The engine, at least the intake manifold looks to be at least a 68 since it has the vacuum switch, I don't think '67 cars had those.
68 GS Convertible top and Interior colors. There are not any interior, top, body color combination breakdowns.
My Cowl Fisher plate reads 12E 68-44667FL1 130350 172 G-1 Does this decode to: 12E - December 5th week (1967 or 1968?) 68 - 1968 4-Buick 4667 - GS 400 Convertible FL - Flint (not sure what 1 means) 130350 - Body Number 172 - White Vinyl Interior with Bucket Seats? G-Ivory Gold Mist 1-White Convertible Top So my car was repainted the wrong color, doh! Is 12E 1968 possible or that means it was built in December 1967 just before new year where possibly some drunk worker put wrong engine in and valve covers on???? I know got to read numbers in engine block but still can’t see them yet. Investigating dry ice cleaning now.
12E is fifth week of December 1967. Production usually starts in the late summer, so by Christmas they were well experienced. Your car most likely has had hands on the engine since then; it’s extremely unlikely that Buick’s engine plant put the wrong covers or stickers on the engine destined for your car. (Engines were built as complete assemblies the sent to the plant). It’s also pretty unlikely that Buick put a 430 in it. Patrick
67 valve covers would not have been on the assembly line at the beginning of 68 production and for sure not in December. My 1st 68 GS was Flint built and had a 430 sticker under the 400 valve cover sticker from the factory. So it did come from the factory with one half of a 430 engine
Well we will see. If it is not a 430 engine then someone went to a lot of trouble to put a 430 oil dipstick part number 1373406 in it and modified the design of the oil dipstick hole into the engine block so that it looks exactly like a 1968 430 and not a 400.
Dipstick #1373406 is for a '67-'69 400-430, so no conclusions can be drawn there. The new stick w/tube came later on 455. Devon
I don’t doubt you have a 430; I doubt that Buick put it there. (Part of my logic is sheer numbers; if the car had an engine failure after warranty, especially in the’70s or ‘80s when junkyards had ample supply of old Buicks, the likelihood of finding a good running 430 from three years of Wildcat, Electra and Riviera would be much higher than finding a 400 from three years of GSs and two years of SportWagons. Plus, if the cost were the same, why not take 30 free cubic inches?) Patrick
1968 400 engine oil dipstick hole, has extension, uses oil dipstick part #1384609 1968 430 oil dipstick hole goes directly into block uses oil dipstick 1373406
Good find! It'll be interesting to see the block numbers rather than just head-scratching. And just for fun, even if the block number turns out to be a 400, it could still be 430, since a 400 block can be bored by any decent shop to 430 bore diameter and use 430 pistons. So there! Devon
With all that said, now I am looking into dry ice blasting for the engine bay so I can read the numbers and have a cleaner engine bay. Anyone used this before? Also plan to use it on interior and maybe other places. I located a place to rent a dry ice blasting machine for $500 a day. I am not sure how much it costs for someone to come and do it yet but found the local place that can do it. Here is a company in Ohio, not the one where I am but will be using same technology. https://cryodetail.com/ Here is a video
Seen it but not tried it, but gosh what a neat way to go without the media mess. You'd still be spreading the oil gunk everywhere, so a pressure wash might be a good first step, and should also be enough to uncover the casting number at the rear of the block. Car looks fabulous. Devon
Then next steps will be putting a new convertible top on, interior restoration, and new exhaust. Someone bought me an expensive gift certificate for Flowmasters so guess I am going with that.
My ‘68s original 400 engine had no tube, just the stick. I’ve had two ‘68 GS400s built this way (both Flint built with original engines). Patrick
Why don't you just look at the back of the engine where the transmission bolts and read the numbers? See post #19 and take some brake cleaner and spray off whatever grease/oil is there. It is a cast number, not stamped. You should be able to see it without issue as it's quite large. Quit guessing. Also, your 1968 (model year) was built 12E, 5th week of December 1967 and not in 1968. FL1 is Flint Fisher body and firewall back was assembled at Fisher Body and shipped across town to Buick final assembly on a body cart. There has never been any indication from anywhere there were 430's installed in an A body at Buick. Zero. My best guess(s) as to what you have is either an engine swap at somepoint in the past or "badge engineering" where someone put those stickers on/swapped valve covers. Look at the back of the block and tell us what you see.
