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I just picked up a 1970 LT1 coupe project. The trim tag shows May 13 as the assembly date. The engine block date code is May 12. The block has been stroked to 383 and decked so there’s no visible stamp. Is it possible this is the original block or are the dates too close?
Small blocks could have arrived very quickly (24 hours) in St. Louis if engine completion, rail car loading, and rail transport aligned just right with St. Louis shifts. Also keep in mind that the body build date may not be the car's completion date. If the body was done late in the shift on the 13th, it may not have been mounted to the chassis and engine until the 14th.