Engine Production Stamping

[Brad H.]

I have a question concerning engine stamping. I bought a 69 several years ago which did not have the original engine installed in it but it came with a torn down engine which was supposed to have been the original. It has the correct VIN stamping but the engine production stamp is my question. The stamp is fairly easy to read and apppears to be: VI0I5HZ. While I understand the V is for Flint and the HZ is for the 350/300 Automatic I am confused on the numbers/letters of the build date. Did Chevrolet use the symbol I instead of the numeral 1? If I interpret this production stamp as if it were numbers instead of leters it matches. My car was built Nov 5 of 1969 and this production stamp would be Flint engine build date October 15.

Simplified then my question is this: Did they use the letter I for the number 1?

Thanks,
Brad Hood

[Patrick H.]

Re: Engine Production Stamping

Yes.

The use of "I" in place of the numeral "1" is well documented.
Check out this one - two different 1's.

[Richard M.]

Re: Engine Production Stamping

Yes Brad....I=1, e.g. Below is Feb 18. Sounds like your 350 has the right assembly date to me. What is the block cast date?
Rich

[Terry M.]

Re: Engine Production Stamping

Yes.

The use of "I" in place of the numeral "1" is well documented.
Check out this one - two different 1's.

And note the square O also.