I bought a 1952 Chevy 3800. The seller told me that the engine and transmission were original. It is pretty clearly a 216 engine. However, I bought Dave Krehbiel's book on rebuilding stovebolt engines, and started looking for the engine numbers. It turns out that after a lot of degreaser and wiping down, there is no engine casting number to the right of the distributor. There is no casting number on the driver's side of the head. I have read that the number on the distributor deck is supposed to start with either a "T" for Tonawanda, New York, or an "F" for Flint, Michigan. The number on my engine starts with "AKCA" followed by "43247" and ending with "I" (as in India). this doesn't conform to any numbering scheme in the book.
I was wondering if someone in the forum might be able to share something about an engine with these features, and whether someone in the forum might know where I could find further infromation on what the number from the distributor deck means? I would deeply appreciate any information someone might have.
You need to start with a better book- - - -preferably one printed by General Motors.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Thank you. It always helps to ask someone who knows more about a topic. I especially appreciate the wisdom that using the right book makes a difference. With your input above and some further research on the GM Heritage site, I was able to confirm that the engine (maybe not the head) was made in Flint in 1952 for a Chevy model 3800 truck. Moreover, it appears that the serial number in the driver's door frame seems to confirm that the truck was made in Janesville as a Chevy 3800 in June of 1952. It seems I may have a largely numbers matching truck afterall. I want to thank everyone for their help. Now to find out what's wrong with the engine.
