Engine block stampings

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

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We (NCRS) have documented a number of Flint small-blocks that were cast and assembled on the same day, and MANY that were assembled the day after they were cast. The Saginaw Foundry sent 55,000 iron castings to Flint V-8 every day, and those dedicated GM trucks ran 24/7. Machining at Flint V-8 ran on three shifts, and both assembly lines ran on two shifts (170 per hour on Line 1, 130 per hour on Line 2).



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This is 'spot-on' per the date frames we see on the Deuces. I thought it was almost impossible for this tight of a date, but multiple Deuces have these tight dates. Now, we can tell rehits when the dates are not tight enough.

[bergy]

Castings were not put into foundry inventory on a FIFO basis - there will always be legitimate blocks that have a large spread between cast date and machine date. Blocks that got set aside for allowable cosmetic welding as well as inventoried blocks sat around for quite a while. There will never, however, be second shift Saginaw castings that were assembled on the same day at Flint.

[69 Post Sedan]

How many blocks were cast the day before, then, machined/stamped the next day while accidently stamping yesterdays date.

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
How many blocks were cast the day before, then, machined/stamped the next day while accidently stamping yesterdays date.

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That statement is very probable and could have more truth to it than we'll ever know!.


~ Pete

[bergy]

If the motor plants messed up that bad, there should be documented Tonawanda assemblies with the block cast date after the engine build date! Has anyone ever heard of that? I know that at the foundry the pattern shop inspected the patterns and changed the cast date tags every night. Before the first shift started production, the mold machine operator and supervisor had to check/verify the date tag. We were pretty faithful about checking date tags and clock shift screws because it was the only way that off chemistry cases could be segregated. If the inspection department didn't see the correct date/time on castings in the finishing department, they would quarintine the entire questionable batch. We weren't complete idiots - remember, we made supercars that are still around today! I'm not sure about the motor plant checking mechanism - but I know that everyone was sensitive to date codes and if a mistake was noted - we had to quaranteen and, if necessary, restamp. I guess the bottom line is, that we can assume that Chevrolet employees screwed up, but when you have to start coming up with unusual explanations - potentiel buyers get scared.

[69 Post Sedan]

It was just another possible scenario. But we must remember, we are all human and mistakes are/were made.

I recently saw a '69 Camaro 396 block in which the 3rd number was a 5 and it should have been a 6. It was confirmed with a email from Kurt Sonen as he new of a block that had the same problem and both VIN's were very close.

Kurt

[bergy]

I agree - good discussion.