292 Engine Dress Number

[dagnabbitt]

Can anyone decode this engine dress number? It is on a 292. All the research I have done on here leads me to believe that this is not a "regular" dress number for a 292: as most of them have letters for the date codes and such, while this has only numbers.

It is in an Oshawa built truck, and although the truck is a '68, I have reason to believe the block is older than that. Hoping OrangeSunshine sees this, but I'd like to hear from everyone if you know.

[Steeveedee]

The digits are wandering a bit. Maybe it's a service replacement block/engine? Are the last digits part of your VIN?

[dagnabbitt]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

The digits are wandering a bit. Maybe it's a service replacement block/engine? Are the last digits part of your VIN?

No, they are not.

Oshawa's plant code is not a letter, however, but simply the number "1". So I thought maybe one of those ones in the number might indicate it is an Oshawa block like the rest of the truck.

[dagnabbitt]

I've been working on this truck for so long that I forgot that I already found the casting numbers. From what I could figure out the block might have been cast on May 4, 1964...?

Maybe I am misunderstanding what this dress number on the machined pad is for: and/or what it would tell me. I have searched old threads on the subject and it seems like directories for this info are all "404 Not Found" websites now.

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

The digits are wandering a bit. Maybe it's a service replacement block/engine? Are the last digits part of your VIN?

From everything on the books I have on GM sixes, that is not a factory stamping. First it is too many characters, by one or two digits depending on the year. As you mentioned the first 2 or 3 and last 2 or 3 characters are normally letter combinations.

The casting number says it is a 292 for years 63-72.

I think your date estimation is correct for may 4 1964.

I have never come across any locations in US that would"legally" redo the identification number on a engine block. I have heard of some foreign countries that have laws about changing them when put in another car. Not sure if Canada had/has any rules like that where it would warrant restamping that number.

[dagnabbitt]

Unless an alteration is made to deceive a buyer - unlikely in this case - there are not really any rules regarding engine serial numbers in my jurisdiction. None that are observed, anyway. Our inspections are strictly for mechanical roadworthiness: and even those are often waived. In Alberta there is no smog testing, and we certainly do not look for the VIN in multiple locations. In short, we just like to know that the vehicle is not stolen, and if it has brakes.

This discussion does confirm one thing: this is not the original engine for the truck. I have the build sheet and the engine code on there is K1229UM, which would be a St. Catharines, Ontario block, built on December 29 1967, about two weeks before the truck was shipped.

Being that it is a 1964 block mated to a 1964 transmission, I would have to guess that the two have always been together and were both dropped into this truck at some point. If it were a replacement engine, it was probably not a replacement engine for this truck, but for the vehicle the combo was in before.

This is fun, still kind of curious about this engine dress number, though. Maybe someone with a 292 will chime in.