C3 Block 3970010 with solid lifters

[Brian Monticello]

Hello-
I need a little help. I'l looking at purchasing a '64 coupe NOM as a driverr and the owner isn't sure which engine is under the hood. The block casting # is 3970010 and he says it has mechanical lifters.

My research shows that this casting number is for a 350 but here and there I find it listed as a 302 and 327. The car has a 4 barrel Holley with and the distributor is NOT transitorized. This engine may be a collection of things but I thought some of you may know based on the vavetrain and the casting #. The seller is unable (perhaps unwilling) to find the head identification.

Any comments are greatly appreciated.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Block 3970010 with solid lifters

Brian------

GM casting #3970010 is a VERY common small block casting which was used from late 1969 through 1979 in a wide variety of Chevrolet cars and trucks. For the most part, this casting was used for 350 cid engines only. However, late 1969 Camaros with 302 CID engines (Z-28) also used the casting. As far as I know, it was not used for any 327 cid engines, but it's possible that it was and, in any event, a 327 could be built up from a 3970010 casting using a large journal 327 crankshaft and 327 pistons.

The only engines that ever had mechanical lifters and used the 3970010 casting were the 1969 302 CID application that I spoke of, plus 1970-72 LT-1 engines used in Corvettes and Camaros. No other PRODUCTION or SERVICE engines using the 3970010 block used mechanical lifters. However, mechanical lifters could be retrofitted to ANY 3970010 block without any problem, at all. Simply changing the cam and the lifters is all that it requires. Many solid lifter cam set-ups were undoubtedly retrofitted to engines using the 3970010 block and originally equipped with hydraulic lifters. The engine that you speak of MAY be one of them.