1953 - 1967 Corvette Specification Guide
(1953-1967 Engine Block Casting Numbers)

1953

Note:   Changeover from 1st to 2nd design occurred between block casting dates "J133" and "J163" (October 13-16, 1953).

1954

1955

1956

1957

* A limited number of these small block engines appear in 1965 Corvettes.  Their casting origin was Tonawanda, New York;  apparently shipped to the Flint, Michigan, V-8 engine plant for machining and assembly. Their usage is believed to be a substitution occurring during a foundry shutdown at Saginaw, MI.

Corvette Engine Block Casting Notes

Six-cylinder casting numbers are located in a recess just below, and forward of, the fuel pump mounting boss, above the crankcase oil pan mounting lip.  Block casting dates are located at the right rear side of the block, next to the starter motor solenoid.

All V-8 engine block (both small block and big block) casting numbers are located on the top left surface of the flange formed at the rear of the block for engine flywheel attachment.  V-8 casting dates are located on the right-hand side of the block, opposite the casting number.  It should be noted that the very limited use 1965 Tonawanda 327 cubic-inch block cast 3858180 has a casting date (ending in the two year digits "65") located adjacent to the block casting number.

The St. Louis Corvette assembly plant was supplied small block V-8 engines from the Flint engine plant; big block engines were supplied by the Tonawanda facility.

Engine block casting date codes begin with the letter "A" for January, "B" for February, and so on (the letter "I" representing the month of September was used) through "L" for December (see month chart); followed by digit, or digits, representing the date of the month ("1" through "31"); followed by a single digit designating the last digit of the calendar year.  Small block (265, 283 and 327 cubic-inch) engines were cast at the Chevrolet foundry in Saginaw, Michigan, and shipped to Flint for machining and assembly.  Saginaw cast small block V-8 engines can normally be distinguished by use of a single digit calendar-year code; Tonawanda cast small block V-8 engines normally use the last two digits (example:  "62" for 1962), and these castings were not used in Corvette production except for the 1965 example cited.

Casting Month Code Chart

                        A - January               E - May             I - September

                       B - February              F - June             J- October

                       C - March                 G - July              K - November

                       D - April                    H- August          L - December

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