GlenJack

Looking for some advice from the corvette engine gurus.
I have a 72 vert and I am sure the numbers are not matching. The block is a 350 - casting numbers 20GM 3970010. I have other numbers on the passenger side head that say 118143224 followed by what I think is V0128000. Can anyone tell me what engine I have? also, I am thinking I am going to replace the carburetor and want to know the best carburetor for this engine.
Thanks to all the experts out there!
GlenJack

MX5000

3970010 was used in 1968 for the 327, it was also used from 1969-1979 for the 350. It is a 2 bolt main

GlenJack

What is the difference between a 2 bolt main and a 4 bolt main (other than 2 bolts!)?

62corvette

L88Plus

Yep, could even be a 4-bolt main with "2482" nodular caps, one of the strongest production blocks made.

GlenJack, the number of bolts refers to the fasteners holding the main caps to the block. With a small block, 2-bolt main caps are much narrower than their 4-bolt counterparts and provide less clamping force...with the exception of the 400 block, it used wide caps in both 2 and 4 bolt applications. Smallblocks all use 2-bolt caps on front and back and either 2 or 4 bolts for the middle caps and saddles. Big blocks also have 2 or 4 bolt mains but all caps are wide including front and back. It's these wider caps that most of us believe provide a much larger clamping/contact area which helps keep the caps in place and prevent cap walk or chattering under high rpm/high load conditions.

kansas123

It's the number of bolts that hold each of the main bearings holding the crankshaft. Big crank, 4 bolts I believe

OldCarBum

Depending on your intended use of your car and your intended torque and horsepower output, you could be perfectly fine with a 2-bolt motor.
There are people out there running 700-800 horsepower big block motors with studded 2-bolt main motors with no problems.

MX5000

As other have posted, if you do not plan on running high RPM/ HP either block will work (2 or 4 bolt main) A 4 bolt will give you a stronger lower end and will help prevent cap walk. My Guide shows that block being only a 2 bolt main. Only way to know for sure is to drop the pan. If you are running stock to mild HP it does not matter. Build the motor and enjoy.

Kevova

If there is a oil feed / tap in top front of block it should be a 4 bolt main. You are missing the 2nd set of stamped numbers. It's a Flint built service block; if there is only one set of numbers.

rklessdriver

The 2 number sequences on the block's pass pad tell you a lot but yours are incomplete/incorrect.. or someone re-stamped it with incorrect info.

VO128000 = Flint Michigan - (V) Jan 28 - (0128).... 000 is incorrect as there should be a 3 letter suffix not (3) zeros.

118143224 - This should be the is the unique vehicle serial number (to match against vehicle VIN) but again something is either mis-identified or re-staped incorrect. Chevrolet (1) the second (1) would mean year of mfgr = 1971. The next character should be a letter to identify the auto's plant of mfgr.... the rest would be the sequence number of the VIN.

Will