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Engine Stamp number for 1969 Camaro

19K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  bcm66 
#1 ·
Just purchased this 350 block for a rebuild.
I was told it came from a 1969 Camaro.
I checked out the casting number and the suffix part of the stamped engine number and they seem to confrim that it was from a 1969 vehicle.

Casting 3932388
Suffix T0927HQ

But the serial number part of the stamped number does not make sense for a Camaro.

I read it as 791102916.
This does not appear correct for a 69 Camaro engine number.

Can someone please help me decipher the number.

Pictures attached.

Thanks!!
Vic
 

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#3 ·
Thats what I thought too Gary.

But there is no way this number is a 19Nxxxxxx

The 7, 9 and 11 could possibly be destorted and it may be 19N, but there are only 5 digits after this not 6.

BTW, not sure if it helps....it is a 4-bolt main block


Vic
 
#5 ·
Just putting things together from what I have read on other sites, it appears that Chevy's had a specific format for their engien number

a two number code, a letter and the a 6 digit number. With that in mind, this number may be read as:
7 (or a 1) 9 I (as in Indiana) 102916
79I102916

Does that make sense.?? but definitely not Camaro in that case/
Vic
 
#6 · (Edited)
Not from a Camaro.

Probably an LM1 from a 1969 Canadian Built Chevelle from what I can tell.

HQ is 350/255hp used with manual 3 speed or 4 speed transmission. Used in Camaro/Nova/Chevelle.

In this case the vehicle assembly plant digit appears to be a 1 - which is Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. There weren't any Novas or Camaros built there, so it is from a Chevelle.

7 - ? maybe a mistake and should have been a 1
9 - 1969
1 - Oshawa vehicle assembly plant
102916 - last 6 digits of VIN it was installed in
 
#8 ·
Not from a Camaro.

Probably an LM1 from a 1969 Canadian Built Chevelle from what I can tell.



HQ is 350/255hp used with manual 3 speed or 4 speed transmission. Used in Camaro/Nova/Chevelle.

In this case the vehicle assembly plant digit appears to be a 1 - which is Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. There weren't any Novas or Camaros built there, so it is from a Chevelle.

7 - ? maybe a mistake and should have been a 1 ?
9 - 1969
1 - Oshawa vehicle assembly plant
102916 - last 6 digits of VIN it was installed in
I thought HQ was 350 300hp
 
#7 ·
I believe it's from a 1969 full size car assembled at the St Therese, Canada plant.

1 - Chevrolet (looks like a 7, but skewed. Really a 1)
9 - 1969
1 - St Therese, Canada (Oshawa was 0 until 1970, then they changed to 1)
102916 - Sequential serial number

However, the HQ "supposedly" wasn't used on the full size cars in 1969, but there were other codes also "supposedly" not used that have been verified.

I'll see if Warren can shed any light on this.

Ed
 
#11 ·
Hum I thought early 69 model year 350's cast in late 1968 were only stamped vin wise on the pad, and the so called late model year castings done in calendar 1969 were stamped all at the oil filter. What is the cast date of this block?
 
#13 · (Edited)
This is an early block, based on the engine assembly date and partial VIN.

And it is possibly a rare one. I am checking with a friend who is a Chevelle expert. I will report back when/if I find out anything.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for all the input.

It is interesting to know what this came out of.
Just to be clear, I purchased it because the suffix code and casting indicates that this is a 69 block. Which I think we all seem to agree it is. (Bummer that it's not a Camaro). Also because it is a 4-bolt.
I'm intending to use it as the block for my 383 build and chose this particular block because of the year and because it seems to be in excellent shape.
Although it will be going into a '68, the vintage is close enough for what I want to accomplish.
Thanks for the help and ongoing posts.
Vic
 
#17 ·
I never knew some Canadian built Pontiacs received Chevrolet engines.

OK, so not "technically" from a Chevelle. But from one of the Chevelle "sister cars" - the Pontiac Beaumont.

 
#18 · (Edited)
Of Course!!!

It just dawned on me, my brother-in-law owns a 1969 Beaumont that has a 350. I will have to go over and bug him about the new block..;-)

AND....my brain just had a relapse...!!

In the spring of 1969 (I was 11 years old) and I recall driving down to the GM dealership with my Dad to pick up our brand new '69 Pontiac Laurentian (i.e. Catalina). I distinctly remember my Dad saying it had a 350 in it.
Funny story... it was the second car we ever owned...the first one was a Ford Fairlane which only had a very small six in it. My Dad hated it....although there is absolutely nothing wrong with Fords...this particular one was a lemon ..and it was terribly underpowered. It left him stranded on teh side of the road many a time.
I recall him constantly cursing the "gut-less" POS . I'm paraphrasing as he used much harsher words...and there were many other adjectives and nouns that I didn't understand at that tender age...:)
Anyway, after that car he switched to GM and never looked back. He made it a point to buy the new car with the largest engine he could afford...and it was a Pontiac with a 350!
On our first trip coming back home from the dealership we had to take the highway. And being used to the Ford my Dad floored the car to merge with the traffic and the car shot out like a bullet! He almost lost control of the Pontiac and later he admitted to us that he nearly soiled the seat!. (Not in those particular words, of course).
I also recall he said it had a two speed transmission....now I realize it was a Powerglide.
My Dad is long gone but it is nice to pull out all these long suppressed memories!! Thank you!
I even have a picture of me in the driver seat of that car…

Thanks again,

BTW the picture below is dated Oct. 1969

Vic
 

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