The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Decoding a motor serial number

Can anyone decode this motor number. All I am sure of that it is a 235, anc according to the casting number it was built between 1958 and 1962.. The number stamped near the distributor is F0823J Thanks Allen

That's the wrong #. The # your looking for is embossed or raised in the casting and is a letter followed by a few #'s For example K238. Which would be K=November or the 11th month, 23 being the 23 day and 8 being the year or 1958. Hope this works for ya. This # should be behind the starter toward the front of the engine.

All your serial number can tell is it was made in Flint (F), in August (08), on the 23rd day (23) and was installed in a 3000 Series Truck with a 3-speed transmission (J). That serial number was used from 1957 thru 1962. As mentioned by Shipwright, you need to look at the Casting Date Code to determine what year it was made.

Mike B

I think I found the right numbers. There are two of them close together. Both look as if they were stamped in a piece of metal, and then screwed to the mold. The first one is: Screw head CON3 Screw head: The next one is Screw Head, H2ll Screw head. The second one would seem to mean the motor was built August 21, 1961. Do you agree? What does the first number mean? There is also an another number further down the block. #3769716. What is that? I thought that was the casting number,and it indicated the motor was built between 1959 and 1962. On the other side of the motor is a Casting mark that says GM with the number 15 under it. Does that have any meaning. All this is confusing to me. Thanks for your help. Allen

I'd say you are correct about the H211 block casting date code. That fits with the 0823 engine build date. The serial number format also suggests a '60-'62 range, with the month part of the build date being given as two digits (08) vs. one digit (8). That change was made for '60.

The CON3 is believed to just be a conveyor number. It is of no significance, as is the GM15. 3769716 is the block casting number. Most sites say this is a '58-'62 235 block, as you've found.

Thanks for the help. This is the best site I have ever seen. I have been associated with others for a short time, but always gave up, because all they seemed to do was call one another names. There is none of that here, just good solid information. Thanks again. Allen