Engine date vs engine component dates?

[68SSCamaro]

Al Colvin's "Chevrolet By The Numbers" covers this subject. Use that and the Assembly Manual to determine what components are part of the Engine Assembly and what is added at the Car Assembly plant.

The engine assembly includes the long block including distributor and flywheel. So block, heads, intake, exhaust manifolds and water pump. Also thermostat housing, engine lift brackets and for pre-69 the smog bracket on the intake.

Car assembly include alternator, starter, carburetor, smog pump, power steering pump, coil, air conditioning, pulleys, fan and all the brackets that go with these.

There are a bunch of little things that go on the engine at various points that maybe someone else can help with. These would include spark plug wire stands, distributor vacuum line stand, power brake vacuum fitting on intake, etc. This would make a good project for someone to put together.

[70-SS/RS-L78]

Jeff there is a VERY INFORMATIVE thread at Nasty Z28 which I asked the same question. A GM Engineer from the motor shop answered many of assembly and engine painting procedures that have puzzeled me over the years...

[Mr70]

Sounds like JohnZ.
He frequents here too.

[JohnZ]

The easiest way to determine what came on the engine from the engine plant and what was installed at the car assembly plant is to look in the assembly manual; anything that has a part number callout was installed at the car assembly plant, and anything that doesn't came as part of the engine assembly as shipped from the engine plant.

Chevrolet engines were pretty bare-naked leaving the engine plant, as posted above; automatic engines just had a flexplate, and manuals had the flywheel, clutch, bellhousing, and clutch fork. Other than the distributor, that was about it, except for the orange-painted parts.

Here's a photo from the shipping dock at Flint Engine, taken in 1955; engine state of dress at that point didn't change until the early 80's.