HELP with a mystery engine....please

[Quentin R.]

Good morning. A friend of mine who is into Tri-5's has pulled this engine from his car and wants to know if this is a Vette motor from '57. Could an expert please educate us? Thanks, Quentin (NCRS # 58271)my notes from a few months ago



From the engine:
Block 3731548- stamped F123FC (F=Flint), 8GM, A237=Jan. 23, 1957, FC indicates 283 4bbl PG, heads 3731539 /A227/ GM 6, L exhaust 3733975, R exhaust 3733978, intake 3731898, water pump 37384 ?99? Below are some notes I gathered from forums:

+ + + + For Tonawanda engines/heads, the date code ends with TWO numbers for the year (ie 57 for 1957) and the Flint date code ends with ONE number for the year (ie 7 for 1957).
So, there were engines from BOTH Tonawanda and Flint engine plants with 539 heads, and here is where I'm going. Fuel Injection engines ONLY came from the Flint plant!!!!!!!!!!! Thus, a CORRECT 539 head for an FI engine will have a date code ending with just a 7, NOT 57! BUT, the 548 block also needs to be a Flint block. AND, since ALL Vette engines were Flint built, and since FI was a VERY low volume option (compared to ALL engines), all the FI engines (Vette and pass car) were built at Flint.

[Michael W.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

No mystery.

F123FC =

F engine assembled at Flint MI
123= assembled Jan 23
FC= code was used in several model years but with a casting year of 1957, FC was used for a 283 cu.in. engine with a 4 bbl carb in a full size car with powerglide trans.

Remeber the old rules of thumb- all SBC or BBC engines that have lost their original vehicles 'came from a Corvette'. Conversely, all Corvettes that have lost their original engines were born as a high HP BBC or fuelie.

[Terry M.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

No mystery.

F123FC =

F engine assembled at Flint MI
123= assembled 12th day of March
FC= code was used in several model years but with a casting year of 1957, FC was used for a 283 cu.in. engine with a 4 bbl carb in a full size car with powerglide trans.

Remeber the old rules of thumb- all SBC or BBC engines that have lost their original vehicles 'came from a Corvette'. Conversely, all Corvettes that have lost their original engines were born as a high HP BBC or fuelie.

Unless C1s are more different than I thought F123C is, as Quinten said January 23.

[Michael W.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

Unless C1s are more different than I thought F123C is, as Quinten said January 23.

Yes, you're right- still thinking in canajun date format. day/month. I'll fix my post.

[Terry M.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

Yes, you're right- still thinking in canajun date format. day/month. I'll fix my post.

I didn't know the Great White North did it that way; I thought it was Europe/Africa and Asia. I learned something today. Thanks for the opportunity.

[Ed S.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

To expand a bit on Michael Ward's "rule of thumb", also remember that only 756 1957 Corvettes left the factory with the 283 hp fuel injected engine. And of those, only 2584 have survived.

[Gene M.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

.............................
Remember the old rules of thumb- all SBC or BBC engines that have lost their original vehicles 'came from a Corvette'. Conversely, all Corvettes that have lost their original engines were born as a high HP BBC or fuelie.

Good one Mike, made me chuckle. And those BB's just happen to be 425 or 435's. Survival rate somewhere around 160% to 180%.

[Stuart F.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

OK, so folks might make up some additional clone engines (more than originally produced). But, how could they come up with more Rochester Fuelie units than were produced? If I recall correctly, there were no after market units made.

Stu Fox

[Gene M.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

Stu,
Units were options in passenger cars too. What makes you say they were not over counter available?

[Stuart F.]

Re: HELP with a mystery engine....please

Gene;

If we're talking C-1 units; wouldn't they be tracked by serial numbers?

In the late 50's, I and many of my friends made trips to Hall Chevrolet in Milwaukee and Nickey in Chicago for many performance parts and complete assemblies, I. E. Engines, 4-speeds, rear ends, etc. I don't recall anyone buying complete Fuelie units, parts yes, complete assemblies no. That's not to say they weren't available, but I don't recall that they were. Perhaps someone else has a more educated opinion.

Stu Fox