VIN/block question

[Charles M.]

The car is a 64, the engine is a replacement - 3858174 / F04I2HCH
Cast C 29 6 – March 29, 1966 in Flint
Assembled April 12th

The stamp pad no VIN. Is this because it is a replacement from GM and wouldn't have a VIN or did passenger car engines like this had no VIN to begin with? I don't know if this unit was bought new way back when for this car or came used from a donor car.

[Mike M.]

Re: VIN/block question

64 chevy pass cars and trucks didn't have their vin # stamped on their original engine pads.i've been told by VCCA judges that the first pass cars to have vin #'s on theri orig engine pads were the 396's, and if my memory serves me, the 409 boat anchors engines. mike

[Charles M.]

Re: VIN/block question

So I will most likely never know if this engine was used or new when it was put into this car. You think?

[Mike M.]

Re: VIN/block question

i have seen over the counter blocks that had no data stamped on the pad and i've seen over the counter blocks that has just the machine assembly data stamped on the blocks.doubt you'll ever know for sure. mike

[Tom D.]

Flint Stamps

F04I2HCH indicates the engine was assembled in Flint on 4/12, specifically for a passenger car with 275 HP and Powerglide. At the time, I believe such cars were also being built in Flint, near the V-8 plant on Van Slyke. I conclude that the engine was put into a 1966 Chevrolet and that no VIN was stamped on the engine.

[Verne Frantz]

Re: VIN/block question

You know Mike,
You're getting just a little snotty about this passenger car VIN business. Not to mention the "boat anchor" slam.
If that's what the VCCA is saying, THEY'RE WRONG!

One more time: Beginning with the '62 (NINETEEN SIXTY TWO) model year, 300hp and higher passenger car engines received the VIN derivitive on the engine pad.
It really shouldn't be too difficult to verify this, since there are so many out there.

I have numerous original examples on file. Not restamped clones or restored cars. I've been doing this research for 22 years. And yes, I have also seen several of those engines that missed the VIN stamp.

The easier (and more accurate) answer to Chuck's question would be that his engine could not be a passenger car engine, since none of them used the suffix code on his block.

Have a good day,
Verne.

[Verne Frantz]

None in '64 *NM*

[John H.]

Re: VIN/block question

His casting date and pad stamp date lines up nicely with the usage of the "HCH" suffix on '66 327/275hp Powerglide passenger cars; this was one of the very few 3-digit suffixes ever used prior to 1970.

[Verne Frantz]

Re: VIN/block question

My *NM* addendum was meant to clarify that I meant the HCH did not appear on 1964 passenger cars. I missed the fact that he had already identified it as a '66 block. I was focusing on other issues.

[Charles M.]

Chill everybody

How about this .. Since "HCH" is so uncommon somebody give me a bucket full of money for it and I'll go find something more correct.

[Mike Cobine]

Re: Chill everybody

Let me know how much you get, because I have TWO with HCH on them.

[Charles M.]

Re: Chill everybody

You do? Wow, we should start a club. Have you done anything with them or are they just spares?

[Mike Cobine]

Re: Chill everybody

I was looking on my list of engine parts and only found one listed.

It was a 327 that friend and I cleaned up one night on a parking lot in desperation under a street light, stuffed rings and bearings in it, a good cam, and dropped it in the car to race the next day. Ended up leaving it for the next three months of racing. Standard bore and needs cut to probably .030 to take the taper out so it won't smoke. Right now it is a short block minus the cam waiting for a project. It is a J 12 5 date, FI0I3HCH 327 for a PG. I got it free because a friend pulled it out of a '64 Impala thinking it was a 283.

The other one must be my 302. If that is the case, then it has No. 8 cylinder split down the side in two places and is basically junk unless someone wants to sleeve it and drive it easy on the street. It blew up at 7500 rpm and is a short block with 7 - 12.5:1 pistons in it. It would make sense not to be on my list since it is blown up.

Heck of a club you are trying to form.

[Charles M.]

Re: Chill everybody

Yours was cast Oct 12th and assembled the next day? I thought it took much longer or I am reading the code incorrectly. I guess that gives me my next NCRS question. Watch for it.