The small block casting number project

bob k. mando

Team Member
Moderator
Given that documentation on the small block casting numbers seems to be very thin I thought that perhaps it would be a good idea for us Buick fans to get a little organized and report what we're seeing out in the field.

I have a couple of engines that I'll have to get numbers from.

Here's the data from the first engine. It's a 340 with transmission, I have no idea what car it came from.

Year: 1966
Displacement: 340
Engine Code Stamping: "B" ( presuming MB )
Engine Identification Stamping: not found

Casting Numbers
Intake: B 1374559 P ( Four barrel square bore )
Block: 1374557 M
Head, Driver: B 1376330 J
Head, Passenger: B 1376330 J
Exhaust, Driver: 137590?
Exhaust, Passenger: 1375912

Carb: Carter AFB 4055 S 859 cfm (?)

Transmission:
Super Turbine 400
BU - 66 - 71212


PS - In addition to our own casting number list, Gessler is listing Intake and Head numbers that he's found here:

Intakes -
http://www.gesslerheadporting.com/g...7f3f173a509bfb4d85256e47001a8afa!OpenDocument

Heads -
http://www.gesslerheadporting.com/g...8464cf4d587de6d085256e47001720b1!OpenDocument
 
1966

Bob,

From my Atlanta Buick Library:

You Said "Engine Code Stamping: "B" ( presuming MB )"

If it is MB it denotes as an “optional” 340-4bbl for the 3600 series Special Deluxe and 4400 SportWagon.

Casting Numbers
Intake: B 1374559 P ( Four barrel square bore ) - Also for 1966 casting # 1374558.
Block: 1374557 M
Head, Driver: B 1376330 J - 1966 340
Head, Passenger: B 1376330 J
Exhaust, Driver: 137590? – Cast (should read) 1375907 1966/67 300-340
Exhaust, Passenger: 1375912 – Also 66/67 300/340

Carter shows to be a ’66 number

Transmission:
Super Turbine 400
BU - 66 – 71212 – The “BU” code usually is for the LeSabre but my notes indicate any model ordered in '66 with the 340-4bbl with an ST 400 received the “BU” trans.

A couple of 2 cents worth
:thumbsup:
David
 
aha.

it appears that *YOU* may have a pretty thorough casting number listing at your fingertips.

i presume we need to order your book? :D


i see that you're listing the same exh man casting for both the 300 and 340. is this also true of the intake? are there any 340 specific int, head or exh castings?

duh, never mind about the question on the intake. i just remembered the deck height.
 
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Year: 1970
Displacement: 350
Engine Code Stamping: "SP"
Engine Identification Stamping: not found

Casting Numbers
Intake: B 1231824 E ( Four barrel spread bore )
Block: 1382201
Head, Driver: B 1233472
Head, Passenger: B 1233472
Exhaust, Driver: 1231359 ( 'open' chamber? )
Exhaust, Passenger: 13381328

Carb: Rochester Quadrajet ( should have been either a 7040244 or 7040245 depending on ATX or MTX )

Transmission:
unknown



the 350 ports look to be much larger all the way around the engine which should translate into more power. the only thing that concerns me is that the driver's side exh manifold seems to dump all four ports into one large plenum ( 'open chamber' reference ). it seems to me that this would induce exhaust gas reversion to the cylinders AND kill exhaust gas velocities.

passenger side manifold looks fine, somewhat like a modified log manifold. it would at least induce a directional velocity to the exhaust charge before blending the various exhaust pulses together.

does anyone know if there is a different style casting available for the 350 on the drivers side?
 
'70 Castings

Year: 1970
Displacement: 350
Engine Code Stamping: "SP" - '70 GS 350
Engine Identification Stamping: not found

Casting Numbers
Intake: B 1231824 E ( Four barrel spread bore ) It should read 1231924
Block: 1382201= 350 Block
Head, Driver: B 1233472 = 350 Heads
Head, Passenger: B 1233472
Exhaust, Driver: 1231359 ( 'open' chamber? ) = Correct casting for '70 350
Exhaust, Passenger: 13381328 = Also correct casting

Looks like you have the GS 350 Hi-Performance '70 Engine.
All of this is covered in my "70 by The Numbers manual. ( I know a shameless plug)
PLUS I have a '70 GS 350 numbers matching car in the basement. :D

:thumbsup:

David
 
All of this is covered in my "70 by The Numbers manual. ( I know a shameless plug)


one problem:
i don't have website or contact information for you, you shameless spammer. :jeez:

:D

i only joke about that because i suspect we have a brand new one ( a 2011, in fact ) on the board right now. :waving:


ps - i know i have a hi-comp, max horse 350. that's why i got it. i'm just posting the casting numbers for comparison purposes. i've got two more 350s i need to dig out yet. if we can get Sean participating in this i'm sure it will go a lot faster.
 
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anybody know the location of the casting # on newer blocks? i've got a block that has a cast "5.7" in the bellhousing saddle where the casting number is typically located. haven't seen anything else around the engine.



Year: 1975
Displacement: 350
Engine Code Stamping: unknown at this time
Engine Identification Stamping: not found

Casting Numbers
Intake: screwed up the number
Block: 1241748
Head, Driver: 1243452
Head, Passenger: 1243453
Exhaust, Driver:
Exhaust, Passenger:
Carb: Rochester Quadrajet 7045244

Transmission:
TH-350




Year: unknown, likely a mongrel motor
Displacement: 350
Engine Code Stamping: not found
Engine Identification Stamping: not found

Casting Numbers
Intake: 1231924
Block: "5.7" ?
Head, Driver: 1241861
Head, Passenger: 1241861
Exhaust, Driver: 1243457 ( 'open' chamber? )
Exhaust, Passenger: 1246656

Carb: Rochester Quadrajet 7142240

Transmission:
unknown
 
casting # question

I have found the casting at the top rear of the engine, and it reads B1374871. I'm 99% sure its a 300 1964-67 vintage. I want to sell it complete as I have found another 64 300 with alum heads and intake with low low mileage and wanted some info to advertise my engine..
Can anyone decode it and tell me in fact , it is a 300 or a 340? Iron heads, iron block with a 2 barrel aluminum intake. Any help is appreciated.
 
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Year: 1965
Displacement: 300
Engine Code Stamping: LP
Engine Identification Stamping: not found

Casting Numbers
Intake: 1366695 ( Four barrel square bore )
Block: 1357943
Head, Driver: 1366379
Head, Passenger: 1366379
Exhaust, Driver:
Exhaust, Passenger:

Crank: 1357899

Timing Cover: 1358076

Oil Pump: 1359261
 
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I know Bob has been helping me on this, but is anyone able to shed some more light on this motor. I'm in Australia so not much access to parts for scarce motors. Was buying this as a 350 but I have stalled it for now until I find out exactly what it is


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
7 B 112929

7 = 1967
B = Baltimore Maryland?
112929 = sequential production number of the car the engine was originally placed in, will match the last 6 digits of the VIN

since the engine does not have power steering or air conditioning, it probably came out of a Special, which was the base model.

https://www.teambuick.com/reference/years/67.php

being a 67, that's probably a TH-350 transmission.

67 could be either 300ci or 340ci and is the last year of production before Buick converted to the 350ci in 1968. cast iron 4 barrel intakes for the 300ci are a one year only production item ( 1965 ) and are very rare. they can be found but patience will likely be required.
 
340 4bbl casting numbers

I will post the casting/stamping numbers off of the wildcat 375 motor and super turbine 400 trans in my 1947 MD tractor when I have them, It appears to be stock and unmolested. (they painted the Farmall red right over the road grime, belts, trans, air cleaner pie tin, spark wires, and all and then it sat in a barn for over 30yrs) I am doing a total in frame tear down. Maybe then you guys can tell me something about its history. I know that the carb is in excellent shape and is a Carter AFB 3921S I didn't bead blast it when I rebuilt it just used carb cleaner to preserve the original plating etc.
 
340 4bbl numbers I have found so far

block stamping has the first two illegible/mis stamped (I will get photos as time allows) all others are good

block stamp, ? then 1,I, or b (lower case) X101520
drivers head B1376330E
EX man drivers B1373907
EX pass side illedgible
intake man 4bbl square bore B1374559F

engine has power steering and pulleys for a/c but I do not know if it had a/c. the tractor has a home made wide front axle that uses the Buick wheels and spindles, as well at the Buick power steering unit. even has the speedo cut from the car dash mounted and hooked up showing 73k mi. from the bent rims etc, I am guessing the car was wrecked around 30 yrs ago uses turn signal lever for auto shifter and Buick radiator mounted sideways in front of Farmall rad for extra cooling routed thru a home made heat ex-changer and 2 coolers for the super turbine 400
 
whoops, sorry i missed this.

the block stamps are really the only we can use to attempt to id this. what you're reading for "? then 1,I, or b (lower case) X101520" should be a variant of the VIN that the car came from called the Engine Identification Number.

having only two years of production ( 1966 and 1967 ), it's pretty hard to get too far wrong with your 340ci data.

the EIN should be formatted as ( Year Code ) ( Plant Code ) ( Sequential production code of car for installation ).

i'm going to assume that the first digit is for 1966, which would give you an EIN of:
6 X 101520

'X' is the Kansas City, KS plant

101520 would be extremely early in the production run, so if you start finding date codes they will probably be from late 1965.

see if you can find the two digit Engine Code stamping.

any more casting numbers that you can add will be appreciated.
 
i have found a rare head casting number indeed:
1231650A

yes, A.

production of 2019, it's the Stage 1 Aluminum head for the Buick 350.
 
Good morning - I bought a Buick 300 in 2017 with a switch pitch transmission attached. I rebuilt the motor and placed it into my 1971 Jeepster Commando in place of the factory Dauntless 225. I've spent quite a bit of time trying to ID the engine year but the numbers don't quite match what I'm finding on your site:

Engine serial#: it's lightly stamped on the front of the driver side block below the head and mostly illegible.
Intake manifold: B1378706 3
Exhaust manifold, driver side: B-137590
Exhaust, passenger side: 2-81376912-4
Block casting, above bellhousing: 138162210
Heads: 1376330 (both)

Also, it may be helpful to know the heat riser exhaust flapper is on the driver-side manifold, which I read might mean it's a 66-67.

Thanks for any help ID'ing this engine!

Jeremy Williams, Eugene OR
 
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