How do you track down where an engine came out of. i have a 455 in a 1969 cutlass conv. that is not original, but before trying to rebuild i would like to know what it came from and what year. i have block #396021F any help would be useful. i believe it to have come out of a '70 cutlass, but want to make sure of buying the right parts. thanks for any help

All 455 parts are interchangable. For rebuilding purposes, you do not need the year. For restoration purposes, you want the year.

Since your block is an "F" block, and not an "Fa", it is narrowed down from 68'-72'. On the drivers side bank in front of the block, there is a pad with numbers stamped into it. I forget how to decipher the tag, never had to.

What's your plans?

The partial vin number is stamped on a pad located below the drivers side cylinder head, by the #1 cylinder. It will look something like this 3xMxxxxxx.The first digit(3) indicates the Oldsmobile division of GM, the second digit is the year of the car it was originally installed in. The 3rd character(Letter) indicates the assembly plant.

thanks for the info. i will look on drivers side for more #s. plans are to disassemble,clean, and generally just freshen up the engine. it ran fine when i started the long painstaking process. what might be the best heat resistant paint for intake and stock exhaust manifolds? best paint for block? (blue)

For the correct Blue engine paint( its metallic blue, not corporate blue), you'll have to check with one of the Olds vendors(Fusick, BAP, Parts Place, etc.).
For exhaust, I've had good luck with Eastwoods stainless exhaust paint. Key to keeping the paint on is to make sure everything is completely clean, no oil, no finger prints. Prime with hi heat primer, than apply the color is thin coats until everything is covered. Heat curing the paint goes a long way towards perserving the color. If you dont block the heat riser feed from the heads, the intake will burn off the paint at the choke/heat riser areas, it just gets way too hot for anything to stick.

By the way, you heads will have a letter cast just left of the #1 an #8 sparkplug holes.
C= 67-69 heads
E=1970
G=1971
Ga=1972
J=73-76
K&Ka= marine and service replacement heads
D-F-H= $$$$, these are W30 heads that the restorer crowd will pay good money for, sell them to fund your project.