Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

[Jimmy G.]

Judged a car yesterday that was Assembled 2 days afer the block was cast. ( A73 castibg OIO9XX Assembly date) I know this is possible but unusual. Anyone else seen this close of a spread on an ORIGINAL MOTOR CAR?? or at least I think it is.

[Arland D.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Stories of such close casting dates to assembly dates have circulated for years but I have not personally seen one.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Casting plant right next to the Engine line, when they have a breakdown and then run 24x7 to catch up... its real easy.

[Joe L.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Casting plant right next to the Engine line, when they have a breakdown and then run 24x7 to catch up... its real easy.

Ronald------


The foundry was co-located with the engine plant only for Tonawanda engines manufactured until 1984. Flint V-8 had no co-located foundry. The foundry was in Saginaw, MI. However, there were still cases of 1-2 days between casting and assembly.

[Mike M.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

I've seen several jimmy. mike mccagh

[Patrick B.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

I have seen Flint blocks assembled the same day as cast and up to about a month after casting, but the most common span is about 3 to 4 days. The most common span between between casting and assembly of big blocks is about a month with a span ranging between 3 days and 6 months.

[Fred J.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Jimmy,
The 63 that you judged, block was cast January 7th,63 with suffix stamped on January 9th. Build date was 2nd week of February 63. The original 67 that was judged was cast on November 8th, 66 and stamped on November 9th. Build date was November 23, 66.
Unusual to have two that close at the same meet, and a Mini meet at that with only two cars.

CCNCRS Judging Chairman

[James G.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

My old 69 DZ, 618 block was cast April 7th and built April 9th, and I know of another 618 DZ april 9th casting with the sexact same april 9th assembly stamp anomolies and all.

[John S.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

For another point of reference, my original L82 Flint SB, vin 409909.

Engine block cast 12/4/72
Intake manifold cast 12/5/72
Engine build 12/6/72
Body build 12/13/72.

Looked a bit tight to me, apparently JIT production before it was called JIT production.

[Mark F.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Not GM history, but I think the concept I witnessed at Ford was not unusual back in that timeframe; late '70s. They had at least two, very large co-located foundry/engine assembly plant complexes (5 plants in all - all of which I worked in for brief one or two-day stints)

Cleveland Casting Plant (10 casting lines as I remember) was co-located with two Engine Plants...castings came out of CCP and after cleaning and inspection shuttled on over to either Cleveland Eng. Plant #1 or #2 for machining and assembly (3 Plants all on one property IIRC).

Windsor Casting was "close" to Windsor Engine (can't really remember if they were on the same lot back then or not, but the concept was the same - castings out - transfer rather quickly and cheaply to the engine plant not far away).

BTW, I still marvel today at what absolutely fascinating processes these were to see raw ores, ingredients and amendments melted down in Cupolas and then transformed into machined, painted, working engines!

[Dave B.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

My 69 L71 has a block cast date of H158 ( Aug 15 68 ) and a car assembly date of Aug 13 68. I've not thought this was possible but if this car was also assembled 2 days before the block was cast then may be it is possible.

[Donald L.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Especially around December 1962 and January 1963 a lot of these engines were one and two days from casting to stamping

[James W.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Here's one.

[Bill B.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

Just to add to the informational database from my vehicle:

'70 Coupe, 350/300 HP base engine:

Engine Casting Date - 6/27/70 (F27 0)
Engine Build Date - 6/29/70 (V0629CTD)
Vehicle Assy Date - 7/16/70 (G16)

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Block Casting Date to Engine Assembly Date

If both plants were running 2 or 3 shifts its very possible. Cast early in the morning & machined the next afternoon,evening. Not sure when the foundries change the date tags when running multiple shifts.