numbers matching? original engine?

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by geunther

I was going to send this to NC_John in a pm, but it pertains to some of this numbers matching stuff. I see that BLU has "BLU" on the firewall in the same place that my truck has "BLK". My truck was originally from NC as well. What I am wondering is whether your truck was built in Baltimore or not? And if so, was your engine produced at the St Catherines plant.

Yes, IIRC, mine is a baltimore truck. The engine IS definitely a St. Catharines engine.

I have a unique connection to the engine. I was born in St. Catharines in Feb of 1970. The engine was built a couple miles down the street just a few months later (St. Catharines was a big automotive town- has the GM engine/powertrain plant, had a Dana rear end plant, TRW was in the same part of town). My uncle was putting pistons on rods in that plant when my engine was built.

I went to college for mechanical engineering thinking i could get a job there but after my second year they were laying off people and talking about moving to Mexico so my career path went in a different direction.

I've pulled out the engine for an LS monster build and sold most of the sbc but kept the block. Dont know what i will do with it but wont ever sell it.

[geunther]

Originally Posted by NC_John

I've pulled out the engine for an LS monster build and sold most of the sbc but kept the block. Dont know what i will do with it but wont ever sell it.

Interesting. If you have access, would you snap a photo of the casting numbers. I found that my casting numbers are on the side of the block versus on the rear transmission mount area. I was thinking this was unique to Catherines engines but not sure if they are all the same.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by geunther

Interesting. If you have access, would you snap a photo of the casting numbers. I found that my casting numbers are on the side of the block versus on the rear transmission mount area. I was thinking this was unique to Catherines engines but not sure if they are all the same.

I can but since photobucket screwed us all over I don't know how to post them. My google drive links of my casting number and matching protecto-plate don't work here.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by geunther

Interesting. If you have access, would you snap a photo of the casting numbers. I found that my casting numbers are on the side of the block versus on the rear transmission mount area. I was thinking this was unique to Catherines engines but not sure if they are all the same.

Ok, I can post some pics. What specifically are you interested in on the block? Which casting numbers?

[DeadheadNM]

Im in the camp that values originality. For others who want to rebuild their original sb motors be mindful of decking the block as this can remove the codes from the machined pad on the rh side of the block. For fun here are the stamped codes on the original 350 motor and th 350 tranny now rebuilt and ready for more decades of use back in my Highlander Blazer: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...8&postcount=60 - i have the POP for same.

I drove to texas to get a code correct (albeit not original) 350 motor when i rebuilt my 72 k20 but bolted it to a 700r4

[Chevyland]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Im in the camp that values originality.

I drove to texas to get a code correct (albeit not original) 350 motor when i rebuilt my 72 k20 but bolted it to a 700r4

This was/is common practice when restoring muscle car
Of the 50's,60's and early seventies
You see it advertised all the time when. These cars are being sold.
"Numbers Matching"

I had a 57 vette, back in the day. With incorrect motor
When it blew up.
I bought correct block from here out west
Had to get correct heads from a guy in Chicago
This was before internet was so dialed in
Hemings Motor News , was the google search option back then

When that car sold
It was worth many thousands more
Than it would have been
If it was not #s matching

I know, it is not as valuable to most on these trucks
But
I still am also fan of originality.

[Coley]

The number one thing that has prolonged engine life and extended it up to the 300K and beyond mark....is electronic engine management.
Basically a new fuel injected engine is running in perfect tune 99.999% of the time with respect to air/fuel mixture, timing, etc.
Supposedly when you tear down a 100K motor now...inside it looks like new. No carbon deposits or plugged oil galleries, etc.
That is why the mileage is better as well....perfect, optimum tuning. Plus you can run higher compression again these days and if the engine starts to 'ping' and pre-detonate...the engine simply retards the timing automatically and electronically with the anti-knock sensors until it stops...thus protecting the engine.....ba-da-bing!
As a result they have been able to bump up the compression ratios again from the 1970 and 1980 engines...which were pretty low.

On the older carburated engines you were lucky if it stayed in original tune for a month. You would literally have to to tune it daily to have it compete for the near perfect range a modern engine runs in.

....basically not even a practical comparison.

Regardless...from a hobby standpoint....I still love tuning my old 350....carb and all!!

all Good
Coley

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by Coley

The number one thing that has prolonged engine life and extended it up to the 300K and beyond mark....is electronic engine management.
Basically a new fuel injected engine is running in perfect tune 99.999% of the time with respect to air/fuel mixture, timing, etc.
Supposedly when you tear down a 100K motor now...inside it looks like new. No carbon deposits or plugged oil galleries, etc.
That is why the mileage is better as well....perfect, optimum tuning. Plus you can run higher compression again these days and if the engine starts to 'ping' and pre-detonate...the engine simply retards the timing automatically and electronically with the anti-knock sensors until it stops...thus protecting the engine.....ba-da-bing!
As a result they have been able to bump up the compression ratios again from the 1970 and 1980 engines...which were pretty low.

On the older carburated engines you were lucky if it stayed in original tune for a month. You would literally have to to tune it daily to have it compete for the near perfect range a modern engine runs in.

....basically not even a practical comparison.

Regardless...from a hobby standpoint....I still love tuning my old 350....carb and all!!

all Good
Coley

Good points! I recall my truck starting to misfire if I didn't install new spark plugs and set the dwell and timing every 10,000 miles as directed in the owner's manual. Today's vehicles are almost maintenance free in comparison.

[FirstOwner69]

In post 44 I showed pictures of my Protect-O-Plate and the pad stamping. Here is a more readable mirror image of the P-O-P, the casting date from the rear of the block, a repeat of the engine date stamp, the TH400 tag, and the ID on the Eaton H052 axle .

- Engine cast date: K278= Nov 27, 1968 (not on P-O-P)
- Engine pad stamp: V1130XD= Nov 30 (1968) assembly. XD= 1969 350, turbo hydramatic, 4 barrel, C-10 to C-35 trucks.
- TH400 tag: 69T 328= 328th day (1968). 1968 was a leap year so this corresponds to Nov 23. 1968.
- Axle ID: JU1122J1= Nov 22 (1968) (P-O-P shows JU1120J. The axle is original. GM has been known to make mistakes.)

It's interesting that the selling dealer chose to put the miles at delivery (00034) on the P-O-P rather than the delivery date as on the other P-O-Ps shown on this thread.