70 Judge RAIV and V continuation

[Steve_Hoog]

Don

Let's see you be objective. Take another look and lets talk about it reasonably.

[Steve_Hoog]

I conclude that it was done long ago, how long I have no clue, I would certainly say before 99, the combonation of rust, paint, and depth leaves me to believe the W and numbers are of the same time and style stamping, leaving the Y not an exact match and out of line with the W, what does the Y mean, I don't know, I promise you I didn't do it, I don't see SR anywhere....?

[gtoguru]

Although most SR blocks dont have engine codes stamped in them the service techs were supposed to stamp the code in them the same as the block they were replacing. For ID purposes. This didnt get done very often. Dont know that a RAV block would have a SR # as it was not a replacement for any block installed in a car. Probably had an engineering DS # if anything.

[MrsBillyBobcat]

Steve,

Is the number above the ìWYî on the engine block ì689549î? (thatís what it looks like) Also, is the photo in your attachment from the block that is currently in Garyís silver Judge (the one that has been there since it left the factory)?

Rita [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Steve_Hoog]

I can't tell what the first number is, that is the block out of the car. The air cleaner pic was a sheet pulled off a car before it left the line (not the car in debate).

Gary sent this to me in an email concerning the stamping:

"Remind them that I scraped the original paint off to take the picture, this was a factory stamp. Look at 100 original pontiac engines of all types and the two letters don't always line up perfect. If someone was trying to make a bogus stamping, they would do it perfect anyway."

I'll get the date code and first digit soon as I talk to him again.

[MrsBillyBobcat]

The verdict is in...You be the îJUDGEî [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif[/img]

Since this topic came up, I have been sifting through Bill's "RAM AIR V" file (while he is at work [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]). He has tons of info on the RAM AIR V motor. I think I may have found something that answers the ìMILLION DOLLAR QUESTIONî here (that being whether or not a particular Judge came from the factory with a RA V). I found photos of a ìcrated RA Vî (the same one) in two different publications from the mid 80ís (see below). It has an engine number stamped on it very similar to the one Steve posted from the Judge in question (see attachment in his post in response to GTO DON on page 3)

The engine in these articles is engine #689539. The one from the Judge in question appears to be engine #689549. I believe the engine number is part of a ìsequential numbering systemî. According to the ìdate cast codeî on engine #689539, it was cast on January 21,1970 during the night shift. Therefore, I would have to believe that engine #689549 would have been cast AFTER that. Since the motor in the Judge was built after January 21, 1970, and the car was invoiced in November of 1969, then logically there is NO POSSIBLE WAY that this engine was in that car from the FACTORY!

Court is now ADJOURNED!


Rita [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

article #1

article #2

[DaJudge]

Nice articles. I stand corrected regarding the stampings the article clearly states that these engines were hand stamped. Way to dig through the archives [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[55chevy]

Ok Rita. Point Made.. Now enlarge that pic. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[MrsBillyBobcat]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok Rita. Point Made.. Now enlarge that pic. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

You can look for that pic in the next issue of "Chevy Girls Gone Wild on the Supercar Forum" [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif[/img]

[Steve_Hoog]

Rita that is some good work, I wish you would post the entire article and source. I have HPP April 84 that has RAM AIR V Machine Behind The Myth, but pages 29-35 are gone. Just so happens to be right where the article was, I had a bad habit of hanging the cool pics on my shop wall. No doubt where they went.

The Y is identical in the stamp style, and what little you posted partially answers some of my questions.

You have assumed too much with Gary's engine though. I have looked and looked at the pic he gave me, I can't tell if it's a 3, 5, 6, or 8; and I'm leaning towards the 8. It looks like it turns back up where the two circles meet. Too much guess work on how they came about with the numbers, sequential or however they did it.

The only for sure way to know, would be for Gary to tell us the unknown digit and more important the date code. A third engine to reference would be nice too, I'm still trying to track down a lead on that right now.