VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Is this a 1937 block?

Can you believe I am posting a topic that is not about lowered and piped Chevys or radial wide whites? I don't even think there will be much controversy with this one!

Here we go, got a phone tip on a motor that came out of a 37, and I got some numbers and info (over the phone), so I am not sure where or how these numbers are on the block:

941 / 838841 / 21CD199 / 23167

It has "one water pump outlet" and a "2 bolt main instead of 4 bolt main at the rear of the engine", suppossedly earmarks of an older block (?).

What might we have here, please let me know, thanks!

The 1937 block is 838101
The 1938 block is 838710
The 1939 block is 838941

I would assume that its a 1939 and number read "wrong"

For replacement thru parts the 1937 block was replace by the 1938 block in 1938 and the 1937 and 1938 replaced by the 1939 in 1939.

The 1937 is easy to spot as the engine number is on a little raised pad next to the fuel pump. In 1938 it was moved to the ledge behind the distributor where it remanined till 1962.