i have a 69 camaro with the 396-350 hp engine. i want to know what or where i can find the correct part numbers and build dates so i am sure i am buying the correct parts. my car was assembled in norwood november first week of 68. so what should the block dates be? i have heard a month before assembly date? then i heard theres a motor build date? where do i find that? any info would be great. thanks

The motor build date will be part of the engine code on the pass side front extension if the engine deck, called the engine pad. It would read T xxyyJF where T is for Tonawanda, xx is month and yy is day of month, and JF is for 350hp with manual. (JI would be for TH400.) For that car, the pad would also contain the partial VIN. (later the VIN was moved to the oil filter area) Block casting dates are on the bell housing flange on the rear. Date on one side, and casting number on the other. I forget which is which, but I think casting number is on driver side.

As for dates, that was a fairly unusual engine, (I think around 6000 or so) so the build date could probably be a little longer before the car build date than a more common car. These engines were probably batch built, so the build dates will probably be clustered. I found an unmolested L78 motor once, that had a casting date in October, and a engine assembly date of May, so anything can happen. BTW it was a 272 casting.
Your engine would most probably have the casting number of 3955272, but it is possible that it was the earlier 3935440 block (phased out starting in September according to CBN) If you find an engine block with the correct engine code and engine build time frame, then I'd worry less about the casting number.

Heads are marked on the top under the valve covers. Yours should be 3931063. Common head, so dates should be close to engine build date (1 day to 3-4 weeks)

how about other parts like water pump, dist., alt., how far will they usually be before engine build date? thanks

Not sure where the water pumps were cast/ assembled. If it's Tonawanda, they would be very close to engine assembly date. The same pump was used for all 396. You might find it in JohnZ's write up of the assembly process.

As for the alternators and distributors, I seem to remember a discussion that they were installed on the "dress line" just prior to engine installation, so they could be after the engine assembly date, but I'm not sure. Be patient, John will chime in with his extensive knowledge.

The distributor and water pump were installed at the engine plant, and the BB water pump was cast and machined at Tonawanda; everything else was installed at the car assembly plant.

The block CASTING date must be prior to the stamped engine assembly date, which must be prior to the car's final assembly date.

:beers: