1966 Corvette 427 date codes

[johnkoe]

I am looking at a 1966 Corvette 427 for sale. The seller claims it is an original motor car. The Vette was built October 22, 1965 & the casting date on the block is October 18, 1965 . Two people have told me that only 6 days between the block casting # & the build date is too close & not the original motor. Does anyone know?

 

[Toms007]

I don't know for sure, but I would tend to agree. After casting the block, I believe that they have to "cure" some before machining can occur. Then the process of assembling the engine and then shipping from Michigan to St. Louis..... I'd be very skeptical about this being the original block.

Oh, Welcome to CAC. Maybe JohnZ will chime in here about this issue, he darn sure knows more about this than I.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Not really that rare, it's been seen many times on documented originals. Instances of a casting date and a engine assembly date only 24 hours part is also possible. The average is closer to two weeks.

None of this means that this is necessarily the original engine. What's the engine stamp pad look like?

 

[Huskerman]

I'm a little confused as usual. Are you saying the vehicle assembly date was 6 days after the engine block was cast or the engine assembly was 6 days after the block was cast. In Noland Adams Corvette restoration book he states on page 43 that engine casting dates and engine assembly dates were sometimes as short as one day and as long as 4 months (rare). How long between the engine assembly to being placed in the car on the line will have to go to those more wise in these things........

 

[johnkoe]

I'm a little confused as usual. Are you saying the vehicle assembly date was 6 days after the engine block was cast or the engine assembly was 6 days after the block was cast. In Noland Adams Corvette restoration book he states on page 43 that engine casting dates and engine assembly dates were sometimes as short as one day and as long as 4 months (rare). How long between the engine assembly to being placed in the car on the line will have to go to those more wise in these things........

I am saying that the block was cast 6 days before the assembly of the Vette. Thank you for your response.

 

[johnkoe]

Not really that rare, it's been seen many times on documented originals. Instances of a casting date and a engine assembly date only 24 hours part is also possible. The average is closer to two weeks.

None of this means that this is necessarily the original engine. What's the engine stamp pad look like?

I am saying the block was cast 6 days before the build date of the Vette, not the build date of the motor. Thank you for your response.

 

[johnkoe]

I don't know for sure, but I would tend to agree. After casting the block, I believe that they have to "cure" some before machining can occur. Then the process of assembling the engine and then shipping from Michigan to St. Louis..... I'd be very skeptical about this being the original block.

Oh, Welcome to CAC. Maybe JohnZ will chime in here about this issue, he darn sure knows more about this than I.

Thank you for your response.

 

[Huskerman]

Stumbled on to this which has some great info on it about the time line between engines and the cars they go into......


http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...l-discussion/39388-noland-adams-awnswers.html

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I am saying the block was cast 6 days before the build date of the Vette, not the build date of the motor. Thank you for your response.

I understood you well the first time. What's on the engine stamp pad?

 

[Toms007]

After reading the link that huskerman posted, I'm thinking they don't let them cure very long (hours instead of days?). But I'm still skeptical about the time frame. Even if they built the engine the next day, then they, as Nolan Adams put it, (paraphrased) set them out on the dock to be loaded onto a train (at Tonawanda NY not Michigan), then shipped to St. Louis then installed into the car. That just doesn't leave much room, time wise. But again I am NO expert in this.

 

[Huskerman]

The car assembly dates are not exact on the early Corvettes....you have to do some math and you might hit it right on, but there is no way of knowing for sure. Oct. 22 was a Friday back in 65 so if the car did not get fully assembled until Monday the 25th that would give you more time. Plus if the 427's were short they would have run them right up to the line. The key is the engine assembly date, if we can get that then we can do some math and it just might work, but it's going to be close and I have my doubts.