Engine Number Question

[Don M.]

Guys, I need some help, and I think you might have to use your imagination a little bit. Other than being interested in Corvettes, I am also in the Iso Bizzarrini owners club. Renzo Rivolta and Giotto Bizzarrini bought all their engines from GM in the 1960s. Piero Rivolta even went to Detroit to do his dealing, I believe GM even bought a Rivolta to test it. Now I received a question from Jack Koobs de hartog the Bizzarrini writer. My Bizzarrini engine is: 051 (the Bizza #), V0216HD (the Corvette #), many of the Bizzarini #s are similair. Maybe a little different date, and a different Bizza # 35, 45, 51, etc. BUT... A bunch of the Bizzarrini engines are
F10075Q ?????? What is that?? Possibly a warranty replacement engine?? Bizzarrini #202 ran at Lemans in 65, its motor # is F03043Q ???? again the Q Whats up?

[John H.]

Re: Engine Number Question

My Bizzarrini engine is: 051 (the Bizza #), V0216HD (the Corvette #), many of the Bizzarini #s are similair. Maybe a little different date, and a different Bizza # 35, 45, 51, etc. BUT... A bunch of the Bizzarrini engines are
F10075Q ?????? What is that?? Possibly a warranty replacement engine?? Bizzarrini #202 ran at Lemans in 65, its motor # is F03043Q ???? again the Q Whats up?

Don -

The "5Q" and "3Q" suffixes are similar to the format frequently used on engines built for and sold to non-GM customers (like marine, agricultural, industrial, etc.). If the engine in yours is a '67 (has to be '67 or later with a "V" prefix), that suffix was used for L-79's with A.I.R..

I'm familiar with Iso Rivoltas, but much less so with the Bizzarrini creations - is yours a Strada?

[Don M.]

Re: Engine Number Question

Yes John, the engine # I listed is for my Bizzarrini 5300 Strada, I also own a Bizzarrini Spider S.I. That engine pad is completely blank. I also own an Iso Rivolta that I know the history back to 74 and it has a blank pad. Casting # and casting dates fit the appropiate time period. And NO ONE matched a casting date on an engine swap in 1974 on a Rivolta, it was a $3000 car then. I'm pretty darn sure its the original motor. Both the Bizza are 350 hp