1967 Chevelle

Engine Block and Heads Casting Numbers

Engine Block Casting Numbers

The block casting number on small block and big block Chevrolet V8 motors is located on a ledge found at the rear of the block, most often on the driver's side. This ledge is below the deck of the block and the ledge forms the mating surface between the block and the transmission bell housing.

Block
Casting Number		 Engine Size Engine Horsepower Main Caps/Information
3892657 327 275 - 325 2-bolt
Used for most 1967 327 applications
3896948 283 195 2-bolt
Flint cast block
3903352 327 275 - 325 2-bolt
Used mid to late 1967.
3902406 396 325 - 350
375		 2-bolt
4-bolt
Used for late 1966 and 1967 years only due to change in oil galleys. Second design 396, no dowel pin on timing cover and last year to have this timing cover design and canister type oil filter. Casting date is located on the right lower side of the block near the freeze plug. this block also has the tall tower distributor casting boss in the lifter gallery.

File Photo
Block casting #3902406 ~ 396 2-bolt (325hp/350hp) or 4-bolt (375hp) main caps. 
Prevailing theory is the letter "P" indicates the block was destined for passenger car and not a truck.

File Photo
Block casting #3892657 ~ 327 (275/325hp) 2-bolt main caps.

Cylinder Head Casting Numbers

Casting Number Engine Size Engine Horsepower valve Size (intake/exhaust) - combustion chamber volume
3884520 283 195 1.72/1.50 - 60.530 c.c.
Pyramid casting symbol
3890462 327 275
325		 1.94/1.50 - 63.305 c.c.
2.02/1.60 - 63.305 c.c.
Double-hump casting symbol used through late May, 1967.
3917291 327 275
325		 1.94/1.50 - 63.305 c.c.
2.02/1.60 - 63.305 c.c.
Used after May, 1967. Same as #3890462 except it has temp sending boss (may or may not be tapped) and valve guide boss enlarged to 0.410-inch.
3904390 396 325 - 350 2.06/1.72 - 98.427 c.c. - oval port
No spark plug shield boss as with 1965 and 1966 cylinder heads. Used until January, 1967 when replaced with #3939802.
3939802 396 325 - 350 2.06/1.71 - 100.967 c.c. - oval port
Production began in January, 1967 through April, 1967 replacing #3904390 with redesigned combustion chamber.
3917215 396 325 - 350 2.06/1.71 - 100.967 c.c. - oval port
Late production replacement for #3939802. Temp sending unit boss present but not tapped until 1968 model year.
3904391 396 375 2.19/1.72 - 106.8 c.c. - rectangle port
Early production. No temp sending boss.
3919840 396 375 2.19/1.72 - 106.8 c.c. -  rectangle port
Late production. Temp sending boss and may or may not be tapped and two accessory bolt holes added. Domed casting symbol.

Engine Assembly Date/Suffix Code:
The engine assembly code looks similar to T0601ED. In this case the first letter "T" stands for an engine factory Tonawanda, an "F" or "V" for Flint or "K" for McKinnon Industries. The next two digits indicate the month of the year, in this example "06" or the sixth month, June. The "01" indicates the 1st day of the month. So what do we have so far in this example? The motor was assembled at the Tonawanda factory on June 1st. The calendar year itself is not given but remember that the engine assembly had to be manufactured and assembled before the car was built. What we have left is the "suffix code" which in this example is ED, a 1967 396cid with 325hp. Chevrolet used two letters to code the type, size, and horsepower rating of the engine and the transmission type to be used with that engine.

The final vehicle assembly plant sometimes stamped a CON VIN (CON VIN) on the same machined area as the engine ID code. This stamping wasn't mandated until the 1968 model year but has been found (and not found) on 1967 models. If yours has the CON VIN (and hasn't obviously been re-stamped), you can be sure the engine is original to your Chevelle. The CON VIN might look like "T0601ED   7A123456" stamped into the pad on the front passenger side of the block. In this example, 7A123456 decodes to 1967 model year, Atlanta final assembly, and the serial number of the VIN. Sometimes the CON VIN was stamped into a different area of the block on the flange edge of the rear of the block, near the bell housing mating surface. Sometimes the stamping is found above the timing cover mating surface on the front of the block.

While NOT a hard and fast rule, it has been found that mainly the higher horsepower engines such as the 327/325 RPO L79 and all SS 396 engines have a CON VIN stamping. This CON VIN stamping is usually found on the engine ID pad located on the block in front of passenger side head such as this example.

File Photo
T0609ED ~ Tonawanda, N.Y., June 9, 1967 ~ 396/325hp w/manual transmission
Note CON VIN stamped at Kansas City final assembly plant.

Mandatory VIN stamping of all engines was not required by federal law until the 1968 model year, actually January 1, 1968.