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We continue to make progress with getting my friend's '49 3100 pickup back on the road. Last weekend we set the engine in the chassis.

I am trying to properly identify the engine and head. We know that the "engine was replaced".

The casting number on the head is 383540. Based on the information I can find this is a 1949 head. So possibly only the block was swapped.

The casting number on the block is 3835497 which I believe is a 1950 - 1951 block for a passenger car.

The confusing part to me is the serial number stamped on the block. It is JBA660827 which I think is a regular 1951 truck engine from the Flint plant.

Any ideas why there appears to be a discrepancy between the casting number and the serial number?

Thanks!

Casting number 3835497 is for a 1948-51 216 passenger car and truck engine block.

Casting number 3835409 is a cylinder head that fits all 1949 216 and 235 engines.

The casting number for a 1949 216 block was 3835253.
This block was discontinued in 1951 and if you bought a new block for a 1949 you would get a 1950-1951 block with casting #3835497.
The new and improved 1950 block (casting) has the relocated main oil gallery that bumps out farther and is located slightly lower on the left side of the block. Other than that the internal parts are the same.

I should add the above block 3835497 was discontinued in 1953 and the 1953 block was sold for replacement for 1941 and up all all previous block numbers dropped. The 1953 version had the 1952-1953 engine side mount bracket bolt holes.
Had 3835849 casting number.

The block casting number and serial number that the block was taken from a 1951 1/2 ton truck (B)

Thanks for the clarification. This confirms that we have a 1951 1/2 ton truck block and a 1949 head.

This is the reference I used to try and identify things. http://www.1954advance-design.com/Stovebolt-engine/casting-numbers.html

It shows that the 3835497 block was only a passenger car block. That is what confused me.

Gene: What the significance of the "(B)" in your information about the casting and serial number?

You might wish to look at casting numbers for 1916 - 1970 engines on web site <http://home.znet.com/c1937/Cast.htm>.
Lou

I am writing this e-mail because maybe it might help others with a similar problem. I recently bought a 1954 3600 Chevrolet Truck. The engine had been replaced with another 235 problem was previous owner did not know the year or mileage. Fortunately the engine runs well and does not smoke. The odometer shows very low mileage, 674 miles. When I looked for engine serial numbers there were none, even under the paint. To make a long story short I did find above the starter markings showing CON4 J88. From that using info on the internet from sites listed in the previous posts I discovered my engine to be made on October 1959. Apparently this is not uncommon for replacement engines to have no serial numbers but I am not sure.

If you are referring to the J 8 8 as a date code it would be October 8, 1958 instead of '59. To be '59 casting date the number would be J 8 9. It very easy to either read those numbers incorrectly or mis-type on this omgrtms; ,svjomr (key to reading the previous two words - look one letter to the left on computer keyboard). Give up "infernal machine"

I miss typed it was CON4 J99 above the starter. Excuse me I am not a typing expert like some others.

I figured it was likely a typing error. In this case the engines would be essentially the same.

I highly suspect that the engine in your '54 truck was replaced when the truck was 5 years old with a short block that came from a dealer. The replacement engines (short blocks) were not stamped as supplied and often the mechanic that did the replacement didn't either.

my number is CON4 J 121 ...would that be October 12 1951 ?

You might want to start a new post in this forum to make sure you get the answer for your situation. This post got pretty confusing 2+ years ago.

Make sure you include details about the year and model of the vehicle and what you know about the engine.

Thanks,

thank you