The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop I think I've got my motor identified but not sure.

Hey guys first post here, I've got a very very well cared for '46 COE. Turns out it's not the original 216 (of course) and its a 235 with a LAS prefix. So that puts it as a powerglide/power steering motor? Then the head code is 3701887. And that's the head from a powerglide car right? Doesn't it have bigger valves or something? Anyhow, I'm almost thinking is this a 'vette motor? As the LAS code is identified in by this website in the same spot as some corvette stuff. Sounds like perhaps a corvette block rebuilt with a regular head? Anyhow it's all fun I love working on this thing. Haven't even snapped a bolt off yet. Oh yeah and the valves in these heads? If you ever need an exhaust valve, the ones from a '95 TBI 350 are IDENTICAL. hahaha! Anyhow, any tips on what I've got?

The only head with the really big valve has 15 head bolts, doesn't fit the late block. "Powerglide" refers to any passenger engine with automatic transmission after 1950. The Corvette block isn't special. 887 is a common late head.

Were you the fellow I talked to at the Kenai river greenhouse during the auction? Dave

AkCoe,

I think a 1953 corvette is LAY, not LAS.

What is your block casting number?

Head casting 3701887,
1953 Passenger Std. Trans, & Truck both mech. cam.
1954-55.1 Truck

Well I don't quite know what my casting number is. Is that the number stamped behind the distributor? I don't know where else to look and I don't want to do archeology on the crud until I know where to dig haha. Either way, we got it mostly back together today. Should run tomorrow. Oh and is there a way to tell a 12v starter from a 6v? Does it have it stamped on there somewhere? Would a 12v starter crank with a 6v battery?

I believe that a 12 volt starter has a different number of teeth. It might crank on 6v but it probably wouldn't start very well(or last that long). Now if you're going to use a 12v battery and 6v starter that would be different. It seems to me that you are going to keep the 6 volt system(right?) and in that case as long as you clean all of the connections up(it wouldn't hurt to take the starter apart and clean it out unless it's trashed) your starter should crank the engine over as fast as it was designed to do(just make sure that the battery stays charged up).

Engine code locations.

The block casting number for the 1953-54 engines is located forward of the fuel pump, right above the oil pan flange. This area can be really filled with crud.

Hoyt

Aha! Thanks for the help guys. I'm astonished at how active this forum is. Good stuff I'll look at that tomorrow, it's 1 am right now. But we got it running. Runs and drives pretty good. Although I think there's a vacuum leak in the hydrovac system. I guess that figures after like 64 years! I got a video of driving it, but I haven't put it up yet.