Engine block stamping

[Steve Gibbs]

I have a question that pertains to both Chevy and Ford performance motors. The term "matching numbers" tends to be synonomous with GM products so I'm hoping somebody here can shed some light on why manufactures stamped VIN #'s in blocks. In the mid 60's, Ford built a High Performance 289 which found it's way into 65-67 Shelbys and was also offered as an option in Mustangs, Fairlanes and a few other cars. The High Performance 289 a.k.a. "K" motor is known to have had the cars VIN # stamped in it during production while other variations of the 289 motor did not.

I guess my question has 2 parts...

1. Did GM stamp ONLY performance motors
2. If so, why only performance motors?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide

[Mike M.]

Re: Engine block stamping

all corvette engines, beginning with the lowley 235 ci of '53, were suffix'd by gm . Vin#'s started showing up in about 1960 on corvettes.I think chevy pass cars started to get vin 3's in 65 with the mark 4 engines and by about 67 for sb equipped pass cars. Don'tknow( and don't really give two hoots what Henry and the boys did with their small block wannabes but i'm prejudiced) regards, mike

[Dave Suesz]

As an MCA judge...

I would like to elaborate on your statement. Some 289HP equipped GT 350's had part of the Shelby VIN stamped near the negative cable grounding bolt on the block. Production Mustangs did not. Some later "CobraJet" and BOSS Mustangs had a partial VIN stamped on the engine, transmission, or both. There as yet is no clear pattern as to why some do and some do not. "Matching numbers" is a much mis-used expression when applied to Ford products. The only real numbers you can match on a Ford is the date-coding in the castings. On the other hand, Ford put the engine type in the VIN, so fake big-block cars are not possible.

In the early 60's (exacly when you'll have to get from a Corvette judge) Chevrolet began putting the VIN serial on the block of their cars. I was a kid then, but I believe it was a response to engine theft. At that time the Corvette was the #1 most stolen car in America.

[Steve Gibbs]

Re: Engine block stamping

I sort of expected to run into one or two predjudiced vette owners here. Go ahead, lay it on me, I have thick skin but really what I'm trying to get at is what was the purpose of stamping the VIN # in a block back in the 60's?

[Michael S.]

Re: Engine block stamping

I "thought" the Federal Government required VIN stamping by the manufacturers on the engine and transmission in 1968. It was right around that time frame. Always wondered how Ford got away without doing this stamping.

My 65 and 66 Shelby's have had the VIN stamped by oil pan rail. Had on 67 that did and one that did not have a VIN stamp. Also was the second owner on a 68 GT-350 convertible and it did not have a VIN stamp. Have seen numerous 68's with VIN stamps.

Interesting that Corvette started around 1961.

[Joe L.]

Re: Engine block stamping

Steve-----

The purpose of the VIN stamping was to aid in identification of the engine if it was removed from a stolen car and re-installed in another. In the 60's, the practice of stealing and stripping cars got into "high gear". Usually, the components that thiefs were then looking for were engines and transmissions, especially the high performance variety. So, GM started applying a VIN derivative to Corvette engines in 1960. Corvettes were the prime victim of stealing and stripping for their engines. Later, as high performance engines found their way into other types of cars, GM started applying VIN derivatives to their engines and transmissions, too.

I'm sure that't the reason that Ford applied them to the SHP 289s (271 hp in standard Mustangs and, as I recall, 305 hp in the Shelby-reworked GT-350s). I'm sure that these SHP 289s were the "apple of every car thief's eye". I'll bet that little "high performance" bar added to the front fender 289 emblems of standard Mustangs "guided them to their prime targets", too

Today, with car theft progressing far beyond the engine and transmission removal in the "chop shop" environment of the time, the auto manufacturers have been applying identification labels to FAR more components than in days of yore. Bar-coding helps to "personalize" these labels/stampings even more.

[Dave Suesz]

Hertz lost a ton...

The GT350 rent-a-car often turned up with 289 2V engine after a weekend with an unscrupulous renter. Of course, even more often they just raced the **** out of them.

[Steve Gibbs]

Re: Engine block stamping

Thanks for your insight Joe. Good stuff.

[Dave Suesz]

If so I've seen a bazillion violations...

Ecxept for some BOSS engines I've NEVER seen a VIN on a 68-73 drivetrain.