The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1959 Apache 283 questions

I have a 1959 Apache shortbed fleetside with factory V-8. The gentleman I bought it from said it was the original engine that came with the truck as "he ordered it". He says he ordered it with High Performance upgrades. Earlier this week I removed the engine and disassembled it in preparation for rebuilding it. I ran some of the casting numbers and it created some questions in my mind that I am hoping some of you guys can help me with. I really prefer for everything to be original with a truck I am considering restoring. Actually I have already made my mind up to start this project with it being a factory V-8 with big back glass and shortbed fleetside with two-tone paint.

The main question I have is could this be the original engine that was "ordered" for this truck as the gentleman told me or has someone more than likely monkeyed with it? The block casting numbers appear to be correct for it but the intake manifold and head casting numbers show them being listed for a 1957 Corvette from the info I could gather. Could you have ordered a truck this way in 1959?

Listed below are the VIN number and casting numbers I found.

(1) - VIN number is V3A59K120614.

(2) - Block casting number is 3756519. There is also a G4 number and 519 number also on the block. Additionally I found a N34 number and a 2 with 3 vertical dots beside it on the left side of the block.

(3) - Intake manifold casting number is 3746826. There is also a GM11 number on it.

(4) - Crankshaft casting number is 3836266. There is also a GM26 number on it.

(5) - Left head casting number is 3731539. There is also a GM5 number and a E167 number on it.

(6) - Right head casting number is 3731539. There is also a GM5 number and a E237 number on it.

(7) - Pistons number is 3734627. There is also a GM1 number on them.

Any help and input would be appreciated.

1) shows the truck was an original V8, the block casting could have been either a truck [w/ 2 barrel] or 'vette [w/ 4 barrel] .... I'd think either he ordered a truck with a 'vette engine [installed by the dealer] or it was put in later .... if you want "original" for that particular truck you have to take his word for it, and back in the day almost anything could have been ordered from the dealer, even car accessories on a truck .... but as Cletis is fond of pointing out, you can never "restore" a truck to "original", it's one or the other

Bill

My reference material shows the heads to be 57-61 283 truck. The date codes E167/E237 E=month/day/year = May 16/23 1957. I can't help you with the other numbers but if it has a 4 bl manifold it would not be factory. There are lots of stories out there but I doubt that he ordered "factory high performance options" on a truck. Not to say that a dealer wouldn't install them per a customer's requirement, for a price.
Fred

(1) - VIN number is V3A59K120614.
V=V8 engine; 3A=1/2 ton shortbox series 31 (or 3100); 59=1959 year; K=Kansas City,Missouri; 120614=20,614th one made

(2) - Block casting number is 3756519. There is also a G4 number and 519 number also on the block. This block was used for 1958-61 Corvette and 1958-62 passenger cars and trucks. It is a 283 block. What is the numbers on the front right number pad right at head gasket level?

(3) - Intake manifold casting number is 3746826. This intake would be a 1957 265 or 283 2 barrel passenger car.

(4) - Crankshaft casting number is 3836266. There is also a GM26 number on it.This is a forged crank for a 1956-63 265 or 283.

(5) - Left head casting number is 3731539. There is also a GM5 number and a E167 number on it.May 16, 1957 date. See #6 for more info.

(6) - Right head casting number is 3731539. There is also a GM5 number and a E237 number on it.May 23, 1957 date on this head. 1.72" intake valve and 1.5" exhaust valve. It is off a 1957 fuel injection or 2 four barrel Corvette They could be worth a few bucks from $0-1000 for a pair. More if perfect, magnafluxed and rebuilt.If you are to sell them, I would sell them as is and not try to have them rebuilt. The guys who spend money on them would rather have them rebuilt by them or their machinists, and they have to be PERFECT! These could be the winners of your parts. Nothing to today's standards, but winners in value. Have them magnafluxed and sell them if they turn out good.

(7) - Pistons number is 3734627. There is also a GM1 number on them. 283 piston

You probably have a stock 283 block with heads and intake of a low hp Corvette. I would sell the heads and buy some nice power pack heads from a later model 283 or 327. They would be comparable if not better than those heads. You could also spend more money on bigger valved heads like camel back heads, but I wouldn't spend the money for them on a 283. Not that the 283 isn't a GREAT engine. There are just some more reasonable choices.

Builder,

The number on the front right number pad of the block looks like F2IIM but it may be F211M.

I could not find a X54 number on the head but I am not really sure of exactly where to look. I did find just a large X stamped on the head. I also found a 539 number and a C4 number on the heads also?

Sorry, I meant to say that I could not find a X58 number on the head.

See my update to the information in the previous post.

Thanks Builder,

Did the F2IIM number on the front right number pad of the block have any significance or meaning?

Of the top of my head I think it is;
F=Flint, MI
2=February
11=the 11th of the month
M=Double-Duti V8

I had a talk with some Corvette guys. They tell me that those heads are pretty common and used on all Corvettes and passenger cars, so the value is not so much. I have one guy who is willing to trade two sets of the same heads for the May dated heads you have. Let me know if interested.

What date codes are the heads he has?

I found a set of similar heads at the following link that your guy may be interested in?

http://albany.craigslist.org/pts/2711433993.html

If you buy into the values being that high for those heads, you might want to take my guy up on his 2 for 1 offer.
The guy you link to has his numbers mixed up somehow. His information is not totally correct. He mentions they would be "outwardly" correct. They would be the wrong numbers for the 58 Fuelie. Also keep in mind that there are 4-5 different HP models in 58, and 2 of them are Fuelies.
Also, when building a numbers correct car, the date codes need to be correct to the dates the vehicle is made. For instance; The heads and engine block should be made withing a couple of weeks of each other. The engine should be made a few weeks earlier than the vehicle. Anything with a date code would have to made before the assembly date of the vehicle, within reason. June heads would not be correct for a May vehicle. Those are the differences the Corvette guys are looking for and willing to spend money on.

Where would I find the production date for my ole truck?

you won't find it fisher, all you can do is collect as many date codes off parts as you can to get an 'average', and guess by the sequence number of the vin, early in the model year or late

Bill

I think someone posted earlier that my truck was the 20,614th one in 1959. How many were produced that year?

your number would be the 20,614th truck [any size] produced at the KC plant - the only numbers I've seen indicate '59 output from all plants of 1/2T-3/4T was 196,307, but each plant numbered separately - I think there were 11 plants at the time, if they all put out roughly equal numbers of trucks that'd make it late

you need to get date codes off the trans and rear axle, your engine date codes are too oddball

Bill

I will look for those in the morning. Thanks everyone for the help.