[purecam]

I found a bare block with a cast no. 3969854.. Nothing else included.. I think I can get it for 200.. Is that a good price, or could I find a better deal on a complete engine... Thanks

[SPARKY69]

Build her fat!!! Any good block is worth 200.00....

[1968Motion427SSNova]

854 blocks,late 1969 blocks,came 2 and 4 bolt.$200.00 bucks is a steal !! Buy it,build it,enjoy it!!

[purecam]

I just picked it up.. 150 bucks.. It looks pretty good too.. It has A 23 70 on the front.. It Has a K on it also, as well as some other numbers... As you can tell I don't know much about these things, but I am wanting to have it rebuilt and put it in my 69... How will I know if it was a 396 or a 402?? Also, I was told that it could be a truck engine, how can I tell?? It says Hi perf Pass also.. Thanks in advance...

[1969ProStreetCamaro]

Originally Posted by purecam

I just picked it up.. 150 bucks.. It looks pretty good too.. It has A 23 70 on the front.. It Has a K on it also, as well as some other numbers... As you can tell I don't know much about these things, but I am wanting to have it rebuilt and put it in my 69... How will I know if it was a 396 or a 402?? Also, I was told that it could be a truck engine, how can I tell?? It says Hi perf Pass also.. Thanks in advance...

Since your block has a casting date of Jan. 23 1970 here are the possible casting # to look for................

3969854....402.......70-72...2 or 4 bolt
3999290....402.......70-72...2 or 4 bolt, Truck


I'm not so sure that the block is a 396 but here are casting #'s for identification. Note that none of them list 1970 as a production year though......

3969854....396.......69......2 or 4 bolt
3999290....396.......68-69...2 or 4 bolt, Truck
3916323....396.......68......2 or 4 bolt
3902406....396.......67......2 or 4 bolt
3855962....396.......65-66...4-bolt
3855961....396.......65-66...2 or 4 bolt


David F.

[PowerWindows]

4.094" diameter bore is standard bore for a 396. 4.125" diameter bore is .030" overbore for a 396 and is also the standard bore size for a 402.

[Eric Kammerer]

If the assembly stamping is still on the pad in front of the passenger head, it would tell you what it was. Stamp should be Txxxxyy where the xxxx are numbers and the yy are letters (if it is a 70 up model, it would be TxxxxCyy or TxxxxTyy). A partial VIN (probably on the vertical flange above the oil filter) would tell you what it was originally installed in.

In this case, even if it went in a truck, it doesn't matter. Some truck engines (in the heavier duty trucks) are "tall deck" blocks, and that is a problem. The block you bought is not a tall deck, so even if it was originally installed in a light duty truck, it is the same as a car.

[purecam]

Thank you for the information.. I am unable to find the numbers you are referring to. Im sure that the block had been surfaced at some point.. I have no idea where to start looking for a decent set of heads and a crank.. That will be my next challenge...