Mysterious block numbers and letters?

[Johnny Angel]

Hi,

I have what I believe to be a #'s matching car. Just want to be sure. I heard that there might be some numbers, and or letters stamped, or cast into the block, that would confirm that it is from my year of car, date of manufacture, etc.

The usual block and trans numbers are correct, ("SS" and vin # on block, and vin # on "BB" trans as well.) just want to go the extra mile and find out what some of the other stampings and casting letters and numbers mean.

There are some "H's" stamped above the vin#, between the 1 and 3 cylinders, and there some other #'s stamped along with the "SS" designation above the 5 and 7 cylinders. Those #'s are 4 and 3.(With what looks to be an "S", stamped over the top portion of the # 3, in the upper right of the rear cylinders. Also to the lower right,is the number 332.

Hope I have not confused anyone. Thanks for any help.

I can post more text and pictures as well, if it would help. How do we start?

thanks.

John.

[Bad Boattail]

John,

Maybe you should start by telling us what car and engine your question is about :TU:

SS is for the 1970 455 with 360 (old rating) horses ?

Maybe these scans will help:

Click thumbnails

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/th_BigBlock1.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/BigBlock1.jpg) http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/th_BigBlock2.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/BigBlock2.jpg) http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/th_BigBlock3.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/BigBlock3.jpg) http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/th_BigBlock4.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/TjaWieBenIK/Scans/BigBlock4.jpg)

[Jim Weise]

Johnny,

Those were common, they stamped codes on the blocks next to cylinders to indicate cylinder wall diameters at assembly.

JW

[Johnny Angel]

Thanks Bad Boattail. 1970 GS Stage 1.

John.

[Johnny Angel]

Johnny,

Those were common, they stamped codes on the blocks next to cylinders to indicate cylinder wall diameters at assembly.

JW

Thanks Jim, so they have no bearing on date codes or anything else. Do you know of any places to look, to find any date codes, or something to find out when it was cast, or installed? 1231738 is the cast # in the back of the block, near the "455", so according to the above sheet, it is 1970/1971.

Just wanted to sift down further, if possible. Thanks again.

John.

[Jim Weise]

Easier to take some pics than try to describe where to look

This is a 70/early 71 casting date code location for the 455.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s110/tspjim455/100_3548.jpg


Here is the late 71 thru 76 location for the casting date code

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s110/tspjim455/100_3549.jpg


This casting date code is decoded the following way


The letter corresponds to the month of the year it was cast. Starts with and A which is January, and goes in order thru M for December. "I" was not used.

The second charactar is the day of that month that it was cast. So they go 1-31.

Our first example shows a 70/71 block that was cast on L-8 which is the 8th day of November.

To determine if it was 1969 or 1970, you have to know the year of the block. The only way to determine the year of the block for sure is to look at the VIN stamping. The second charactar corresponds to the last number in the year. In this instance, I know that this is a 70 block, and it was cast on November 8 1969, because the second charactar of the VIN stamping is a "0".

The VIN on this block is stamped on the deck like all 70's were, and it's 40H XXXXXX (X denotes the last 6 charictars of the VIN number.. the ones that have to match your dash VIN.)

4 is GM's internal code for the Buick Motor Division
0 is the year of production
H is the plant of manufacture for the vehicle. H denotes the Flint Assembly Plant.

All 70 Stage ones have to have this "40H" prefix on the engine stamping, as all Stage 1 cars for 1970 were built in Flint.

The date code must proceed the build date on your cowl tag. How far it is before the date of vehicle production varies. Typically it's less than two weeks, often times just days. But I have seen it be a month or longer.

Hope that helps

JW

[Johnny Angel]

Thanks Jim. Looks as though I have an early one? March 9th? That would be good, cause my car was built a little later in March. The vin on the block reads 40H, like you said. It is a bad picture.

John.

[Johnny Angel]

Here are some better pics, just took them. Date of invoice was 3/23/70. So, it looks like everything is o.k..

John.

[Johnny Angel]

Here is the body tag.

[copperheadgs1]

John, nice luck having correct block. The 332 on the block was a production time built code kind of like on the trans tag I believe. Never quite figured them out. You car was a Sherwood green with black vinyl top. Ever think of going back to stock? Another suggestion maybe saving the original block and finding replacement so numbers do not get ruined during machining.

[staged70]

Could this be the green and Black one from Ebay last year?

[Johnny Angel]

John, nice luck having correct block. The 332 on the block was a production time built code kind of like on the trans tag I believe. Never quite figured them out. You car was a Sherwood green with black vinyl top. Ever think of going back to stock? Another suggestion maybe saving the original block and finding replacement so numbers do not get ruined during machining.

Yes I have, might be the plan one day down the road. At this time, she is too nice to mess with, plus, I don't have the funds. I would want to do it right.

My #'s engine is on a stand, I have a street/strip "mule" between the rails. :beer

[Johnny Angel]

Could this be the green and Black one from Ebay last year?

No John, I have had this for a while and it has looked like this, well before I owned it.

John.:TU:

[staged70]

I saw a Stage 1 on Ebay last year that was supposed to have the original engine and trans It was pretty rough looking but all there I think it went 10K After it soold they started to come out of the woodwork.

[Johnny Angel]

John, nice luck having correct block. The 332 on the block was a production time built code kind of like on the trans tag I believe. Never quite figured them out. You car was a Sherwood green with black vinyl top. Ever think of going back to stock? Another suggestion maybe saving the original block and finding replacement so numbers do not get ruined during machining.

Resting comfortably.

[Heavy D]

Can I borrow that engine? I promise I wont hurt it.. to bad...:Brow:

[Johnny Angel]

Can I borrow that engine? I promise I wont hurt it.. to bad...:Brow:

Dennis,

That engine would take a lot of massaging to get it to propel you where you want to go! However, we both know a certain somebody, who has just what you need. I believe that you should be barking up that tree, cause from what I understand, that particular dog does hunt!:Brow:

Should you decide to go "A LA CARTE", I believe he can help you that way as well. Good luck, hope to meet up with you soon my friend.

John.

[Heavy D]

So many choices...:grin: Are you gonna be able to swing BG this year?

[rjohns]

Johnny,

Those were common, they stamped codes on the blocks next to cylinders to indicate cylinder wall diameters at assembly.

JW

Jim
You know for sure those #'s represent cylinder wall thickness?
Not Julian date code related in some way?