Engine block stampings

[Bob Martin]

This the motor out of my '69 Z/28. Has anyone seen a motor stamped and casted on the same day? I know the motor has not been re-stamped. Thanks

Bob

[Bob Martin]

Here is the second picture.

[PeteLeathersac]

As per CRG...

"...Blocks have been found that have been cast and assembled in the same day, but that is not normative. There are also blocks that have been cast and then assembled months later; again, that is not normative..."

This page...
http://www.camaros.org/drivetrain.shtml


~ Pete

[TimG]

I believe that during heavy production times, this wasn't unusual. I've owned several small block cars that have had engines cast and built the same day. They ran 24 hour shifts and it could have been cast early one day and built later the next day.
I've never seen a big block with the cast and build this close, but I'm sure it could have happened.

[Mr.Nickey Nova]

On my 70 L34 Nova the engine was casted and built one day apart.

[Lynn]

They were cranking engines out at a pretty good clip in Sept. 69. I sold a Sept 69 DZ block a few years ago cast and assembled either the same day or one day apart. Can't remember. Should have taken some pics.

[bergy]

OK guys - think about this! The Z-28 blocks were cast at the Saginaw Michigan gray iron plant. If a block was cast first thing in the morning, it took about 35 minutes to "shake out", 3-4 hours hanging in the cooling court, 1 hour to get through cleaning (these times are all assuming the lines never stopped - that would be very unusual). Then it had to wait in the shipping area before being loaded into a truck and shipped to the Flint Machigan motor plant. Now the block had to get unloaded, through receiving, through staging, all the way through block machining - piled on a pallet and taken over to the assembly line. Finally, it's got to be assembled and date stamped. All of this is nearly (never say never) impossible to do on a DZ block in one day. Two days - yeah, but same day - not likely. It did, however, happen occassionally at Tonawanda because the motor plant was attached to the metal casting plant - so castings were carried one pallet at a time into the motor plant.

[Jonesy]

[ QUOTE ]
OK guys - think about this! The Z-28 blocks were cast at the Saginaw Michigan gray iron plant. If a block was cast first thing in the morning, it took about 35 minutes to "shake out", 3-4 hours hanging in the cooling court, 1 hour to get through cleaning (these times are all assuming the lines never stopped - that would be very unusual). Then it had to wait in the shipping area before being loaded into a truck and shipped to the Flint Machigan motor plant. Now the block had to get unloaded, through receiving, through staging, all the way through block machining - piled on a pallet and taken over to the assembly line. Finally, it's got to be assembled and date stamped. All of this is nearly (never say never) impossible to do on a DZ block in one day. Two days - yeah, but same day - not likely. It did, however, happen occassionally at Tonawanda because the motor plant was attached to the metal casting plant - so castings were carried one pallet at a time into the motor plant.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are REAl examples out there of both Tonawanda and Flint engines that were cast and built in the same day. Mot a high occurance, but it did happen.

[Bob Martin]

Thanks to everyone for there input. It makes me feel better. I knew it was not a re-stamp but never saw one with the same day before. Thanks again Bob

[bergy]

FYI - You can look at the casting time on the block. If it's cast late on first shift or any time on second shift, it would definitely be impossible for a Saginaw casting to be assembled the same day. Look for an early first shift casting time.