VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 31 chev motor?

A friend of mine has an engine he beleaves is a 31 . here is the number he got off the block 835409 My books are still packed so i am not sure if it is or not. can anyone let me know?

my book lists 836409 as a '31 . no listing for a 835409 though.

There should be a number like A 22 31 on the block. This would be January 22 1931.

The letter is the month, then date, then year.

See you down the Back Roads

I'll have him double check the numbers. his shed doesn't have that good of light.

Back Roads,
I believe your casting date example should read A 22 1. Only the last digit of the year is given. If you don't know the age within a decade, you are out of luck.
Mike

Thanks for the help. Its definatly a 31. I will have to go look at it and for the right price maybe i'll have a spare motor. whats a good price to pay for a complete carb to pan 31 engine/tranny also.

Somewhere between $ 50 to $ 2500 depending on its condition. If head is cracked (many are), the rods and mains need replacing, the carb is junk and there are small rust holes in the oilpan then $ 50 is about right. Yes that includes if it turns over. If recently rebuilt by a qualified person then $ 2500 might be a bargain. I typically pay from $ 100 to $ 500 depending on apparent condition. The only one that I got burned on was the only one that I paid $ 500 for engine, trans, rear-end. It was "rebuilt" by an aircraft mechanic (for an large airline) who did not know what he was doing. Looked real good but lower end was shot.

A $50 engine makes a good trot line weight.

"trot line" Macky Wacky? :confused: :confused: :confused:

think he means trout line?..


epi

Could be.......but with Macky Wacky ya never know what he means. :eek:

well then, maybe he did mean trot line...the engine is dragged behind a racehorse in training to help it build leg strength?..


epi

Well.......with Macky Wacky's bad spelling and crazy postings....that could be exactly what he means! :eek:

Actually, for a change, MM got it right, except it is one word "trotline".

If you don't know what it means, there is just no hope for you. Look it up in your Funk & Wagnals.

hey ray,

I hate to sound crabby, but the whole thing sounds fishy to me...


epi

The A 22 31 means nothing for positive ID....If it was a replacement block cast in 1933 could have B 16 33 for a casting date but still have the 835409 casting number.

Thanks for the info. I guess it turns over, so thats a good sign. i'll let you know what happens with the motor.

I stand corrected hrndog & Gene. I typed before I thought it through.

See you down the back roads.

No!.... it ain't no damn Trout line, it is a damn TROTLINE like you put out in a lake or river with hooks dangleing off and baited to catch Catfish!!!... DUHHH..... some of those Left Coast guys don't know trout from trot!!!!!!!

:p

Ain!t them used by RED-NECKS ?

"DUHHH..... some of those Left Coast guys don't know trout from trot!!!!!!!"

Well....if some of you Texas dudes would learn how to spell then the rest of us would know what you are talking about. There is a big difference between "trot line" and "trotline"! DUH!!

Well,I sertainly resemble that last diggin remarke by an an ol allerate flee bittin Mutt.
if you don't know the difference between Trout and Trot you don't know nuttin about catchin' any Channel Catfish.... DUUGUH!

Well anyway here's how you do it..., you tie a $50 engine block on each end of a 200' heavy line, put em' in the Lone Star fishing boat drive out to the Channel,drop one of the blocks on one side of the lake channel, put a bleach bottle float about 10 feet from the sunk engine block and then dangle big old hooks every three feet baited with cut shad, then at 10 feet from the other end tie on another bleach jug and have your big red-neck partner toss the other engine block over the side of the boat, then as soon as you both get back in the boat, and bail it out and just hope you can get away before the game warden wants to see your fishing license..... Next morning before daylight, you "run" the TROTLINE and take the big catfishes home and clean and fillete them for a big fish fry!....At least that is how we do it down here in Comanche County Texas.....

We have a lot of spaces around here, so I u se mor e than some of yo u that are hem med in a long the lef t coast!... between the devil and the deep blue sea.

:p

Ah!, what memories. We kept the family in fish by setting "trotlines". If you kept the number of drop lines down, the warden did not bother you. After the trotline was set and baited we proceeded to the shallow water and picked up a few catfish and bass by 'gigging'. The 'gig' was made from a car spring. Usually gigged a few frogs too. When cooking the frog legs they sometimes kicked the lid off the skillet. At the same time the remainder of the frog was still croaking outside the window. Ran the trotline at day break. If you left it too long the turtles and gar would eat up your catch. "The good ole days?"

Hum.......sounds like you dudes are from Texas and Arkansas respectively. Out here on the west coast we use the old engine blocks for boat anchors instead! :eek:

macky,




epi