The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine block stamped number decode

This 235 was in my 58 half-ton short step side when I bought it, but I have no idea if it's the original engine. The number stamped on the machined pad to the rear of the distributor is F072IA. It's an I rather than a 1. Can someone decode this for me or share a link? I spent about 30 minutes searching old posts and spec manuals, but could not come up with the right info. Thanks for your help.
EDIT: Casting number is 3769716 which is a 58-62 235 according to the chart I looked at.
2nd EDIT: well, bust my britches, the I IS a1, and I found the info in the post right above! I tried to delete this but it won't let me, so Never Mind. If I'm reading right, it's a 60 235 engine.

Tim,

http://www.1954advance-design.com/chev-specs/1958-c-ser.pdf

F072IA
F = Flint, MI plant
07 = 7th month = July
21 = 21st day
A = regular production car 235 with manual transmission (hydraulic lifters)

It could be a 58-62 engine.

How did you figure 1960?

I think you'd need block and head date casting codes to determine the date. Locations of date codes are shown here.

I looked at the post from GMONIZ. I selected "casting codes". I then went to "block codes and series sequence codes". I followed the table down to "235" and saw that for 1960 the stamped code for my block casting number(3739716)started at F 0361A and ended at F 1203J. That's what it looked like to me anyway. Is that the way you read it?

Tim,

No - I do not read/see 1960 specified in anything you posted. If I am wrong, someone will post a correction.

3739716 - was used from 1958 through 1962 on all truck 235 engines and some car 235 engines.

From 1958-1962, the Engine Serial Number was not useful in IDing the year-date of an engine, because same codes were used in several years. and no year information was in the ESN.

F 0361A - F 1203J

The A & the J at the end of the ESN is a model code.
The model codes were often the same in 1958-1962 years.
The A model code was used for a car engine 235 engine from 1958-1962.

As I posted above, if you want to know the year, you will have to find/post the Date Casting Codes for the head and the block.

The locations of date codes are shown here.

Here is a page with links to serial numbers/codes for many years cars/trucks.

Here is a page with casting codes for many years cars/trucks.

Thanks for taking the time to set me straight. I will go gather the rest of the numbers.

Ok, I got the casting code and it is G 19 0. If I'm doing this right, that's July 19, 1960. That means I was reading the chart referred to above correctly or I got lucky. At any rate, thanks for all the info.

Yes, that information specifies a 1960 block date casting code, and that code confirms the year of that 1958-1962 235 car engine block.