VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Motor Numbers.

Today I bought another engine with No.s 83550 cast in the block with #270 under them and bow tie logo #14. What do I have, I am hoping its a 1930 because it has the 2 piece bell housing, Same as my 30 Sport Coupe. Thanks Dan

Your casting number is not complete. It should be 835501. That is the casting number for a 1929 and 1930 Chevrolet engine block. The number "270" looks like it might be part of the casting date. If so, that is not complete either. Recheck both the block casting number and the casting date to confirm. Also, what is the engine serial number? It is located on a machined pad behind the fuel pump.

:) :grin:

Looks like [Month] 27th 1930...unless it's say J -27-0 for October 7th 1930, which is probably a '31 unit. The "270" should have a letter prefixing, with A = January to L = December. The casting number for the head is helpful as is the casting date code, to be found on the flat part of the head without valve cover.

If you find the engine number on the stamped pad, look up on my site and you can tell which month it was built in:
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/chevytalk/GMhistory/index2.html

You guys are right, My casting no. is 835501, Looks like E270. with ser. no.1924053, But it has a down draft carb.Carter W-1 with manifold no. 637309 GM 2. That is not right for that engine is it?? Dan

May 27th 1930, and assembled in Flint Motor Plant during June.

HI David.

I have just found this chat top re engine numbers, and had a look at your website also.
How does this engine fit into the 1931 scheme of things??

I bought this engine last week, (Down Under Australia )

Casting No. 836409
Date l 30 0 The i is a straight line) September 30 1930

Engine serial No. R2216964 (Right drive) 2216964 under pushrod cover

Block marked with bow tie, and CONV-3

Could casting have started in September and not OCTOBER ??Regards Jack

Your engine is a 1931.

:) :grin:

Jack,
Yes, engine block casting would have begun in September for engine production in October and later. Data indicates the blocks were cast and a few days later built into engines. Your RHD engine was one of the first 1931s off the engine production line.

Dan,
Unfortunately the manifold and carb are not the type originally installed on your engine. The manifold is a '34-36. Carb is likely the same vintage. I am suprised that the manifold seals to head without leakage as the runners and gasket for the manifold do not match the head or visa-versa. I know others that have used the combination some successfully and others with problems.

G'day! The engine number as you know shows a right-hand drive unit, and casting date September 30th 1930, but the actual engine was assembled in Flint Motor Plant towards the end of December 1930 as a 1931 Model unit. 1931 motor production (as they would day at the time) started in October 1930, so it's just under two months after '31 production commenced. However that is not surprising here as the post-Wall Street Crash recession was biting, and demand/sales fell off. It is interesting to confirm that GM-Holden's were assembling US-sourced CKD kits from Bloomfield, NJ Boxing Plant. The switcheroo to Canadian vehicles was in 1935 when there was a mix of US and Canadian, and from then on it was all-Canadian.

The "CONV-x" casting mark came in in 1929 and to this day and despite years of trying I have yet to find out what it means! Did it mean "CONVentional"? It seems to be a casting level indicator, with the numbers being the sequential numbers for the use of the dies that day by the Flint foundry.

An update on the carb for my 30 sport coupe. In my stash of parts I found an updraft manifold and carb. Carter C-RHJ-08. Is this the correct carb?? Thanks Dan PS I got the motor in today and now need electric and fuel to get it running.

Yup, that is the correct casting id. Now the internals can be either early '29, late '29 or 30-31. All will work some better than others because of jetting.

The RJH-08 was the type of updraft carburetor used from 1929 thru 1931. There were three models, the 125-S, the 136-S and the 150-S. The 150-S replaces the two other models used previously.

:) :grin: