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Anyone decode a engine VIN no.?

3K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  sqzbox 
#1 ·
So i bought a 350 from a guy that picked it up at a NAPA store. He doesnt know what it was out of, he was just going to rebuild it and put it in his 55 Chevy, but decided to buy a crate.

Block ID is 3970010 which is a block made between 69 to 80

head ID is 462842 heads made from 75-86 but the casting date shows 1208 or I208 which could be 9/20/78

Crank 3932442 69-85..cast...medium journal...3.48" stroke it also has a 88 on a counter weight and K68 86NF

I think G35 is the casting date which would be July 3 of either 75 or 85

I found the VIN on a pad on the right hand side head
T113DRB19C130975 havent decoded that yet

Whatever 010 is, its all over the block

cant figure out what H34, 776 , and the 509 under the timing cover is

over the oil filter there is 010, 10N

the main bearings are marked with GM66 or GM400 with a couple of stamps 8-78 and 10-78 which may be the date,with numbers 5453691 and 5463372 one set has 0006 US 276J on it.

the rod bearings are 5471138 713 thrust bearing is GM500 57800 314J8

If i could decode that VIN it would be fun to know what it was out of but it looks like the block was cast in 75, put together in 78 from the bearing and head dates
so its probably from a really late 78 or early 79 or a 80 car

A few VIN Decoders say there is a didgit missing, but thats all there is on the block. Can any of you gurus make a guess?
 
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#2 ·
Hmmmm ... I suspect the problem that you may be experiencing with online VIN decoders is that they are expecting a 17-digit VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) which identifies the vehicle itself.

The 8th digit of a VIN indicates the engine that was installed in THAT vehicle.

To decode a casting or stamped number, I'd suggest trying www.mortec.com
 
#3 ·
66GMC said:
Hmmmm ... I suspect the problem that you may be experiencing with online VIN decoders is that they are expecting a 17-digit VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) which identifies the vehicle itself.

The 8th digit of a VIN indicates the engine that was installed in THAT vehicle.

To decode a casting or stamped number, I'd suggest trying www.mortec.com
Not trying to decode a casting , mortec doesnt have the engine vin stamp listings.
I am looking at the stamp on the pad on the front right of the head, its not a casting number
 
#5 ·
66GMC said:
T113DRB19C130975 is what we are looking at then?

NastyZ28.com has this info in this format ...
T0830CTY - (T = Tonawanda, 08 = August, 30 = 30th day, CTY = 1970 396 Camaro, 375 hp, 11.0:1, TH400)

which looks close. Maybe you are missing a digit? :


"DRB" decodes to:
RPO FY CID appl VIN HP BBLS Body/Comments
DRB 1979 350 auto trans. L LM1 170 4 full size

Hope this helps.
thanks 66, i must have missed that.
 
#7 ·
sqzbox said:
Does it have 4 bolt mains? :confused:
It *could* have, from what I could see on the main page :confused:

Block #3970010 says "2 or 4" bolt mains.
Years Casting CID Low Power High Power Main Caps Comments
1968 3970010 327 - - 2 A
1969-79 3970010 350 185 370 2 or 4 car, truck, Vette
It appears to be the journal diameter that makes the difference.
2.3" = 2-bolt main
2.45" = 4-bolt main

CID Year Bore Main Cap
262 1975 3.671 2 bolt ONLY
267 1979 - 81 3.500 2 bolt ONLY
305 1976 - 96 3.736 2 bolt ONLY
307 1968 - 73 3.875 2 bolt ONLY
327 1968-69 4.001 (2.3" main) 2 bolt
350 1968-88 4.001 (2.3" main) 2 bolt
265 1994 4.001 (2.45" main) 2 bolt
302 1968-69 4.001 (2.45" main) 4 bolt
350 1968-96 4.001 (2.45" main) 4 bolt
400 1970-72 4.126 (2.65" main) 4 bolt
400 1973-80 4.126 (2.65" main) 2 bolt
Edit:
"medium journal" (as already determined by the OP) would be the 2.45 (i.e 2.3, 2.45, 2.65) ... so I would say yes, IMHO and understanding, this is a 4-bolt main engine.
 
#9 ·
Got the same block in my truck. I got it out of a 79 heavy duty 1/2 ton 4x4 truck.
It has 4 bolt mains but, it was a GM crate replacement engine. Code on the block pad starts with CE but it was a direct replacement for the 79 engine the truck originally came with according to the original 1 owner I bought it from at a farm auction. :D
 
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