Help me ID this 55 chevy small block

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SGBARRACUDA

SGBARRACUDA

ROY
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I know there are some knowledgeable Chevy people on here so I have a question. I got this mostly original 55 Chevy in the shop to work on. I need help to determine what engine is in there. It is not a 265 and feel it is a 283 but the owner and I would like to know exactly what it is. Numbers on the front of the block ,forward of the right head are, FII29D. Anyone help me out.
 
Roy, what is the seven digit casting number on the block & are there four tapped bolt holes (two on each side) on the front of the block to attach the saddle to for the motor mounts?
 
Don't have the casting number, but I can get it later today. Yes it has the four holes in the front of the block. All the mounts in car are OEM. Even still has the big old cast iron power glide.
 
If you can, shoot me a picture of the front of the block, the casting number & the cylinder bore measurement.
 
If truly a 55 then it is a 265 with some have no provision for an oil filter mounting boss. 265's for 56 and 57 car and truck had oil filters. 283 started in 57 and had no side mounts that year. You are looking for a cast number like 3703524 or 3720991 for 265 or 3731548 or maybe 3737739 for 283 but you're outside the year limit and means replacement. I have lived and breathed 57 chevy since 1977 and have two along with a $hit ton of parts. I also have a spare 265 and a 283 to part with
 
Blind Squirrel said:
If truly a 55 then it is a 265 with some have no provision for an oil filter mounting boss. 265's for 56 and 57 car and truck had oil filters. 283 started in 57 and had no side mounts that year. You are looking for a cast number like 3703524 or 3720991 for 265 or 3731548 or maybe 3737739 for 283 but your outside the year limit and means replacement.
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I know it's not a 265 because it has the canister oil filter down on the block. I'm going outside to get the casting number. Thanks
 
There are 265's with canister oil filters. in 1956 and 1957. If you cant get to the block casting number. Give me the intake manifold and lets see what that tells us also. I'll wait here.
 
driver side right at the firewall back side of china wall. Between firewall and head. it reads with the numbers casting facing away from the head. The trans would be like an underline to the number if that make sense
 
Should be a casting number at the rear of the block, on top, at the bellhousing flange.
 
Was restored in 1976

image.jpg
 
Ah, I'm going to beg for a picture of the no balancer thing. The other number you provided does not narrow date. It is an assembly code and the only thing I can tell you about that is that the "F" stands for Flint assembly plant. There should be a small raised number on the pass side just past the freeze plugs for a cast date. 1st letter month 1st number day 2nd set year. So B 22 8 would be february 22 1978
 
I'll get a picture of the balancer or what ever it is. Is that number on the front or side of the passenger side of the block. I always thought the stamped number on that pad was the engine info? Now it could be that that stamping is 21129D?
 
That is a beautiful 55! When I was a kid, there used to be an identical car that sat on a used car lot my parents drove by every day on the way to town. I drooled over that 55 many a time riding by.....till one day it was gone. :(
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
And no balancer. Just some metal cup looking thing.
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The screws could have been added. ??? cup looking thing? They used a balancer, the early engines had no center bolt. Your heads should have the "canted in" top valve cover holes.
 
67Dart273 said:
The screws could have been added. ??? cup looking thing? They used a balancer, the early engines had no center bolt. Your heads should have the "canted in" top valve cover holes.
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Does have the offset valve cover bolts. No crank bolt. It looks like a thin balancer, but you run a finger behind it and you can tell there is nothing there, just a lip I'll get a picture tomorrow.
 
1st. Thank you for the picture. That does not look right. The pulley looks correct but it does not bolt on. You should only see cross hatched rivets. Holding the pulley together. The screws in the timing cover are correct. What you have looks like a reshaped pie tin. It has to have a balancer. But it's not a balancer you'd be used to. You wont see any outer ring with rubber separator. The block date marks are supposed to be on the Pass side. Go past the fuel pump mount and past the first soft plug hole. So about mid block. They are raised casting.

and again, shoot me some of the other numbers. Water pump, Intake, starter, generator, carb, anything you got and I'll see what you got.


What is the customers complaint? In these old small blocks. Look for bad timing chain. They were designed only for about a 30,000 mile life cycle.
 
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