C1 small block id quandry

[Reed Flickinger (27656)]

I'm trying to figure out which small block is living temporarily in my 59 C1. The casting number is 391468, with a date of J 9 7, all of which would indicate a 327 block from Nov. 67. Yet the stamp pad is CF 835081, for which I can find no vehicle applications. The heads are 3782461, cast in H 21 5, July '65. The intake is less help, an Offenhauser with 3 2 bbls. Obviously it is a Frankenstein that (may have) worked well when installed in the late '60s. Is it a 327, 302 or 350 and from what? And since it has obvisiouly been built at some point by Bubba, is there any way to determine? It will come out an come apart so the stock block can go in, but short of tearing it down, I'm stumped. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Reed Flickinger

[Jack Humphrey (17100)]

Re: C1 small block id quandry

Not atypical for an old driver car that 'lost' its factory original engine via substitution... You've got a Heinz 57 under the hood that 'works'...

The '468 block is a 327 and it WAS used in Corvette applications during 1968. The 461 power pack heads agree with 327 usage from the '65-66 era.

Guess I don't know what you're trying to 'determine' as you post says you know you've got a 'Bubba' engine under the hood...

[Joe Lucia (12484)]

Re: C1 small block id quandry

Reed----

There was no cylinder block with a casting number of 391468. However, there was a block with casting number 3914678. This is a large journal, 4" bore block that was released for the 1968 model year and used, for some applications (mostly trucks), through the 1979 model year. So, the date could be either 1967 (which is likley) or 1977 (which is far less likely). This block was used for 302, 327, and 350 engine sizes and there's no way to know which yours is. However, if the date actually is 1967, then it's likely it's a 327.

If you look closely, I think you'll find that the stamping prefix is "CE" and not "CF". Part of the "E" might have gotten lightly stamped or not at all. If so, it represents a prefix used for crate engine assemblies. So, considereing that the heads are earlier, this engine probably started life as a crate short block assembly------bare blocks usually had no pad stamping.

[Joe Mish (43421)]

Re: C1 small block id quandry

Could that block cast # be 4638 or 4678 instead of 468?
A quick look at the mortec site lists 4638 as a 327 truck.
4678 lists as a 302/Z28 or 327 or 350.

[Michael Hanson (4067)]

Re: C1 small block id quandry

Reed,

I think this block is from the 70's, not the 60's. J97 would work for 1967 with one exception. The "CE" block stamping system didn't begin until early 1969, so if the block is so stamped, it would have to be 1977.