1967 big block numbers

[g.r.rogers]

membership #33570. I have a 67 Big Blk matching numbers car.I am currently totally restoring the car,body,pnt,interior,chrome,electrical running gear etc. My question is I have a chance to get another 427 big block. The seller said the block is correct for a 1967 corvette. It has stamped on the front T010JE. Would this block be worth while to buy? It has 4 bolt mains, hi-per-pass casted on it, and b147 on the block by the dip stick. I mentioned to the seller that I thought the block was a 1967 correct block, but the type block that was a correct factory reproduction or replacement. Is this the type block someone would get if they had purchased a 435hp car in 67 and under warranty lunched the engine and had the dealer install this type block as a replacment? And what does T010 mean. I know JE means 427/435hp block but no more. Thanks GRR

[Dave]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

The T stands for the Tonawanda (suburb of Buffalo, New York) forge and foundry. All the BBs were cast and assembled there. (I watched them hook up, start and test engines one day - they hung by their carb studs and reved to the red line for a minute as a test.) The rest of the stamping for a (i.e. Feb 3, 1966 390hp) would be Tmmddcc - where mm is month dd is day and cc is the code for the assembled product. T0203IL is a Feb 3 390hp. Your stamp is missing a number, and the codes are in the parts book. - Dave

[Tom B.]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

g.r.,

From your information, the 427 block should be an original block from a 1967 Corvette. The JE designates it as an L71 427/435 hp. The casting date is February 14, 19x7. The casting number that you didn't mention should be 3904351. As mentioned already, the stamped assembly date is missing a digit. You may have inadvertently left it out of your message or it is has been stamped in error. As it appears now, it could be narrowed down, but there are still quite a few possibilites. The stamped assembly date should be sometime after the casting date of February 14.

If you are interested in purchasing it, I would think it would be worth keeping if the rest of the information can be checked out to be correct. I don't know what I could give you as it's value, though. TBarr #24014

[Jerry Clark]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

Hi Dave:

They hung by their carb studs ? I wouldn't have thought that would be possible.

jerry

[Dave, NCRS#24235]

Tonawanda BB engine tests

yeah! I watched the test stand operators (I had a 63 roadster in 66 and I was nosy). The hang device had a steel hoist cable and a hose connected to a plate with 4 quick releases. The operator picked the engine off the line with it, docked the engine to exhaust connections, then fired it up. The intake can take the weight and the dock must have taken the torque (It's been 30+ years). What amazed me was seeing the engine at red line right after start up - knowing how people baby new cars while breaking them in. - Dave

[Jerry Clark]

Re: Tonawanda BB engine tests

Hi Dave:

Thanks for the description. I have never heard this one before. I would suspect that the intake could stand the weight but the carb studs surprised me, (especially if the engine were equipped with an aluminum intake).

jerry

[motorman]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

i have installed many engines in cars by using a plate bolted to the carb mounting bolt holes with no trouble. also i believe that they fired those engines with natural gas, right?

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

Guys,

I put my freshly rebuilt 454 and TurboHydro 400, as a unit, into the Suburban with a carb plate. It does have iron manifold. Doubt I would do that with Corvette motor and certainly not with aluminum intake, but I wanted to see if it would work.

I did have minor seepage, as we used to say in the air plane business, at intake/head junction after start up, but a re-torque of intake fixed that. That was 120K ago and no problems since.

My recollection of my tour of Tonawanda (I would have to look up the story in the Restorer for the date, but it was as they closed the Mark IV assembly line) was that they moved/lifted the complete engines by the lifting hooks attached to the left front intake and right rear of head. Plate for natural gas supply when running on hot test stand went over carb opening on intake. If they ran to red line they were showing off for the tourists - a likely possibility. There were specs for the hot test, in terms of time engine ran and max rpm's. Corvettes ran longer than engines for other applications (same story BTW from the folks at Flint) They set final time of distributor and balance of rotating assy at this time.

I can not remember all the details of that Restorer story now, but there might even be a photo of an engine on the hot test stand in it. The plant manager was nice enough to send a communications person with us to take lots of photos, some of which John published with the story.

Terry

[Wayne W.]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

There is a photo of this in The Best Of Corvette News along with a very good article called From Shaving Cream to Boxcar. The shaving cream was used in the openings of the heads before assembly to keep the metal filings from dropong into the engine.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

Good memory Wayne - I forgot that one. Best part of that one is it is mid-year time frame, so more current with our interests.

Terry

[Dave, NCRS#24235]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

If you can scan the photo and send it to me at dw70004@deere.com - I would love to see it. If not can you be specific as to book/magazine and author?

I was a contract fork truck mechanic (working my way through engineering school) when I saw the test stations in the sixties. These workers weren't showing off for me - I went to use the men's room above the assembly floor, and I had to step over a dozen assembly line workers sleeping on the floor. The assembly line was being run by "relief men". - Dave

[Dave, NCRS#24235]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

I don't know what kind of mix came in the hose. I was a contract fork truck mechanic working on a dead leased unit. - Dave (see note below)

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

Sorry Dave - NCRS CD collection of Restorers does not allow for scanning of images. I know it will print the text of stories, but have not found a way, if any, of printing images. Probably due to the desire of NCRS to sell products to pay for the operation of this site.

I did look and among the 35+ photos printed there of the Mark IV assembly process (taken in June 1990) there are 2 of hot test area - one shows engines on the hooks I described above and the other is of the test stand with engine connected. Look at The Corvette Restorer V 18, #3, Winter 1992.

The Corvette News article mentioned above shows engines on the same kinds of hooks in 1967 at Tonawanda. That one even shows the paint line - if my memory serves, but I can not remember the issue. That one might be harder to find than the 1992 Restorer.

Terry

[Martin M.]

Re: 1967 big block numbers

HI Terry

Regarding printing of images - Screen Shot Deluxe 2.0, currently available at mattel.com for 10 bucks, will print anything on the screen. Remember the print screen key. Works great.

Marty