to do some paint touch on the orange paint on the engine. I cleaned off the flat spot where the engine block number should be and noticed some markings. I cleaned it carefully down to the metal and put oil on it to enhance the definition of the numbers. That's when I found the markings CE247 4 5. Could this be a crate engine? Does this number mean anything to anyone? Thank You, Ricothekid
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
CE is an over the counter or warranty replacement engine. The first digit, "2" in this case, is the year (1972). This should be followed by 5 digits (you only posted 4) that would be the consecutive number of engines built that year.
Cheers, Greg
Cheers, Greg
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 14
Likes: 3
From: Weedsport, New York
Thank You, Greg for the information.
I actually do have 5 digits after CE2. Two of the digits on the end were spaced a little apart 4 and 5, so my five digits are 47145. The dealership who did the warranty engine replacement sold the business in 1981.
Questions:
Can this still be considered a number matching car?
Is their any records I could investigate about this warranty replacement engine for my car to prove that this was the original warranty replacement engine to my Vin number?
Is it even possible for someone to review all pattern numbers and stamped numbers on the engine block and certify this engine belongs to this car?
Thank You, Stay Safe, Henry D'Amato
I actually do have 5 digits after CE2. Two of the digits on the end were spaced a little apart 4 and 5, so my five digits are 47145. The dealership who did the warranty engine replacement sold the business in 1981.
Questions:
Can this still be considered a number matching car?
Is their any records I could investigate about this warranty replacement engine for my car to prove that this was the original warranty replacement engine to my Vin number?
Is it even possible for someone to review all pattern numbers and stamped numbers on the engine block and certify this engine belongs to this car?
Thank You, Stay Safe, Henry D'Amato
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
Hi Henry,
It is no longer a "numbers matching" car as the original block is gone. However it appears it does have the correctly dated, authorized warranty replacement engine, and that is a close second place.
Honestly, don't get too caught up in the whole numbers game. It has gone way too far for most and frankly, it's ruining the hobby. There are SO many re-stamped engines out there today claiming to be the original block to the car that it's beyond ridiculous.
If, by some freak chance, one day someone was to find all of GM's records to state what all the Corvettes came with originally, there is going to be a LOT of pissed off big block C2 owners!
My '65 coupe had a warranty replacement 4 speed transmission, which was "bench stamped" with the correct VIN by whoever did the install back in 1966. Some did this step, some didn't. At the end of the day, it was a better transmission than the original one was and I was fine with it. Going 60 miles an hour down the highway, no one can tell if your numbers match or not. They just see a great looking Corvette. Enjoy it.
Cheers, Greg
It is no longer a "numbers matching" car as the original block is gone. However it appears it does have the correctly dated, authorized warranty replacement engine, and that is a close second place.
Honestly, don't get too caught up in the whole numbers game. It has gone way too far for most and frankly, it's ruining the hobby. There are SO many re-stamped engines out there today claiming to be the original block to the car that it's beyond ridiculous.
If, by some freak chance, one day someone was to find all of GM's records to state what all the Corvettes came with originally, there is going to be a LOT of pissed off big block C2 owners!
My '65 coupe had a warranty replacement 4 speed transmission, which was "bench stamped" with the correct VIN by whoever did the install back in 1966. Some did this step, some didn't. At the end of the day, it was a better transmission than the original one was and I was fine with it. Going 60 miles an hour down the highway, no one can tell if your numbers match or not. They just see a great looking Corvette. Enjoy it.
Cheers, Greg
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Rico
Second post down on this chevytalk thread is a GM internal letter concerning "CE" (and other) warranty/OTC engines. Should shed some light.....
Mapman
https://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/s...hp?tid/351260/
Second post down on this chevytalk thread is a GM internal letter concerning "CE" (and other) warranty/OTC engines. Should shed some light.....
Mapman
https://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/s...hp?tid/351260/
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,406
Likes: 8,212
From: Napa Valley California
My 73 was a numbers matching big block when I bought it.
WAS!
I bought it to build a hot rod and I’m in the process of doing just that.
When I’m done it will probably be worth more and I will have more fun driving it.
WAS!
I bought it to build a hot rod and I’m in the process of doing just that.
When I’m done it will probably be worth more and I will have more fun driving it.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 14
Likes: 3
From: Weedsport, New York
Very interesting, so it's pretty close to matching numbers, as close as you can get. Any paperwork indicating warranty work will also help the cause. It was the Chevy procedure at the time, so that doesn't make it wrong for the actual numbers not being on the block, but the CE2 tells you everything you need in the warranty from Chevy at the time (CE2 = Chevy, Engine, 1972) and that's what I have stamped in my block. The Chevy warranty engines where only available through paperwork processed proving It was under warranty from a dealership or authorized dealer. It does make sense. It should carry more weight than just another 350 Chevy block that was installed by anyone. Thank You, Stay Safe, Mapman
Ricothekid
Ricothekid
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 651
Likes: 452
From: Napa, CA
What it comes down to with any vette is, does the evidence support the story. If the stamped numbers all match the VIN then it may indicates previous owners cared for the car, enough to ensure critical numbers were not milled off or that the stamped parts replaced with new or refurbished ones. To my mind, the numbers should only drive value on rare optioned cars or documented very low mile examples. In all other cases the numbers just make it easier to support a cars history or story. Is it a pure pedigree or a Frankenstein like assembly of various parts cars. In the OP’s situation, the documents that are in hand support the ownership story that comes with the car. That’s just as good as matching numbers in my world. In the end, condition is what drives value at sales time. Most cars do come with a story, and hopefully it’s a plausible one with some documents and visual evidence to support it. If, upon inspection, the stuff you’re looking at doesn’t match the story and documentation provided, make your own informed judgment and proceed accordingly.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 14
Likes: 3
From: Weedsport, New York
What it comes down to with any vette is, does the evidence support the story. If the stamped numbers all match the VIN then it may indicates previous owners cared for the car, enough to ensure critical numbers were not milled off or that the stamped parts replaced with new or refurbished ones. To my mind, the numbers should only drive value on rare optioned cars or documented very low mile examples. In all other cases the numbers just make it easier to support a cars history or story. Is it a pure pedigree or a Frankenstein like assembly of various parts cars. In the OP’s situation, the documents that are in hand support the ownership story that comes with the car. That’s just as good as matching numbers in my world. In the end, condition is what drives value at sales time. Most cars do come with a story, and hopefully it’s a plausible one with some documents and visual evidence to support it. If, upon inspection, the stuff you’re looking at doesn’t match the story and documentation provided, make your own informed judgment and proceed accordingly.
Thank You, for your insights to this issue. It does make sense, the story behind the car plays an important role along with the documents. The story behind this car was it was kept in a heated garage most of its life, drove occasionally during each summer and kept original except for the replacement warranty engine that is stamped my year 1972 with the warranty pamphlet. I have kept the car in the garage on a dry cement floor for the last 7 years. The 1st owner only had it for (6) months, so myself (3rd owner) and the (2nd owner) has kept this car in the garage and didn't drive when it rained for over 50 years. I am sure it was caught in the rain a few times over the last 51 years. It is a nice story in discipline in maintaining the original character of a 1972 Corvette classic car from the 70's. It is like stepping into a time machine for me. Like it was said earlier, drive and enjoy the moment because the tomorrow's are fleeing away and you can't get them back. Stay Safe, Ricothekid
