Identification, VIN, Trim, Engine Specs and more... 
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Visually Identifying GM V8 Engines of the 60’s and 70’s

Buick Electra 225

I have a Buick Electra 225 Custom 4 Door Hardtop and I am unsure of the actual build date and the type of engine the car has in it.

The identification number is: 484398H340371.

The above suggests it is the above car built in Flint.

Can you help with a year and type of engine?

Thank you.

Peter
 
it's a 1968 Electra Custom. all of the big cars ( Wildcat, Riv, Electra ) from this year should have the "PD" code 430 cubic inch engine.


IF the Electra used the 100001 and sequential numbering common to the A body cars THEN a 300000 number should be quite a ways into the production run. i know that Rivs use their own sequential numbering starting at 900001 so this might not be true of the Electra either.

you can check your Trim Tag and that will have a date code which will look something like "B2". the B would stand for February and the 2 would be the second week of the month.
 
Thank you Bob,
I am still trying to work out if the car has the original Buick 430 engine in it.
The engine serial no which is stamped on the front of the R/H cylinder bank appears to be 45Z103437.
Also on the transnission mount saddle appears the numbers 1241748 and what I think is GM 427. Could this motor be a 427?
I am confused!

Peter
 
I am still trying to work out if the car has the original Buick 430 engine in it.


sorry, nope.



45Z103437

the FIRST clue is that the last six digits of this EIN do NOT match the last six digits of your VIN.

this EIN should decode as

4 5 Z 103437
4 = Buick
5 = 1975
Z = Fremont, CA
103437 = sequential production number of the car this engine came from, nowhere near your 300000 series car


it seems there was only ONE configuration of 455 available in 1975 for ALL models, so this should be an "AF" code engine.

http://www.teambuick.com/forums/view.php?pg=indent_engine_63-75



1241748

decodes as a 455 casting number:
http://www.teambuick.com/forums/view.php?pg=casting_numbers_big_block



on the plus side, you've got 25 extra cubes, a slightly stronger block, the 800cfm Quadrajet and some larger oil passages/pickup.

on the down side, those heads are GARBAGE, it's a low compression engine and it has deep dish pistons.

if you pull the valve cover you can verify the head casting number at the link i posted above.

not a bad place to start a build from but it's not really ever going to amount to anything in stock configuration.
 
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Thanks Bob.

You are a geniuis! My research of your various identification information suggested this engine may have been a 455, but I was a little unsure.
I bought some valve covers from TA Performance, expecting the engine to be a 430, and unfortunately they do not fit. Should they?
This car has a firewall plate on the car suggesting it may have been asembled in Australia as the plate has General Motors Holden Pty Ltd on it. It also has the normal Buick information plate on the firewall. It is a right hand drive car!
Who would be the best people to get original carpet, seat trim and trunk carpet?

Thank you.

Peter
 
I bought some valve covers from TA Performance, expecting the engine to be a 430, and unfortunately they do not fit.


in what way do they not fit? are they too short to go over the rockers or something? 400s, 430s and 455s should all interchange valve covers.

they should be 5 bolt valve covers, 3 bolts on the top rail, 2 on the bottom.
http://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_eng_visual.php



Who would be the best people to get original carpet, seat trim and trunk carpet?

i would assume Year One or something like that. i've never done a resto before though.
 
Engine identification

I have a Buick engine that I need to identify. The intake manifold has the number B1236389 on it. The front, drivers side of engine block has the number 1237367 stamped there. Can anyone tell me the year of manufacture, size, etc. or any other information about this engine? Thanks in advance.
Michael
 
did you use the first post of this thread to try to narrow the search down a little bit?

i'm not finding your casting number listed under any of our Buick info, although our records are missing many casting numbers so that does NOT mean that your engine isn't a Buick.
 
Hey guys I've been looking through this post but can't really find what I need. I've got what I believe is a Buick 350, engine number is 7B112929 can anyone confirm or shed some more info on this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
This posting is not about numbers on engines, how does your engine line up with the visuals described here? If you wish to use numbers found on the engine, have you looked at "Buick Engine Identification by the numbers" or "Buick Small Block Casting Numbers" in the "Reference" Section of the site?

The number you present looks like an engine serial number and if it was a ZB, it would work as a 1974 350. This might be able to be confirmed by checking some casting numbers for the 350.
 
not a 350 or big block, center intake runners are splayed as with all early gen Buick small blocks. notice also that the valve covers are only four bolt.

this part of the family includes
1961-63 215ci ( short deck )
1964-67 300ci ( mid deck )
1966-67 340ci ( tall deck, same height as 350 )

1966-2004 Land Rover v8s of all displacement


the 215ci and Land Rover engines all share the same unique bell housing. the 300ci and newer engines use the BOPC bolt pattern and the transmission in the bottom photo looks to have the BOP saddle at the top.

engine accessories look pretty old and the deck height looks pretty short.

i'm going to guess a 2 barrel 300ci backed up by a Super Turbine 300 ( possibly a switch pitch torque convertor ).


alum heads and intake was a one year only option on the 300ci, that would define the engine as 1964. cast iron intake and heads could be anywhere from 1965-67.

a couple of 300s have been converted to Buick 340 / 350 crankshafts now, which gives 340ci displacement with no overbore.
 
newbie needs advice

sorry if im in the wrong place but i need some advice......i have a chance to get a 1965 buick super wildcat with the 425 dual quad motor it is a 4dr car but that dont bother me. my question is it a good find, should i get it ( its in PERFECT cond) and how can i tell when i get there that its all #s correct that the motor came in that car, im pretty sure its all on the up and up but i wanna be sure.........any advice?..................................i have some info.......the engine ID begins with KX could this be a leftover 64 425 dual carb???? i know it is a 425 it has the 704 block casting.......another weird thing is the number on the left front of block dosent match cars VIN but that just means that motor didnt come in that car, right??? but what else thats strange is the number begins with......7K1126291......wouldnt that make it a 67, i tougt nailheads ended in 66????? PLEASE HELP NEED INFO BEFORE I DECIDE TO BUY.........I can also be reached at HRAV5@AOL.COM
 
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you should really post this question to a new thread, started by you. you can open it in the Bench, if you want.

you say the EIN and VIN don't match. by definition, this makes the car, "not numbers matching". which means you're never going to win any concours judging events.


"KX" is year specific for a 1964 model car. this concurs with your report that the EIN doesn't match.

Buicks tend not to sell for anything like what the collectable Fords / Mopars / Chevys do. on the plus side, this makes Buicks easy to get into. on the downside, if you put a lot into a restoration you'll never make your money back.

4 door Buicks are almost never worth very much. not sporty, you see.

there is a certain novelty value in the dual quad setup. and, obviously, a spiffy old car always draws interest.

take a look through our Reference section, there's a hot link button in the top tool bar.
 
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