[Mark_C]

Hard to tell from that photo, but the pad looks like it is a late production 3970010 block with the 1/2 width pad. 69 and earlier pad lengths equal the width of the whole head, late model ones are only 1/2 the width of the head. The engine code stamp is also in the wrong place and uses the wrong font. The 9 on Flint engines always has an upturned end on the tail, it's almost an 8 that is missing a short segment. On this stamp the tail is pointed downward. Can't say Norwood never stamped the VIN on the pad after December, but it was not the normal practice to do so, and it wouldn't be in the location shown on this picture if they did do it. Looks like it could be a restamp. See the attached images (harvested from Ebay if they belong to anyone here) of a same period engine. This car is about 1000 VINs earlier (about 1.5 days production)and is a much lower production engine (302/290) is dated 9/25/69. The build date is a bit to far away for me to feel comfortable with the engine and this car without a bunch more info on the car.

On a car this late in production the easiest way to identify it as a "real" SS is to count the fuel lines. There was only one small block that used 2 fuel lines after 1/1/69 and that was the L48. of course if the lines are new or have been replaced I wouldn't use that as evidence either. Even if it is an SS I would have to be convinced that that engine is the original one.