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Does anyone have a picture of an actual "Factory" engine stamp from a 68, 69 or 70 big block (I'm assuming they're the same!?!?) with visible broach marks and the correct fonts?
Also the location of the block casting dates for the same!!
Casting date locations may have changed between 427s and 454s. My 427 has it on the side of the block, forward and above the starter. My 454 has it on the top of the transmission mount flange, passenger side.
All of the big block stamps from C2 to C3 look the same (all done at Tonawanda, NY engine plant). The VIN stamps were put on in St. Louis at the Corvette plant. The broach marks are the fine vertical lines of the pad.
Casting date locations may have changed between 427s and 454s. My 427 has it on the side of the block, forward and above the starter. My 454 has it on the top of the transmission mount flange, passenger side.
All of the big block stamps from C2 to C3 look the same (all done at Tonawanda, NY engine plant). The VIN stamps were put on in St. Louis at the Corvette plant. The broach marks are the fine vertical lines of the pad.
Pretty amazing. You can clearly see the factory broach marks. What surprises me is how perfect the VIN stamp is. It would seem that the entire number was "gang" stamped as opposed to one character at a time. I wonder if the did that for every year!? Understand that the date and engine code stamp was made at Tonawanda where the engine was assembled while the VIN stamp was made at St. Louis when the engine was assigned to a car. Also, it does seem that the casting date was moved down from the upper driver side rear, by the bell housing/transmission mating area, to the driver side behind the starter on later big block cars. Not certain, exactly, when that change was made. Thanks so much for your response and help!
Link below is to Camaro library with several John Hinckley articles. Most all are applicable to Corvette. Many first appeared in Corvette Enthusiast magazine.
Pretty amazing. You can clearly see the factory broach marks. What surprises me is how perfect the VIN stamp is. It would seem that the entire number was "gang" stamped as opposed to one character at a time. I wonder if the did that for every year!? Understand that the date and engine code stamp was made at Tonawanda where the engine was assembled while the VIN stamp was made at St. Louis when the engine was assigned to a car.
Both Tonawanda and Flint were using a gang holder to stamp the engine date/suffix code starting in the 50's. St Louis was using a gang holder to stamp VIN's from mid 1960 on (prior to mid 60, Corvettes didn't get a VIN stamp). Plants building other Chevrolet's (full size, Chevy II, Chevelle, etc) only stamped the VIN on higher horsepower engines, primarily more than 300 hp and these VIN's were often stamped individually. This was because the vast majority of engines these plants were installing didn't get a VIN stamp. Starting in 1968 US Federal law required every engine to have a VIN stamp.
Also, it does seem that the casting date was moved down from the upper driver side rear, by the bell housing/transmission mating area, to the driver side behind the starter on later big block cars. Not certain, exactly, when that change was made. Thanks so much for your response and help!
On big blocks cast prior to early 1969 the casting date was on the passenger side of the block. I believe it was around March or April 1969 that Tonawanda moved the casting date to the right (passenger) side of top of the bellhousing flange.
68 Big Block Vin Stamp
