1965 engine numbers

[John Lawson]

I recently purchased a 1965 roadster with a build date of L14, VIN 194675S 123097. The engine casting code is 3782870. The casting date however appears to be L 18 3, making it a 1964 engine? The correct vin number is stamped on the pad as 123097 (no 5 preceeding the VIN#). The other pad stamping is F01 225HF. I am the 5th owner of this car, owner #1 unknown, owners #2 & 3 deceased, owner #4 is a local guy who bought the car in 1990 at Carlisle. He was not a "car guy" but just had the whim for a Corvette and has money. He had no idea what he was buying. The seller in 1990 signed a notarized statement stating that the engine "was an original" . When inspecting this car for purchase I determined that the block may be AN original but it was not THE original engine. I paid accordingly and got a very good deal.
I would like to put this car back to "as it left the factory" which includes a correct numbers matching engine, be it 300hp or 350hp. My seller claims it was an 350shp built car, as told to him in 1990.
Here is what I know: the tach redlines at 6,000, it has aluminum intake # 3844461, exhaust manifolds # 3846563 and 3:70 posi read # AO 715 65 (matches build code). the person I bought the car from had the original carb (Holley)replaced in 1993 by the local Chevrolet dealership (bye-bye original Holly, I presume). The valve covers are aluminum with the flaw (correct for late 1965??).
Could this be a factory or dealership replacement block?
Is there any other way to verify that this car was a 350shp built car?
Other details: paint code is U-U, trim 407B, mileage 51,500.
Thanks in advance for any help you may provide.
I was involved in the GTO hobby for the last 20 years and had the advantage of Pontiac Historical Society which has the build sheets for most cars. With $35 and your VIN number you got every detail of the car.

[John H.]

Re: 1965 engine numbers

John -

The L 18 3 pretty much nails the block as for a '64 model year car, but the pad stamp (F01225HF) doesn't make sense; there should be only four numbers between the "F" and the "HF" (month and day), not five, and the "HF" suffix was only used in 1965, for a 327/300hp 4-speed. The VIN derivative should have a "5" in front of it. The car was built on July 26th (must be an A.O. Smith body, with an L14 (July 14th) body build date, which makes it highly unlikely that it would have a January-built engine.

The tach and intake are correct for a 350hp, and the 563 exhaust manifold is correct for the left side (right side should be 3797902); valve covers didn't have the casting flaw until late '66.

Looks like the engine was replaced at some point with a '64 block, incorrectly re-stamped as a '65 300hp (with an extra digit) with the car's VIN stamped without the "5".

[John Lawson]

Re: 1965 engine numbers

Yes, that is what I thought, and I bought the car under the assumption that the block was incorrect. The person I bought the car from took a real "hit" on the car but thats what happens when you don't invest some time and a little money in doing your homework!
I plan on driving the car for a couple of years (its a wonderful car, better than any of the four GTO's I've owned in the past!) a real fun car to drive and a great color combination (red/red) and then doing a full blown restoration to NCRS specs.
Plans include a correct numbers matching engine and I'm going to assume that it was originally a 350shp car.
Thanks for your input and i can see already that membership in NCRS is worth way more than $35!