The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine identification

I must be looking at the wrong numbers because I'm not finding this info on any of the engine casting sites. I'm not familiar with the 216 or 235s. If you guys can help tell me what what I got them I can go from there, rebuild it sell.

1950 3100 but it's been the project of multiple previous owners. So who knows what's in it...

Number on passenger side is hard to make out. Here's a pic.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GJJhPFMyj7pebKNi2

Number on back of bellhousing Is 3835201...also A260? Maybe...another pic

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wVHN6HvATfpbEczb2

Exhaust manifold..looks like maybe 3835590. Pic...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xDJeJJAENyXgpEUj2

And if placement of parts days anything here's an engine pic.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PfQuRkwcSpx04Hs02



This engine has been sitting in a truck outside for a few years. No air cleaner..no radiator..no fuel tank. still has oil in it but The wiring all over is in pieces. So either needs rebuilt or sold. Thinking of selling, I have a v8 ready to go.

My mistake the 3835590 is on the intake not exhaust manifold

I took the cover off... I see..

CON9. F 20. 8

Ok- - - -it's a post-1955 235 or possibly a 261, as evidenced by the low water pump position. You have provided pictures of just about every number except the one that's needed to get a definite identification- - - -the STAMPED (not cast) number on the machined pad directly to the rear of the distributor. You might have to do a little scraping or sanding to bring it up, followed by rubbing a piece of chalk or a bar of white soap over the numbers. The starter with a solenoid instead of a stomp start suggests the engine might have come from a passenger car instead of a truck, but bolt-on accessories like heads, manifolds, and electrical equipment do little to identify the basic engine assembly.
Jerry

F 20 8 on the carburetor side of the head is the head date casting code, which indicates:

F = June
20 = 20th
8 = 1958

The Engine Serial Number from 1957 onwards does not include date information.
Here are locations of identification codes.

Rear of distributor... I'll get that here in a bit. 1958 huh. To bad I didn't but it running. There's oil but also rust on the valve springs.

Ok this what I found just below and to the right and left of distributor. 3764476 and. GM 10

3764476 was a block casting code used from 1957/58-1962

Post the block date casting code and the Engine Serial Number (locations are shown in my post above).

Serial number spot is smooth. Any other locations?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/I7GjdqC2fayMvNym2

Took starter off...found this.

CON3.......L11. 8.

L = 12 = December
11 = 11th day
8 = 1958

If the Engine Serial Number location is smooth, it might have been a GM replacement engine and a code was not stamped onto the block when it was installed as a replacement.

Or, someone might have ground off the code because it came from another truck and was going to be used as a replacement engine.

So June 20th 1958 on the head.
Dec 11th 1958 on the block.

235 engine. Full oiler for this year right? 53 and up?

Yes, the casting numbers pretty much confirm the earliest possible dates the parts could have been made. The low water pump was a mid-year 1955 and later feature, so you've got a fairly late model 235.
Jerry

Thanks guys. Now what to do with it? Lol if I tear this down and it needs even a little machine work I'm doomed. My dad lives several hours away, few hundred bucks he said for most machine work. I tried to get a v8 rebored where I live...pushing 2k!! Same with trans. Quoted 2200 to rebuild, finally found a old shop with an old man who even pulled and installed after rebuild 750 no problems sense. I live in the "oil patch" it's hits what some of these guys get paid even grunt work and local economy ups charges too. Before I bought my home, my apt cost more than my mortgage. That's pretty common.

Is there any do at home block cleanup up boring? I'm going I admit, most my experience is pulling an old one and putting in a new or used. Used of course is a hit and miss. Put three transmissions in a mustang once before I found a good one.

The average well-used portable boring bar costs upwards of 5K dollars- - - - -the big floor-mount machines like a Rottler are more like 30K. Good luck finding someone to do it cheap! I got lucky and paid $500.00 for a Van Norman 944S that's almost as old as me, and it needed some pretty expensive repair work before I bored the first cylinder with it.

My little back yard machine shop has probably got equipment in it that has cost me 40-50 K bucks over the past 40 years, and I'm far from being well-equipped. I can do most of the automotive machine work or gunsmithing I need to do, unless it involves rifling a barrel or regrinding a crankshaft.

Sometimes paying a skilled professional to do his thing is the least expensive way to get a project done.
Jerry

I don't doubt paying someone is best. I was just kind of uber the impression that my local guys are overpriced...still cheaper than the equipment I guess lol