1956 Engine Question

[ChuckR]

Good morning everyone. I just joined your ranks here at CAC because this site seems to have some very knowledgeable folks using the forums. I'm sure someone here can answer a couple questions.

I just found a 1956 265 ci engine and power glide trany sitting behind a barn here in Florida. The casting number is 3720991 which looks to be from a 1956. But a couple things aren't adding up.

The distributor number appears to be a 1957 number (depending on which reference I look at).

Also the valve covers are seven fin instead of nine fin. From what I've read, nine fin didn't appear until 1957.

Would these '57 parts have been available in late 1956 or does this just look like non-matching parts being used on the engine?

Thanks for any help you can provide. Chuck

 

[ChuckR]

The distributor number is 1110890 which I found in one reference listed as 1957 and another reference said it wasn't available until 1958. Of course my references are probably 20 years old so it may be time to invest in some new books.

The engine suffix looks like FB but it may be FK. Very hard to make out. The entire number looks like 003785F56FB. The thing has been sitting out in the weather for probably 20 years so I've got a lot of cleaning to do on it.

Thanks for the help. Chuck

 

[Tom Bryant]

Hi Chuck,

Welcome to the CAC. That casting number is for 1956 but Chevy also offered the 265 in some '57 passenger cars. The seven fin valve covers were available over the parts counter for around $18. each in the 60s so they were a very popular addition to any Chevy. I ran them on everything I owned back then.

To further narrow down that engines origional usage get the casting date off of the oposite side of the bellhousing flange from the casting number. Also get the stamped number off of the block deck surface that extends out in front of the right (passenger side) head.

Look for a casting ID on the front of the head too. It will be a horizonal rectangular block with either nothing protruding up from it or a pyramid on the top of the rectangle. It may also have 2 vertical spikes on top. Also look at the valve cover bolts. The 2 top ones should be closer together than the bottom ones up through mid '59. Pop off the valve covers and get the casting numbers on the heads. Also the dates.

Also what intake manifold does it have? There should be a casting number and date on the intake too.

With this info we can tell you what you have found.

Tom

 

[Tom Bryant]

The 890 is the standard distributor for '58-'60. FK is the base 210 horse Corvette engine with powerglide. Looks like you may have a nice find.

Tom

 

[ChuckR]

Tom,
The head casting has a triangle. I'll have to get home and get the head number and the engine casting date for you.

The valve cover has the two top holes closer than the bottom.

The intake manifold number is 3746829.

Engine number 003785F56FB or FK. It may be EB or EK as well. Just not very easy to make out.

Thanks for the help. Chuck

 

[WayneC]

003785F56FB engine stamping: "F56FB" appears to be in the correct format for a 1956 Corvette engine, although the last two characters need to be FK or FG for a 56... FK is 4bbl w/powerglide.

3746829 intake and 1110890 distributor are both 1958 Corvette single-4bbl parts.

Nine-fin valve covers were used on the dual 4-bbl engines (225 & 240hp) in 1956, seven-fin were not used that year.

Head casting number and engine casting date would help narrow it down, as would exhaust manifold casting numbers.

 

[JohnZ]

Should be a '56 block (casting date will verify that), as that was the last year of "engine serial numbers" on the pad; '57 engines only had the "FXXXXX" engine plant code.

The intake and distributor are from a '58; do the valve covers have the "low" script (.030" high) or the "high" script (.125" high)? The high-script 7-fin covers are pretty common, but the low-script 7-fin covers were only used from mid-March 1957 to the end of January 1958.

Heads should be 3725306 or 3731762.

 

[ChuckR]

I appreciate everyones help. I knew I was in the right place to get answers.

The engine date casting looks like J185. After further inspection the suffix definitely looks like FB. Not sure were that puts us but I do have the power glide transmission number CFD 7 8615018 227. The bell housing number is 8778888.

From what JohnZ said the head numbers of 3725306 match '56, but the script on the valve covers is about 1/10 of an inch so those could be after-market.

The intake is a single 4bbl (carb was not with the engine). Would the piston numbers help. L2109 STD and they didn't want come out. The generator number was 1102113 but I'm not entirely sure that was original to the engine.

Other info I have for your expert evaluation. The exhaust manifold is a three bolt. The starter had the number 2802. The fuel pump is the old style with screws under the lip. Still has a tag with the number 4701R.

Could the FB indicate that the engine was originally in a different Chevy vehicle other than a Vette? Chuck

 

[ChuckR]

WayneC, You asked about the exhaust manifold casting. That looks like 3747088 (could end in 38 but I think 88 is correct). That's the right side. The left side was a harder to read but looked like it's probably the same number.

 

[vettefinderjim]

Here is what my books say!!

.
The engine date casting looks like J185. After further inspection the suffix definitely looks like FB. Not sure were that puts us but I do have the power glide transmission number CFD 7 8615018 227. The bell housing number is 8778888.

From what JohnZ said the head numbers of 3725306 match '56, but the script on the valve covers is about 1/10 of an inch so those could be after-market.

The intake is a single 4bbl (carb was not with the engine). Would the piston numbers help. L2109 STD and they didn't want come out. The generator number was 1102113 but I'm not entirely sure that was original to the engine.

Other info I have for your expert evaluation. The exhaust manifold is a three bolt. The starter had the number 2802. The fuel pump is the old style with screws under the lip. Still has a tag with the number 4701R.

Could the FB indicate that the engine was originally in a different Chevy vehicle other than a Vette? Chuck

engine 'J185'=OCT 18,1955 cast date
'FB' suffix engine= 205hp, powerglide, duel ex, 4 barrel, for a 1956 passanger car Chevrolet.

3725305 head= passanger 205 hp and Corvette 210 and early 225hp. This is the first hig performance head made by Chevrolet.It had a small 55.66cc combustion chamber similar to the 997 head used on 57 Corvette 270hp car.

Starter: This should be 1107627 for 56 V-8 motors or 1107664 for 57 thru 60 engines. The 2802 number is a rebuilder number.

Generator should be 1102043 ( not 1102013). It was used on all V-8 CORVETTE only from 56 thru 61. The some HP fuel injection engines used 1102059 units. Recheck the number. There also will be a date on the tag like 6C21 which would be 1956, March (C) and 21st day for 21.

The intake 3837109 was a cast steel unit used on 56 passanger and Corvette 205 and 210 hp cars which were single 4 barrel WCFB Carter carb units.

Exhaust manifolds should have numbers 3725563 on early 56 Corvette ONLY up to Feb 56 production and are impossible to find. They are the first design Rams horns

Number 3731557 has the three bolt exhaust flange and was used on 56 cars and Corvettes made after Feb 56. It is a LH unit and has the three hole bracket on the front for a generator mount. The 3731558 is its RH mate with not generator or mounting holes.

So my final comment is you have a 56 Chevrolet passanger power pack motor. Parts are Corvette only. If you can rebuildt it, the entire item has value especially for a 56 owner that has no motor.

 

[ChuckR]

Case closed. Thanks to everyone for the help. Since it's all over my garage I may as well rebuild it. Chuck

 

[vettefinderjim]

Rebuild it yes!!!

Chuck, If it were mine, I would rebuild it. And before you do, look up all the numbers and advertise the complete assembly in the NCRS "DRIVELINE" under parts for sale.

Many of the items are Corvette parts. I know people who specialize in just solid axel parts and cars, and they may have customers for the stuff right now. Many 56 Corvettes got 327's put in them in the late 60's and 70's. A person with a very early production car ( November 1955 ) needing a correct engine would be a likely canadiate for all your stuff. The good news is that the early 56 cars are the wierd ones that most collectors want. The exhaust manifolds, no fresh air heater ( just re-circulating), painted headlight covers and thin full alluminum header hardtop bar make the model different from later 56's and 57's.

I need more numbers off the trans to identify it. These transmissions were the same externally for both Corvette and passanger car from 1955 thru 1959, except the tail shaft, which had three mounting bosses on them for floor shifter Corvettes. The maincase and tail shafts on these units were cast iron. The maincase # of 3708134 should be on all of these models. All were dated on the rear side of the governor flange, like C1116D, for "C" Cleveland plant, Nov 16. "D"= day shift. The year was not in the number.

If you want to e-mail me privately, we can keep this line going. I would love to see some digital pictures of the exhaust manifolds so I can see if they are early or late units.

Regards,
Jim

 

[ChuckR]

Jim, Good advice. Thanks.

I'll pull those numbers you asked about and I'll email them to you with some pictures.

Thanks again to you and everyone else who responded for taking the time to helping me with these questions.

Respectfully, Chuck