Name This Part ...... Continued

[Michael H.]

A continuation of Justin Beck's previous post on Saturday, 1 Oct, called "name this part" continues. He posted a mystery part number, 3772895, which turned out to be an aluminum head for a C1 FI car. Very little is known about the life history of these heads and it was suspected that they were most likely never available through parts/service and also never even listed in any parts book.

With a lot of help from Bob Jorjorian, we managed to find some interesting info. It appears that the part probably WAS available through service for several months.

The original, and nearly impossible part number to find in any publication, was not the number that is most commonly known. The first sets were cast and numbered 3767466. As Franz Estereicher mentioned in an earlier post, part number and casting number were the same, which is very unusual. The first mention of this number appears in October of 1959.

In February of 1960, the original number, 3767466, was replaced by a revised part and new part number, 3772895. (the same number that Justin Beck posted)I'm not sure what the revision/s were.

I always wondered why there seemed to be so many sets of these heads floating around. If they were never used in production and never sold through service, there would have been only a handful on the planet but over the last 30 years, I've seen a lot of these. That makes me think that they were indeed sold through service, at least for a few months. More info coming......

Michael

[Joe L.]

Re: Name This Part ...... Continued

Michael------

The 3767466 was, indeed, the original part number for the heads. However, I believe that the head that Franz mentioned in his post as having the same casting number as the finished part number was the 3772895. So, if the 3767466 was also a casting number as well as a part number, then there must have been TWO different castings.

In any event, the 3767466 was released sometime in very late 1959. It was discontinued on February 1, 1960 and replaced by the 3772895. As I previously reported, the latter head was discontinued on March 1, 1960. So, it was only available in SERVICE for 1 month.

[Michael H.]

Re: Name This Part ...... Continued

That would be correct Joe. There were indeed two different part numbers and two different casting numbers. The part number/casting number of the 466 was the same, and the part number/casting number for the 895 was the same. (unusual) That means there was some change in the casting between the 1st and 2nd design.

The 422 was available as early as October of 1959. The Oct 1959 parts book lists the part number and casting number as being the same.

[Michael H.]

October 1959 Parts Book

Here's the 1st design head, listed in an October 1959 parts book.

[Michael H.]

Re: October 1959 Parts Book

I thought it was interesting that there was no other cyl head listed for FI, only the AL head. Also of interest were the special 3767704 washers listed just below, in group 0.293, to be used for AL heads.

This 3767466 number was available, at least in print, from October 1959 to 1 February 1960 so I would have to guess there were many sets sold in that four month period.

Just a guess but I'd think it's also possible that there were several cars in production that had the AL heads?

[Robert Jorjorian]

Tell them how much a 60 aluminum head cost. *NM*

[Michael H.]

Re: Tell them how much a 60 aluminum head cost.

Not sure on the cost. Wonder if anyone has that info? I know I don't.

[Michael H.]

Part Number Change 1 Feb

Here's the page that shows the 1st design 3767466 being replaced by the 3772895 on 1 February, 1960. That means the original part was available, at least on paper, for five months. Are there any documented cars that were delivered with AL heads?

[Peter L.]

Re: Part Number Change 1 Feb

Michael - Things moved fast. P/N 3772895 is not listed in the 1933-1960 Chevrolet Parts & Accessories Catalog, P&A 30, Effective April 1, 1960. In fact did any of these head part numbers ever make it in to the Parts Catalogs? Pete

[Michael H.]

Re: Part Number Change 1 Feb

Peter,

The April print would have missed it by one month. The 3772895 was discontinued on 1 March, and the new April printing would have shown the cast iron replacement.

The 1st scan that I posted is an actual page from the October printing of the parts book, so that means the 1st design head was listed and supposedly available from at least that time to 1 Feb, when it was replaced by the 2nd design, part number 3772895.

The same parts/price book has an additional section in the extreme rear that lists all interium part numbers, and that's where the 2nd scan came from.

Years ago, I always assumed that the AL cyl head and it's part number were "top secret stuff" but I've learned that this just wasn't the case. I never suspected that the part number was actually in a parts and price book. I learn something new every day.

Michael

[Peter L.]

Re: Part Number Change 1 Feb

Michael - Don't we all "learn something new every day.' And in this "hobby" there's plenty to be learned. Sometimes it takes some digging. Pete

[Michael H.]

Re: Part Number Change 1 Feb

Yes, and this was a good example of that "digging" because, as most everyone knows, I'm not knowledgeable, at all, on C1, so I had to call in reinforcements. I knew Jorjorian has older parts books than I do so he was able to chase this part number and get all of it's history. We both struggled a bit on this one because he's all about 63-67 also. (I still can't tell a 59 from a 60)

To me, the research part is the most interesting.

Michael

[Loren L.]

The closest to "being delivered" with

aluminum heads that I am aware of is that one of the Cunningham Le Mans cars received - as a replacement "let's go racing" motor - a block that was stamped as originally having been asembled with aluminum heads BUT it came to Momo's garage with cast iron heads. There was a previous Restorer article by Dave Campbell on this topic that concluded that 11 (memory gap???) motors had been assembled on March 11 - the cunningham motor was assembled 03II.

[GL Anderson]

Re: Name This Part ...... Continued

If you look at Volume Four, Number Two, Fall 1977 issue of the Restorer, there is a good article from Hot Rod Magazine dated November 1959 by Ray Brock on the 1960 Aluminum heads. Looking at the pics of the featured head and comparing it to my NOS 895 heads there are a number of differences. First, there is no exhaust transfer port between the intake ports. Second there is no casting numbers that I can see under the intake ports like the 895s have. Third it appears there are "Winters" marks on the top side unlike the 895s which have the casting number, casting date (6-24-59) and GIF cast between the pushrod holes. Fourth there is a screw in plug shown between the exhaust ports on those heads that isn't on the 985s. These are the differences I can see on the pics, there may be others. These differences make me wonder if the heads in the Restorer article are the 466 heads because they sure aren't the 895s. GL

[Michael H.]

Re: Name This Part ...... Continued

That's interesting, especially the fact that your NOS 895's were cast 24 June 1959, seven months before it replaced the 466 in service. Wonder why the 466 stayed in the books for so long if GM knew there was a new design already completed. By chance, did your set of 895's come in an original GM box with a part number?

I'd like to see a set of these, especially NOS. Anyone considering bringing a set to the FL meet in January?