Question for you restoration guys and our purists?

[67 cst swb]

My 67 CST originally had a 327 engine stamp date (front pass cyl head surface) of V1220YH as determined in the protect-o-plate.
But, the original motor is gone.
Not that it hugely important but...
What would have likely been the casting date on that 327 block, in order for it to be stamped 12/20 (I'm assuming Dec 20th 1966 as my VIN code is J122461.)
Would the block likely have been cast in November sometime or December or could it have been as early as August of 1966 or ???

My thought here is:
I have to find a block/engine anyway... I might as well find something close to that approximate original cast date... as I still have the original trans and rear axle that match the protect-o-plate. It may be important to someone else someday.

And if you could help out with a possible block casting number, that would be great as well.

So if any of you guys with a original engine 1967 327 could shed some light on what you have, that might be helpful also.

Thanks

[davepl]

What am I missing that you're not searching for a V12220YH? If it's different at all, is that any better or worse than being completely different?

[SS Tim]

Ideally a 12/66 Janesville truck can be located and checked.
Generally casting dates preceed engine assembly dates by a day or a little more. So if you could find a block say the 13-19th you are still doing good.

But since you have the actual date you should try to find a V1220YH stamped engine.
YH is a 49 state (without K19) 327/4bbl/TH400 auto engine found in C10-C20 applications.
They built a lot more than just your former engine on that Tuesday (the 20th) in December of '66 with that same number.

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by davepl

What am I missing that you're not searching for a V12220YH? If it's different at all, is that any better or worse than being completely different?

For mere money a close block or even the exact date block with the wrong suffix can be "reidentified".

[67 cst swb]

Originally Posted by davepl

What am I missing that you're not searching for a V12220YH? If it's different at all, is that any better or worse than being completely different?

Dude, That's way too deep for my brain.

I have kinda looked for a V1220YH stamped block with no luck.

[67 cst swb]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Ideally a 12/66 Janesville truck can be located and checked.
Generally casting dates preceed engine assembly dates by a day or a little more. So if you could find a block say the 13-19th you are still doing good.

But since you have the actual date you should try to find a V1220YH stamped engine.
YH is a 49 state (without K19) 327/4bbl/TH400 auto engine found in C10-C20 applications.
They built a lot more than just your former engine on that Tuesday (the 20th) in December of '66 with that same number.

What do you mean that "a 12/66 Janesville truck can be located and checked"... more info on this please.

I have been "kinda" looking for a V1220YH stamped block for awhile. as in when I hear of a guy that pulls a 327 out of a 1967 truck here on the board, I message them asking about it. I once posted a request here on the board about it. But I can't say I "HAVE LOOKED" in a serious manner.

You are exactly correct. It does have the Protect-o-Plate correct TH400 still in it. I was not sure if it was a A.I.R. engine or not. The guy that pulled the original 327 out said that it was 4 bbl. Unfortunately, that original 327 was thought to have been thrown in the trunk of a impala and crushed back in approximately 1995-1996. Bummer...

SS Tim... thank you so much for the info. I was just talking about how informed you were to a guy just yesterday.

[67 cst swb]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

For mere money a close block or even the exact date block with the wrong suffix can be "reidentified".

I am not trying to fraud any numbers matching deal here. I just think it would be kinda cool to have a dang close dated 327 in the truck. hopefully even the correct cast number block, cyl heads, intake and carb would be awesome...
of coarse... a V1220YH engine from a 1967 blue longbox CST with A/C, PS, PB, Buddy Buckets and a wood floor would be a dream come true. Because the engine is all I am missing... the TH400 and the 3.73 posi rearend is all still there. I am not 100% on if the 3.73 and posi are correct or even still in there. But the Protect-o-Plate correct rear axle housing is there. I seem to remember the codes leading me to that conclusion or maybe I am dreamimg there. I am no where near the numbers to verify at the moment.

[SS Tim]

The best and safest way to build backward is to match up to another stock vehicle from the same plant and timeframe. The closer in date, model and content the better.
So try to find another 12/66 build C10 or 20 from Janesville and see what it has. That will help give a window for block lead times. Actually any 12/66 build with a Flint assembled engine will be very helpful dating all the casting numbers. But unless you are planning a restamp, any date other than 1220 or a suffix code other the YH will not be correct.


No doubt it was a 4bbl, the 2bbl 327s were a 40 up truck series engine. The 2bbl C10-30s were 283s.
If your truck had been built wth K19 (A.I.R.) it would be on the SPID and the engine block would have been coded YJ.

[67 cst swb]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

The best and safest way to build backward is to match up to another stock vehicle from the same plant and timeframe. The closer in date, model and content the better.
So try to find another 12/66 build C10 or 20 from Janesville and see what it has. That will help give a window for block lead times. Actually any 12/66 build with a Flint assembled engine will be very helpful dating all the casting numbers. But unless you are planning a restamp, any date other than 1220 or a suffix code other the YH will not be correct.


No doubt it was a 4bbl, the 2bbl 327s were a 40 up truck series engine. The 2bbl C10-30s were 283s.
If your truck had been built wth K19 (A.I.R.) it would be on the SPID and the engine block would have been coded YJ.

So, would that be a 4G or a 4GC Rochester carb? Such as maybe a 7027125 tag #

[SS Tim]

Any V1220YH factory stamped block (67 C10-20) is "correct" for your truck if not "the" original block.

[67 cst swb]

Would finding a V1220YH be realistic to find?
How many engine could have been produced in Flint Michigan on Tuesday Dec 20 of 1966 with a TH400 behind it?

[SS Tim]

The service manual is showing a 4G coded 7027125.

[SS Tim]

While Power Glides were a big part of the light truck automatic market in 67-68 a lot of TH400s were sold too. So I'd keep looking.

[67 cst swb]

Here is my original post:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=72183

[Redline novdog]

correct me if I am wrong ,but is there not a so called casting clock cast into the block along with the block casting#. You could find a block with (PERIOD) correct casting numbers?

[71blksuper4x4]

I wouldn't worry about finding a date block that close to the assembly date of the truck. Many vehicles of the era have blocks ranging in the 2 or so months before vehicle production date. I know over on Team Chevelle, many blocks have been from months ahead of the vehicle production date, chances are, yours was the same. There are some that were built very close to assembly date, and some that have been made in the year previous, (late year motor built and put in early part of next year) but in reality without the original motor, you will never know. They didn't make engines that day normally, on a assembly line, they don't have time to make a complete engine and put it in the truck coming down the line, they grab assembled engines and put them in when needed. Trevor

[SS Tim]

Please remember we are working from the engine build and not the vehicle assembly month code which could be easily in January of 67.
We KNOW the block build date and suffix code. To that end he is trying to find an engine built on that day to correct his truck. While not the original it will be from the same batch that was assembled at Flint engine and bulk shipped out to various vehicle assembly plants for final dress and installation. These were installed in various C10-20s with a TH400 that were not optioned with K19. This means a workable "correct" engine could come from just about any plant except probably Fremont, CA "Z".

While it is true cars tend to have looser production lead times on their engines I suspect it has more to do with mostly HIPO engine availabilty than anything else. I have seen a number of truck engines cast and stamped in a 36 hour period. Often with vehicle assembly dates within a week from the engine assembly date including shipped to CA too.

At this point block casting number, date or clocks won't help finding a block. Though period, only one assembly engine code is truely "correct".

However being able to nail down 12/66 L30 327 casting dates will help in the event an engine needs to be built from a bare block. These will give head and intake usage along with their respective casting dates.