Stamp Pad Experts, please!

[Stewart A.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

I personally still think it's impossible to say original or not. A metallurgy scan is the only way to know it's authenticity. Go through the archives in the last couple of years there has been a lot of discussions on stamping Stewy

[Jim D.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

It's a common occurrence that the R is stamped in a different style, or that passenger car engine blocks have stamps added to make it look like a Corvette?

I don't keep Restorers and I wouldn't have any that go back that far anyway.

Would you be willing to copy it and send it to me?

The article states that in order to not slow production, the last letter of the suffix was left out so they could stamp multiple motors without making any changes to the gang holder. Later, they would come back and stamp the single last digit therefore, it's not uncommon to have the last letter not lined up, stamped deeper/lighter and possibly be of a different type set.

Definately get the Restorer CD. More info. than you could ever imagine.

[John C.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

Thank you very much!

[John N.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

Measure the deck height to see if the block has been milled.
Regards

[John C.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

The deck height was measured when I had some basic machine work done and it was stock.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

The article states that in order to not slow production, the last letter of the suffix was left out so they could stamp multiple motors without making any changes to the gang holder. Later, they would come back and stamp the single last digit therefore, it's not uncommon to have the last letter not lined up, stamped deeper/lighter and possibly be of a different type set....

Also, in 1964, there were 10 different 'R'(something) suffixes. [EIGHTEEN 'H' (somethings) in 1965 ] Some of these were installed in cars that were statistically rare. Eg: RU = L76 w/C60 and K66 (only 34 installed). At Flint, what was the difference between an air conditioned motor and not ? IMO, only the exhaust manifolds; the rest was added on engine dress line at St.Louis.

So (maybe, and for example) Flint always had a small stock of R(blank) 30-30 cam engines on hand so they could satisfy the 12 or 20 times a month that the call came down that St.Louis needed an RU, RX, RR, etc. Engine assembly could then continue until the end of the line, where it was stamped with a 6-digit assy code (instead of the full seven), then put into temporary storage, until the decision for what distrib (TI or points), or in the case of Fuel Injection, what distributor was ordered. Then they were pulled out of stock, the final components added (manifold, distrib.); the last suffix letter was stamped and the motor shipped.

They certainly did not have the real estate to stock engines for all possible combinations at St.Louis.

P.S. AFAIK (from reading the AIM) Flint shipped motors without carbs, but with FI units; with distributors (TI or points), but without ignition coils. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I tried to Photoshop the pic that showed the assy. code the best, to see if I could pull up more detail; unfortunately, the posted definition is too low (need more pixels). If John C. could email me the originals, if larger, I might be able to improve the image for analysis and comments.

[John C.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

Interesting stuff, Wayne! Thanks!

I'll email you the pics. FYI, I had to reduce them in size to post them here.

[Dan H.]

Re: Stamp Pad Experts, please!

Hi Guys, my friend here is an original owner of a 64 TI FI car. When he pulled the engine after 140K miles he noticed a yellow 'RX' written on the side of the oil pan, high tech ID of engines I guess. The pad was ground and 'RX' stamped at end.
Dan