55 engine

[Kert Berteau]

Can anyone tell me how to tell the difference between a 55 vette engine and the chevy 55 engines?

[John P.]

Re: 55 engine

Te '55 Corvette engines were manufactured in Flint while most passenger car engines came from Tonowanda. A casting date with a two digit year ie 54 or 55 would denote a Tonowanda block while a 4 or 5 year designator indicates a Flint (Corvette) engine. Date cast is on the passenger side upper rear of the engine. The engine pad stamping if it is a Flint block would start with an F followed by a two digit year followed by a suffix code FG if a powerglide application or a GR if a 3 speed application. Example F55FG

[John P.]

Re: 55 engine

The correct V8 engine block for a '55 Corvette is 3703524 cast on the upper drivers side rear of the block.

[Dave Suesz]

And now the $64 Question...

What color was it? Red? Orange? Reddish orange? Lavender? (just kidding). I wish this question had come up years ago, there was a yard near here with dozens of 55-57 Chevys in it, junked when only a few years old, so color would have been original engine paint. BTW, there was a 55 Power Pac engine on eBay a couple times, (pulled from a car in '62) didn't sell. I still have the guys' email address. PS- It's red.

[Kert Berteau]

Re: 55 engine

Just checked the engine again and the number on the back of the block on the driver's side is 3703524. On the passenger side says F245

[John P.]

Re: 55 engine

Looks like you have a 55 Corvette motor. Look at the number stamped in front of the passenger side head on a smooth surface. It is stamped in and should read F55FG or F55GR if you have a rare 3 speed car. What is the vin# of your car. This is the number on the metal plate attached to the drivers side front door jam. Should read E55S000 plus some number around 100 I would guess?

[Mike E.]

Re: 55 engine

The differences? Cam and lifters, and stamping on the block. Casting number on both the blocks were the same, and the casting numbers on the heads were the same between Vettes and passenger cars also. Intake was the same. Carbs were the same. Valve covers were the same, but Corvette were chromed. Pans were the same. Exhaust manifolds were same castings. Not much difference!!