The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk My First Post! I need engine #'s HELP

I just took delivery of my first "vintage"...a 1940 Chevy 3/4 ton Stake Bed Pickup. I have a million questions in that this is my first restore project, so I'll start off with this: I've searched the internet, but there appears to be discrepencies regarding engine numbers. Can those in the know help me with these series of numbers found on my engine:

1. This # was found "on the block" between the oil fill and the distributor...
3837004
OM IC

2. This # was found "on the block" between the head gasket and where the plugs enter the block on the engines right side...
B46 848
850

3. This # was located "on the block" in front of the distributor and behind the oil fill on the engines right side...
3837004

4. This # was located on a passenger-side metal plate under the engine cowling...
58

6KD09 1002

5. This # was located on a flat plate behind the distributor...
0300933 F56Z

6. This # was found "on the block" above the intake manifold...
3836848
GM10

Sorry for the log post; I got carried away!

3. This # was located "on the block" in front of the distributor and behind the oil fill on the engines right side...
3837004


From the Inliners site, this looks like a 1956 235 full pressure 235 in-line six. While not original to your truck, it is a great engine to work with. You can do lots with it.

4. This # was located on a passenger-side metal plate under the engine cowling...
58

6KD09 1002

And according to Fumblin 46's vin cruncher, it says your truck is a 1940, built in Oakland, CA. Probably the 1002nd truck off the line??

Someone else who knows more will add to this..I am not that good at the numbers game yet.

46 In Progress beat me to it (while I was composing this), but I'll elaborate.

1.) 3837004 is your block casting number. Most casting number lists show this as a 55-57 235 block. OM is probably really GM. IC is unknown. Usually one would find a casting date code, which is a letter followed by 2 or 3 numbers.

2.) B46 may be the head casting date code. B46, if a date code, translates in this case to February 4, 1956. There is some question whether or not this number is really a date code, though. The significance of the other numbers, 848 and 850, is unknown, though this is an 848 head (see #6).

3.) See #1.

4.) 6KD09 1002 is the truck's serial number, and it decodes as follows:

6=Oakland, CA assembly plant;
KD=series code=1940 3/4 ton truck;
09=month of assembly=September (1939);
1002=truck build sequence number. Numbering started at 1001 at each plant for each series, so this was the 2nd KD series truck off the line at Oakland.
The 1940 trucks were introduced in October, 1939.

5.) 0300933 F56Z is the engine serial number:

0300933=engine build sequence number (starting at 0001001 for each model year at each engine plant);
F=Flint plant;
56=model year;
Z=engine ID code=regular production 235 car engine

6.) 3836848 is the cylinder head casting number, known as the "848" head. This head became the standard 235 head from ~56 on.

So, your truck is a 1940, but the original 216 engine has been replaced with a 1956 vintage car 235.

Hey Jerboe! I can't help you with the numbers but I want to welcome you to the Stovebolt pages. There are 3 or 4 of us in Fallbrook.

Jerboe, Welcome to the BOLT lots of us here in Sunny SoCal.

Welcome to the 'Bolt! To build on what Xram53 stated, the number on the boss behind the distributer is your VIN. Most states used the engine number as the VIN until 1955. You can call GM to get a restoration packet for your truck. They will ask you for that number. It's free to US citizens and has a TON of information about your truck. The number is: 1-800-222-1020

Jerboe... welcome to the board... I've got what might be a 1940 216, ser# 2948246. It will need a complete rebuild; BUT... it ran when the PO parked it.

I need to keep it around for a while, at least until i get a VIN tag on my 39.

THANKS everyone! Your info is greatly appreciated.

Hey Xram53...is there a publication that carries these these GM numbers?

Which numbers? Casting or serial?

All of the books I've seen for casting numbers, such as the "Chevrolet by the Numbers" series, only cover V-8's, not inlines. That doesn't mean nothing exists, I just haven't found it/them yet, although Brownell's "How to Restore your Chevrolet Pickup" has a page with some casting numbers. There are lots of online resources for inline casting numbers, such as Inliners. I usually just do a web search for any number in question.

For serial numbers, there are some publications, one of them being "Catalog of Chevy Truck ID Numbers 1946-1972". This particular book only covers the light trucks, though. I have quite a few old Chevy parts manuals, and have amassed many of the inline engine codes for 56-83. Also, Keith Hardy\'s site contains quite a few of the Chevy resto packs that contain serial number info, including for your '40 truck.

I also had problems with vin and engine #'s, so I did a search on yahoo using the make and year of my truck and the words vehicle identification numbers. A sight came up with all that info. but I still could not find my vin plate. It is missing. However the engine # on the flat sopt behind the dist. of F56Z reads F-flint, 56- 1956 and Z- well mine was an x so I dont remember what z was. Hope that helps.