The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop casting # on head from 55 Cameo

Hi! Glad to be part of this forum as a full fledged member but am a newbe. I have an opportunity to buy a 55 Cameo.....seller has all original paperwork and title but the truck is in pieces. The engine is also in pieces and I took a photo of a cylinder head that shows casting # GM 54 8927185. How do I find out what this means i.e. is it a head from a v8 or v6 or ?. There is a box of pistons as well as a crankshaft but no engine block. Also-who produces the best manuals for completing restoring a 55 Cameo i.e. best/accurate/legible diagrams and descriptions? Thanks and have a great day!

"is it a head from a v8 or v6 or ?"

How many valves in the head?

should be pretty easy to tell if the head is for 6 cylinders or 4 .... best books to have are the shop manual [available at all the parts suppliers] and assembly manual [ditto, but also online here], but neither will have much of anything Cameo specific as the Cameo is just a short 1/2T with some fiberglas added

missed ya yesterday?

Bill

Revisit your casting number, I believe your first number is a "3", not an "8" making it 3927185 which makes it a 1969-76 307, 327 and 350 Head.

Mike B

Hi Bill! I did not get any confirmation from you that we could meet yesterday so I did not go to Comox......sorry. Please email me via [email protected] your phone # so I can call you to set up a meeting. Thanks.

thanks Mike B.....the numbers are on the head are hard to make out......I should have taken a closer look when i saw the truck/parts. From the head, is there a way to tell what engine it is? I would be thrilled with a 327 but not so thrilled with a 307 because my dad had one in his 1969 Malibu and it was a lemon!

Here's a list of Chevy small block V8 cylinder head casting numbers:

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/quick-ref-small-block-chevy-cylinder-head-casting-numbers/

1955 265 V8's (the only period-correct V8 for a 55 Cameo) had the following head casting numbers:

3836839
3703523
3713358

These heads will be hard to find, and either well-worn or will have been rebuilt several times.
Jerry

Thanks Hotrod Lincoln for both posts.....I will wait to see what info the owner sends me in terms of the blocks and any possible heads. Have a good night!

I thought you said there was no engine block with this project, it's just pieces and the heads. If that's correct then the internal used pieces he has are worthless, they are dirt cheap to buy new...no one uses used parts when rebuilding a SBC.

If you're buying an original Cameo and you have proof it's not a clone AND you have to rebuild everything anyway because it's a project, then why not build it with the correct engine? The engine parts the seller has now really don't matter because you won't use them anyway. Find an original engine and build the truck back stock, anything less will cost you thousands when you go to sell it.

My .02 cents

Mike B

Hi Mike B: when i saw the truck, I asked if there were any other parts/pcs other than the cab and the stuff in the garage. I was told no at that time but since being home, I have now been advised there are 2 engine blocks; a couple rear ends and possibly a tranny. The owner is looking for casting numbers on all of these and will provide them to me and I will post them on here. Sorry for the confusion. Have a great day!

Cross your fingers that one of these blocks is the rare 55. As Jerry said it's easy to spot the 55 265, it doesn't have a oil filter location anywhere on the block... it's a one year block!

Mike B

THanks Mike B.......will wait to see what info seller sends me. I should have paid more attention to these details when I was on site..........i will chalk it up to being a newbe and my excitement at possibly owning a Cameo! Do you have any thoughts on the S10 frame conversion vs pre-86 Jag conversions?

Possibly less fabrication with the S-10. Tons of “Kits” available. 🛠

Now you're building a clone, so as long as you get all of the Cameo specific body parts to complete the project the engine and trans stuff doesn't matter...

Mike B

Hi! At this point without knowing what engine blocks come with the truck and how repairable the original frame is, it is hard to decide which way to go. I have always wanted a 383 striker engine but then thought a GM/Chev 402 BB would be nice too! We shall see.....if I was really lucky and got the rare 55 then I would go that way. Thanks again and have an awesome day!