VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans engine serial

the more I crawl around our new project truck, the less I assume anything is original or correct...

since I can't find the cowl tag, let's start with the engine serial number, which is N280460CAL...what can be learned about this truck's origin & history from this?..

epi

Engine number for a 1940 KC 1/2 ton should be between K-2697268 and K-3665902.If your reading yours correctly it dosen't compute.Also the CAL at the end??.a rebuilder indentifacation??...serial number tag on right side cowl under hood.Would need the casting number of block (right side behind distributor raised numbers) and under valve cover on head.

Chevrolet: Is that the serial number that is on the machined pad on the block that I showed you or is it a number that you have on your title? :confused: :confused: :confused:

chevgene & jyd,

this is the number off the machined boss (jyd, the one you picked at the other day with your buck knife but couldn't get through all the crud)...ok, I'll admit that I actually read all but the last two letters "AL", and talked myself into this ending based upon the title...I'm confident of the "N280460C"...the distributor angle clamp & more crud was sort of concealing the rest...

I'll recheck the number tomorrow morning and the block casting number...I assume this is on the passenger side of the engine, just a bit forward of the serial number boss and lower down the side of the block, under the "GM" casting?..I saw this earlier, but didn't write the number down...

while I'm at it, I'll look for the transmission number & anything else I can find to see what I've got to work with...anything else you'd suggest I look for?..

thanks for your help,

epi

Ya, look for a can of beer while you are under there. I have a feeling that you might need it during your numbers search. Ha ha! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I show the casting number for all 1940 216 engine blocks is 839132 and the head casting number for 1937 - 1940 is 838773

jyd,

you know I don't drink, but maybe you could arrange for elvira to help me look for those numbers?..

epi

that's the block casting number I find...will take off the valve cover next to check the head casting number...

epi

fellas,

the head casting number matches, also...

where do we go from here?..any ideas?..why the weird serial number?..

epi

Could the serial number be one assigned by the State of California for a replacement engine or as an alternate number?

chip,

it could be...it's always been a ca truck...I can't find the cowl tag, and this is the same number on the registration paperwork I have for it...

do you or anyone else know what this number is that I have?..

epi

Guess what? Talked to Leonard Jordan (long time Chevy dealer employee) about engine serial numbers. He said when the replaced an engine with a new one the old one had no serial number. They were given numbers by the State of California to be stamped on the blocks. The numbers were given in batches of several numbers at a time and they all ended with CAL. Guess the guess was right. Right?

chip,

this is great news for the boys & I, insofar as a step to resolving our mystery number...

so, as I read your post, the new block was stamped per the state if the old block had no number?..why would the old block be without a number?..

since the cowl tag is gone, all I know about this truck is that it was originally purchased by a telephone company in northern california...based on this, I'd guess the assembly plant would have been #6 oakland?..

appreciate your help in peeling the onion...

epi

Yes - N280460CAL is a California engine/long block/short block replacement ID number assign by the State since up to 1955 the MVD used the engine block serial numer on the title. I once owned a 54 Corvette that was titled by the engine # N308049CAL which is 27,589 numbers higher then this number is. I was once told that it was the Chevrolet Parts Distrubution Center located in Oakland that did most of this stamping about in batches of 25. The stamping on my block looked like the guy knew what he was doing - very factory like with numbers and letters very even.
KenK

kenk,

this is valuable information...when was this process of stamping these numbers in ca used...

or, does this number suggest a year when this was installed?..meaning, can I use this number to try to pinpoint the era in which it may have been installed, by comparison to others that forum members can recall buying/installing?..

epi

A new short block (as we called them) came thru with no numbers stamped.In Wisconsin the number from the old engine was used.A short block was the block, pistons, crank shaft etc.-no head or pan.If a complete engine assembly was installed (and this was rare) it came with a number from the factory stamped in.

gene,

so maybe my block is not original, but perhaps the head is?..what era are we talking when this was the normal procedure for replacement blocks to have no number?..

epi

There is a casting date on both the head and block. that date will be a close indication as to when the parts were installed.The date will indiacte a month and last two numbers of the year .The month date will be A for Jan., B for Feb. and so on

gene,

where should I look for these casting dates?..

epi

Gene, do you know if GM was building replacement blocks for the 53-54 235 (with the old waterpump hole) and the side mounts also the truck mounts thru 1956, a one block fits all cars as well as trucks, that used the original head?

try this link for a list of Chevrolet engine casting numbers:
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/chevytalk/GMhistory/index2.html

MrMack, I didn't completely under stand your question but--1953-54 235 blocks with the old type water pumps all had the side mount holes--car or truck.The front mounting plate had the studs for the truck mount but the studs were cut off if installed in a car. The 1955 and up 235 blocks had the mount bracket holes in the front of the block but none on the side.All 235 heads will interchange from 1953 and up although there were changes made....1952 trucks had the side mount holes on both the 216 and 235 engines and after 1952 if you purchased a new short block for a 216 back to 1941 or a 235 back to 1950 it had the side holes after 1952.. Always a way to tell if a new block was installed on an older car.Also comes in handy for VCCA judgeing.,,,,,,,Chevrolet---The casting date is on the side of the engine and I'm having a senior moment right now and can't remember which side on your 216 engine.will get back later :confused: :confused:

gene,

thanks...I'll take a look when I get a chance...I'd guess maybe the driver side, since I already pored over the passenger side pretty well, looking for the serial number boss & casting number, and didn't see anything else except the big gm letters...

epi

gene,

I dunno...I've looked all over on three occasions, with a mirror & without, to see if I can find the casting dates, but haven't seen anything...of course, it doesn't help that I don't know exactly where to look...some help guys?..please...

epi

The numbers will be raised and begin with a letter (the month),two digets from 01 to 31 indicating day of month and two digets for the year...51 for 1951.I haven't gotten ot to the garage as yet to check my '39-its been too cold....If the block was replaced while it was a company truck it would have been done in the first 5 or 6 years at the most would be my guess.The head will have the date code the same way under the valve cover.