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I sure hope you guys can help me because I'm confused! :confused: I have what I believe to be a babbit 235. The block casting number is 3835692, which Inliners says is a 1952 235, and Hemmings says it is a 1952 235 from a passenger car with Powerglide. So far so good. The stamped serial number behind the distributor is GAA477852. According to the 1949 Chevrolet resto-pack specs, this is a 1949 model year (G), passenger car (A), Flint Michigan (A), unit number 477852. Huh?! 1949?! Is there another number, somewhere near the starter, cast into the block, that tells when it was cast? Does it tell anything else? Where might I find a list of those numbers and what they mean? In addition, the head is numbered 3835499, which Hemmings says is 1950-1952 216, but I thought I read somewhere that after 1950 216 and 235 heads were not interchangeable? Help!

I don't know for sure about the interchangablility of the heads but if you look at the right front side of you engine block that will be the numbers that tell you what engine you have and when it was built. My guess is you have an engine built in 49.
Hope this helps a little.


Ed

Did you check here?
Looks like the GAA prefix indicates '49 passenger car 216.
*A 1950 and up 235 will have the short side cover.

I'd trust inliners over the '49 resto pack based on the casting number.

Looking at a document that predates the motor isn't likely to correctly identify it.

Also it was not uncommon in the days where titles had engine numbers instead of body numbers to restamp the numbers on the motor when a replacement motor was installed in a vehicle.

Ghostrider: I did look at that site but I don't think I believe everything on that list. It also shows 216's in the big trucks and I don't think that is correct.
OldSub: I started with the Inliners info indicating a 1952 engine then looked in the 1952 Car and Truck Specifications to see if the engine serial number code for that year matched what I had, "G". 1952 model years started with "K" so I kept looking back thru the other year's specs until I found a serial number code that starts with "G", which is 1949. Your explanation about re-stamping makes the most sense. My stamping is "GAA477852" with no spaces or dashes between anything. Does anyone know if the real stampings included spaces or dashes?
I looked in Patrick's catalog and they have a good explanation of the date casting on the side of the block near the starter. Now I need to clean off the old crud and see what that says. I'm guessing that it will match up with the date indicated by the engine casting number.
Thanks to everyone for their input!

db,
If it's a '52 235 it will have the short side cover that does not cover the spark plugs.
Is that what you have?

Your stamped number indicates a '49 216 in my book,
Scott

3835499 head is a 1950-52 235. This info is out of a 1952 Chevy parts book.

chevyb: Thanks for the info. So it looks like the head is the correct one and of the same vintage as the engine, probably the original head. I looked for a date casting on the right side of the block but couldn't find it; must be behind the starter.

Hey guys I also am having some trouble with my casting numbers for my truck it's supposed to be a 52 GMC 9300 (Canadian truck) The casting number on the block is 3835814
The head cast number is 3695451. I believe this is a 235 or a 228? Anyone have info on this that would be a great help with my restoration. There is a stamped number on the block by the distributor C567682?

I'm lost please help