The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop I'm stumped!

I'm trying to find the EXACT year of the 235 engine in my 56 3100 (I have a post in General Truck Talk as well)

According to www.inliners.com the block casting number (3769716) puts it as a 58-62.... then it has a stamped number (F0301BE)... according to the coding info at the American Classic website the "BE" is listed under 1960 as an engine with a Power Glide tranny (I have a 4 speed)....

So a couple of questions:
1) Do I in fact have a 1960 engine?
2) Did trucks come with Power Glide trannies? Or do I have a car 235 with the original 4 speed?
3) Does the engine have hyrolic valves?

Thanks Stovebolt Wizards!!!

Larry, the numbers don't lie! looks like someone replaced the engine, and it originally came from a 60 car - not suprising the ol thing got a heart transplant along the way

prolly does have hydraulics as the auto car engines did have'em - hafta check it out and see

Bill

Thanks Bill!

Is there anywhere I can go to to de-code the stamped id#?

don't know a place on the net right off other than Amer Classic, but there are books that have lists of those codes - the F will be the Flint plant, and as the BE seems to indicate car model and trans combo, the numbers may just be a date code

Bill

American Classic only makes reference to the "BE" part but not the rest of the numbers. And inliners.org only has casting numbers.

I think you may be right about the numbers indicating dates tho, Bill.

Anyone else have any ideas?

The 1960 Chev parts book shows "BE" as a 1960 passenger car 235 with Powerglide and Power Steering.

Mmmmm.... thanks Dave! That confirms what I've found out. Is there any mention about the other numbers?

The stamped engine number is F0301BE... I understand the "F" is "Flint"... so now just trying to understand the "0301"

Thanks!

too bad it didn't include the power steering pump!
most likely march 1, [1960]

Bill

My guess is that the original PO, a Colorado farmer, said "I don't need no stinkin power steerin!"

Actually, since I redid the king pins she ain't all that bad!

BE is for the '60-'62 passenger car 235 with PG and PS (which would have hyd. lifters). The other numbers are the engine build date (0301=March 1). No exact year is given in the serial number. To pinpoint the year, look for the block casting date code on the block near the starter. This code is a letter followed by two or three numbers. The last digit of the date code is the last digit of the year. The build date is usually a few days after the casting date.

I could be wrong but I think 1960 was the last year that the 235 had front motor mounts. That may help??? I'm not sure but I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm right?...or if I'm wrong!!

Thanks for the continued info guys - we're narrowing it down for sure!

Curt: Can I presume that the engine code info on the American Classic site is correct? If so, then they only list the BE under 1960 and not 61 or 62. So for the stamp id F0301BE it appears as if I have an engine made in Flint on March 1, 1960... correct?

I'll have to check on the other block casting number you're talking about... I do have a block casting number that's on the pass side: 3769716 that tells me that it's a 58-62. I didn't know there was another casting number.

Larry:
I've found that some of the code info on American Classic is incomplete, or sometimes just wrong. Their engine code lists for '61 and '62 only show codes for the truck engines, so your car engine code is not included.

The suffix lists in my Chevy parts manuals show the BE suffix for '60, '61, and '62. The only way to narrow it exactly is by the block casting date code, which would give the year, as mentioned above.

BTW, not that it matters, but your engine could have been installed originally in any of the car models, excluding Corvair of course (1100, 1300, 1500, and 1700 series 6-cyl. vehicles--Biscaynes, Bel-Airs, and Impalas). The serial suffix doesn't specify the exact model.

The date the engine was cast is right above the starter. It is in code so post it and we can explain how to decode it for you.

Thanks guys!

I'm a tad dense so forgive me for asking so many questions! I'll look for another casting number.. the one that I have is from the pass side (3769716) but I'll look on Tuesday when I'm at the garage and see if there's another one.

Meanwhile, the info I got from American Classic about the STAMPED ID is from: http://www.americanclassic.com/paint.htm?p1=engines
and that shows a "BE" as 1960... but maybe I'm interpreting it wrong.

Larry, the casting date is a raised casting on the pass. side of the block above the starter. It is not a number stamped on the block surface. should look somthing like this.

C 3 0 or B 18 3

Hope this helps

I hear ya but, I do in fact have TWO different sets of numbers... one is the stamped number (F0301BE) and the other is a cast number (3769716)..... I don't think the 56+ years didn't have letters like you say.... I'll look again for any other numbers but I think what I have is indeed the casting number... but I'll check.

Here's what I found last night at the garage...

There is only ONE casting number on the block: (3769716) near that number there IS a "GM" with a smaller either "18" or "1B" below the GM. That's it there are no other numbers/letters near the starter.

The stamped number is on the plate: (F0301BE)

That's it. No other numbers. Based on what I've been able to gleen from the various sources and help here I'm pretty convinced it's a 1960 235 from an 1100 series vehicle.

Based on that, we went ahead and adjusted the lifters as hydraulics and she's running better now.

*Bump*

The date code looks a little different and it may be behind the starter. All I have seen also have 2 slotted screw heads cast in as well. I think the date code was on a metal strip that was screwed to the mold. It's got to have it.

My 53 has a 59 235 in it. There are three numbers on the block that give information. First, the casting number is located on the front half of the passenger side, down near the oil dipstick. The casting number 3764476 is a 58-62 Chevy 6. The casting date is on the rear half of the passenger side, (as Frank50 says) behind the top of the starter (can just barely see it with the starter in place). The casting date is D229 which corresponds to a casting date of April 22, 1959. Finally, the assembly date is engraved (or stamped) on the flat boss behind the distributor. The assembly date number is F424A which breaks down to Flint, MI assembly plant, assembled on April 24, and is a type A. Type A was a 235 6 cylinder engine with standard transmission or overdrive and standard duty clutch. Used in passenger and delivery vehicles.

If all of my research and decoding is correct, they must have been churning out those trucks, the engine must have been still warm if they were assembling it two days after it was cast.

I think if you take off your starter and clean up the block behind it, you will see the casting date.

THANKS JEFF! That's great very specific info... This is the first time I've heard about a specific place for another number... I'll check.