ZL-1 Engine Block Uncovered
 

So I was at my friends place checking out his collection of rusty Chevrolet Performance cars, when he asked if I had ever seen his aluminum big block. I mentioned I had not, so it rolled it out from the corner. It is definitely cool, so I took some pictures of it and documented the numbers. Checking the numbers out today, it comes out as a 1969 ZL-1 engine Winters block. That was unexpected to say the least.

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Painted blue to try and disguise as a Ford engine? :haha:

Did it have a production date and application code stamped on the passenger side front pad?

If the stamp is is one of the missing 69 engines, now you are talkin big money.

Is it for sale?

Based on the casting date location, that's one of the blocks re-issued in the late '80s.

Missing sleeves.

Wasn't the block under cut at the top for the sleeves to recess down.

YES, either counterbored for sleeve, or has a darker "sleeve" installed. I wonder if this is a "can-am" block with the treated cylinder wall to run with just the alum as a "sleeve".

My 1969 "052" ZL-1 block was painted orange when I got it as it was used in a dirt modified as a "cheater". It came out of northern Ohio around 2010.

You can see the step at the bottom of the bores for the sleeves to sit on. I don't believe there is enough material between the cylinders to run it as it is.

The only sleeves I have found that fit the 430 Can Am Block are the Darton sleeves 32160111.
And I have been waiting for them for over 2 years

My block as is when I bought it:

After "repairs" and set up for .904 Jesel solid roller lifters:

Curious, what is the meaning or decoding of the 06017 in the last picture?

Cylinder wall is almost thin enough to read through it.

Look for potential Yenko stamping info in the timing cover area. It was still winters cast block with GM molds, but Yenko managed it. Its kinda cool if you find that, I had one. Wish I never sold the dam thing, I liked the Yenko aspect.

That's gotta be one of the 4.440 bored blocks

The block has a different bolt pattern for the Heads
Dosent look like the Chevy Big Block Heads pattern that I have

I have a set of sleeves if anyone needs.

Definitely made some changes.

…….possibly June 1st 1987…..? Just a guess but those casting stamps are the same as later built parts…..from my experience.

Kurt

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Chevy 430 CI Can Am aluminum block (68 - 72)

The one block I had that had the outside look like a stock block, but yenko stamp in timing cover area was a 74 I think. I would maybe venture this block was more like a 70s vintage block, hard to believe they would still make these in the late 80s? Which now begs the question, who owns the GM molds now? Joe parts has the molds to the cross-rams for the 302 as one example of a GM mold destination, but where are the GM molds to the ZL-1 yenko had.

Next time I get out to the block I'll flip it around and see about by the water pump area and timing cover.

I don't recall seeing any Yenko blocks with screw-in style freeze plugs. Mine has regular plugs. I could be wrong. That block is also missing the extra headbolts. If they were machined off, I wonder why.

06017 is probably not Casting Date.
Ive seen it on other Blocks.
There was one for sale on the Corvette Forum
Casting date 030169
Tall deck
That may explain why the Block here does not have a cutouts for Sleeve flanges.
It has been decked down to short deck?

Ford Blue? Have they try to run it with Ford Heads
These cheating Ford owners

Tall deck Can Am 4.440 Bore Corvette Forum

I was told these were Yenko markings on a block I have here. Does it have stampings like these?



Jason

Siamese block that have SY Stampings and no Sleeves.

Press in frost plug

Does that block have the upside-down "LC" in the snowflake? Looks like it

I just checked the old ad I had here for my engine, and the person you want to look up is named Mark Gillepsie for decoding of those letters (he has a book for that). I think he is in Indiana. He was the jedi master of info on Yenko ZL-1 blocks. The letters decode to an engine number. All letters like yours.

I could be wrong, but 90% sure I am right. Good luck.

-bob

So no one knows what

06017

means on these blocks?

Also it's strange for the Yenko blocks, they stamp SY and not YS then 2 other letters that could be someone's initials?

Read my post above, the SY is what it is for a yenko I believe, and the other letters decode to an actual engine number that could be tracked. From the letters on mine, this person I mention above has a book that tracks those blocks that were made. I think he worked at Yenko back in the day. In any case if the owner of the block gets in contact with that person, I am sure we can get an update on how its decoded. I pretty much forgot what I knew as I sold my block a long time ago, but put a ton of time into finding out what I had.

Ruh-roh...

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So when did Yenko either start or stop having their name cast into the block as shown above?

This is said to be a 69 Block from HBC

Lee, I thought I read that Yenko started doing that in 72 or 74. Something about they aquired the tooling and did the block but add the YENKO where the Winter's crest was. I think they also cast blocks with a Yenko shield like the cars Yenko shield emblem.

Mine looked to have the winters snowflake ground off. It did not look like they ground down an area as large as the yenko letters. So I think the 74 block I had looked like the one with the unfortunate crack.

I wonder if these blocks have a curse. Mine, after I sold it, the guy calls me years later and says it developed a leak, and wondered if I knew about it. I said well, you spent a lot of time inspecting it, I said I got it like it is, all freshly rebuilt by someone else with the best stuff, and it is what it is. I am glad I sold it as it obviously did not hold up.

Aluminum Yenko BBC From the mid 80s, for reference.

I'm curious if the car that HBC is selling has one of the 69 ZL1 engines or it's one of the OTC ones?