Question: corvette 66 block ?

[yves66]

Hello from Switzerland,
I've seen a 66 coupe not far from my home with a 327 small block.I know that it's not the original engine because the build date of the car is the first of december (D1) and the engine number shows a date in february (F0203HE)
the engine casting number is correct for that year:3858174
my question is:how can I be sure that this replacement engine was for a corvette as I've read that this casting number was the same for passenger,chevelle,and truck for years 64-67...?
thanks a lot for your help
Yves

 

[magicv8]

Hello from Switzerland,
I've seen a 66 coupe not far from my home with a 327 small block.I know that it's not the original engine because the build date of the car is the first of december (D1) and the engine number shows a date in february (F0203HE)
the engine casting number is correct for that year:3858174
my question is:how can I be sure that this replacement engine was for a corvette as I've read that this casting number was the same for passenger,chevelle,and truck for years 64-67...?
thanks a lot for your help
Yves

The only restriction that I have seen is that the Corvette 327cid blocks came from Flint (Fddmmyy) and not Tonawanda Forge and Foundry (Tddmmyy)

The date on the engine an the single digit cast date day indicate a Flint block. Other than that, the stamp pad would have to display the serial number of a Corvette it was removed from, to be certain it came from a Corvette. If it has no serial number, it can be an unstamped replacement part.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I believe the FE stamp was unique to '65 Corvettes when found on a 3858174 block, but why is there no VIN derivative?

 

[JohnZ]

Hello from Switzerland,
I've seen a 66 coupe not far from my home with a 327 small block.I know that it's not the original engine because the build date of the car is the first of december (D1) and the engine number shows a date in february (F0203HE)
the engine casting number is correct for that year:3858174
my question is:how can I be sure that this replacement engine was for a corvette as I've read that this casting number was the same for passenger,chevelle,and truck for years 64-67...?
thanks a lot for your help
Yves

It has to be from another '66 Corvette, as the "HE" suffix was only used on Corvette engines, and the 3858174 block was only used in 1966, which was also the last year the "F" prefix on the pad stamp was used at Flint V-8. It should also have a partial VIN number (6XXXXXX) stamped on the outboard end of the stamp pad, from the Corvette it came out of (see '66 "HE" pad photo below).

 

[yves66]

in fact there are also numbers on the machined pad next to the engine number F0203HE,I can hardly read them,I'm able to see 4 numbers only,but for sure they are not the same like the ones on the sequential portion of the VIN !
but I understand John that the suffix HE is exclusive to corvette usage and so that engine should be a vette one + for the correct year (66) according the casting number.
thanks

 

[mashinter]

Be careful. It is possible that the VIN on the block is the correct VIN for the car.