'67 Engine Suffix

[Phillip M.]

I am in the process of doing some engine restoration work on my '67 base engine roadster. In particular, I had noticed on a '67 roadster submitted for Bowtie judging at the NCRS Nationals in 2007, an engine suffix grease pencil "HE" marking hand applied right-side-up, on the driver side head end (facing front). There is nothing in the JG on this marking, and forum archives only discuss block markings on the back of the engine before the heads were installed. The car that I saw with this marking had an engine manufactured one day after mine (V0503 HE vs. mine V0502 HE), so it seems that I should try to mimic this marking. However, would like to know, just for the record, why the assembly line felt compelled to apply this marking.

[Jim D.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Here's a pic. of the engine when I pulled the body off my 65. It shows the markings on the back of both heads clearly applied after the engine was painted. The "HF" is also on the side of the block, upside down and applied prior to painting. My guess is that they tell the assembler what components to use but I have no idea what the "13" means on the back of the drivers side head. Note the paint coverage on the bellhousing.

2011_06290043.jpg

[John H.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Here's a pic. of the engine when I pulled the body off my 65. It shows the markings on the back of both heads clearly applied after the engine was painted. The "HF" is also on the side of the block, upside down and applied prior to painting. My guess is that they tell the assembler what components to use but I have no idea what the "13" means on the back of the drivers side head. Note the paint coverage on the bellhousing.

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Jim -

The white "HE" made it much easier for the fork truck driver (and the engine dress line operator who yanked the engine out of the rack and hung it on the line) to spot the engine from a distance when it was in the shipping rack; without it, they'd have to get up close to look at the suffix on the pad. Same logic applied in the engine plant for routing the finished engine to the correct spot on the rail shipping dock (at 300 engines per hour). The yellow "13" is most likely the St. Louis assembly broadcast sequence number.

[Paul D.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

I had "HT" on both sides of the block up side down on my '67.......P..

[Phillip M.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Jim -

The white "HE" made it much easier for the fork truck driver (and the engine dress line operator who yanked the engine out of the rack and hung it on the line) to spot the engine from a distance when it was in the shipping rack; without it, they'd have to get up close to look at the suffix on the pad. Same logic applied in the engine plant for routing the finished engine to the correct spot on the rail shipping dock (at 300 engines per hour). The yellow "13" is most likely the St. Louis assembly broadcast sequence number.

Thanks for the explanation John, makes a lot of sense. However, you would think this marking would be more common than it appears to be.
Phil

[Jim D.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Thanks for clearing that up John.

[John H.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

I had "HT" on both sides of the block up side down on my '67.......P..

Paul -

ALL Flint blocks had the pad suffix scrawled on both sides, upside-down; that's what told the Flint V-8 assembly line operators which guts to install in the block when it got to them.

[John H.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Thanks for the explanation John, makes a lot of sense. However, you would think this marking would be more common than it appears to be.
Phil

Phil -

All it took for those markings to disappear is an owner "spiffing-up" the engine compartment with some fresh paint on the block, heads, etc.; 30-40 years ago, few folks paid any attention to chalk or paint stick markings on the back of the engine.

[Lawrence S.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

John,

Not trying to hijack this thread. Just a question.

This is what I saw when I pulled the engine out of my 69 Z28. Does this look original John or graffiti?

[King M.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

So should the grease pencil markings be under orange paint or on top?

[Jim D.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

The markings on the side of the block were put on prior to painting, the ones on the back of the heads were after painting.

[Paul D.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Yesterday I looked at a very original '67 Chevelle sedan...... 327 275hp powerglide...... Had "EE" on both heads on back.... FWIW......P.

[Mike E.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Here is an example from a '65 taken on the assembly line.



Full Sized Image:

http://www.acdnow.com/corvette/FactoryBodyDrop.jpg

Mike

[Ara G.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Mike, I never get tired of looking at that picture. Thanks for posting it again....Ara

[King M.]

Re: '67 Engine Suffix

Not to hijack. But those exhaust manifolds are not painted. I thought they were orange from factory? Check it the black paint one the head pipes too.