1968 Chevelle Flint & Tonawanda Date/Suffix Stamps
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Examples of engine assembly plant ID stamped codes and engine VIN derivative stampings where applicable. Listings are in chronological order by date, 283/327 small block and I6 engines followed by 396 big block engines. The 396 engines are listed by plant when VIN derivative is known.
VIN derivatives were typically hand stamped at the final assembly plant and done with individual dies, the characters are seldom uniform size and nicely aligned making it difficult to determine if one you find is original or an aftermarket restamp. These are presented as examples, you be the judge if they are correct.
Often these were done haphazardly, stamped with individual characters and sometimes the year number was omitted as in some examples shown below. The VIN derivative stamping, where applicable, used a different set of stamps than the engine plant.
Note: The engine ID pad was not painted when the engine left the assembly line although it is often painted when engines are rebuilt during the course of their lifetime. Painting can also hide the factory broach marks on the pad making it difficult to determine if the block has been decked and numbers re-stamped.
These are just a few examples. For more details and photos, order my 1968 Chevelle Reference CD.
307/327 V8
Atlanta, Georgia
T0209EC ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - February 9 - 327/275hp Powerglide
- Atlanta assembly plant. The EC engine code suffix was changed from
EE due to a Powerglide cooler line clip being added to the pan rail.
Photo Courtesy Vincent Polito
Baltimore, Maryland
T0706EI ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant ~ July 6 - 327/250hp Powerglide - Baltimore assembly plant. Note difference in the location of the Tonawanda engine stamp and the associated assembly plant VIN derivative between the 396 engine and the 327 engine shown here. It's also been found fairly common that Baltimore often stamped the letter "B" for the number "8" in 1968, 1BB225759 instead of 18B225759.
V1005EP ~ Flint Engine Plant - October 5 - 327/325hp manual transmission.
V0409ES ~ Flint Engine Plant - April 9 - 327/325hp manual transmission.
T0907DE ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - September 07 - 307/200hp Powerglide
transmission.
Kansas City, Missouri
V0307EC ~ Flint Engine Plant - March 07 - 327/275hp Powerglide transmission.
Fremont, California
V0816EE ~ Flint Engine Plant - August 16 - 327/275hp Powerglide transmission.
T0221DF ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - February 21 - 307/200hp Powerglide
transmission.
T0423EI ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant ~ April 23 - 327/250hp Powerglide transmission.
396 V8
Atlanta, Georgia
T0824EK ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant ~ August 24 - 396/325hp Powerglide
transmission.
T0119 ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant ~ January 19 - 396/375hp manual transmission.
Baltimore, Maryland
T0520EF ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - May 20 - 396/350hp manual transmission
(note stamp of 1BB instead of 18B, not uncommon for Baltimore).
T0520EG ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - May 20 - 396/375hp manual transmission.
T0522ED ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - May 22 - 396/325hp manual transmission.
T0611EG ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - June 11 - 396/375hp manual transmission.
T0709EF - Tonawanda Engine Plant, July 9 ~ 396/350hp manual transmission.
Framingham, Massachusetts
T0208ED ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - February 8 - 396/325hp manual transmission.
Courtesy Jim Eoannou
Fremont, California
T1213EU ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - December 13 - 396/350hp TH400 transmission.
Courtesy Chris Holcombe
T1213EF ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - December 13 - 396/350hp manual transmission.
T1219ED ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - December 19 - 396/325hp manual transmission.
T0621ET ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - June 21 - 396/325hp TH400 transmission.
Kansas City, Missouri
T0907ED ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - September 07 - 396/325hp manual transmission.
T1128EU ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - November 28 - 396/350hp TH400 transmission.
T0508EG ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant - May 8 - 396/375hp with manual transmission.
T0529ED ~ Tonawanda Engine Plant ~ May 29 - 396/325hp manual transmission.