Identification numbers on front of 273 block

[gstavely]

Hello
I have searched everywhere and cannot seem to figure out what these letters and numbers mean on the front of my block under the head.
The block is a 6-7-66 stamped 2465330, it’s in my 65 August built Canadian made 1965 barracuda. I am thinking this is probably the way the Canadian plant stamped these engine, but if anyone has any experience with identifying or can decode this it would be greatly appreciated.
If the picture is hard to read it is stamped
AL-2-117316C
Thanks in advance!

 

[Dana67Dart]

Is the 117316 in your VIN or SO number?

In the states, the first letter indicates model year "A" being 65 model year "B" is 66 etc.

Is the date of 6-7-66 the stamped in date on the front of the block or the casting date?

Engine build date of 6 of 66 is a end of production 65 year.

 

[gstavely]

Thx for the reply, that is not my vin but it was a late build I believe it was August if I remember correctly.
I am thinking they may have used different numbers up here in Canada, I was reading an article which indicated so. There is not much literature out there on the Canadian built cars but I do know the vin and fender tags were different from the US models. The 6-7-66 is the casting date so I am thinking it may have been a replacement engine.

 

[67Dart273]

So far as I know, the front of the block numbers never shared the vehicle VIN, even in later years when a car could actually be "matching." Most of them I've seen had the engine CID encoded into ?? about the 3, 4 5th numerals. Sometimes it was incomplete, as iin 18 for 318, etc

 

[Miranthis]

Is the 117316 in your VIN or SO number?

In the states, the first letter indicates model year "A" being 65 model year "B" is 66 etc.

Is the date of 6-7-66 the stamped in date on the front of the block or the casting date?

Engine build date of 6 of 66 is a end of production 65 year.

Doesn't the 66 ,model year run from October 1965 (month "A"), November 1965 ("B"), December 1965 ("C") and then January ("1") etc. to September ("9")? So a June 66 production date probably was end of the 1966 model year, correct?

 

[Dana67Dart]

The model year is from about August to July.

So a 65 car would have been built in 1965 and 1966,

The letter (at least in us based parts) is the model year

A is 65
B is 66
C is 67
Etc.

My engine is stamped C 273 12-2 ( I don't remember the actual date)

My car was built about 2/08/67

The C is 1967 model year
The 273 is displacement
The 12-2 is month and day ( year 1966 is implied since it's a 67 model and the engine could not be made 12-2-67 or it would be for a 68 model year car)

 

[Miranthis]

The model year is from about August to July.

So a 65 car would have been built in 1965 and 1966,

The letter (at least in us based parts) is the model year

A is 65
B is 66
C is 67
Etc.

My engine is stamped C 273 12-2 ( I don't remember the actual date)

My car was built about 2/08/67

The C is 1967 model year
The 273 is displacement
The 12-2 is month and day ( year 1966 is implied since it's a 67 model and the engine could not be made 12-2-67 or it would be for a 68 model year car)

The 1966 model year started in Fall 1965 (the SO's start at A, but there are early production models) and runs through summer 1966. By the time you are getting into mid to late 1966 you are already seeing the ads and pre-production stuff for the 67 models that will be out in the fall of 66. The 65's would be long gone from production, and if on the showroom floor would be severely discounted to get rid of them before the new 67 models hit the floor in late summer/fall 1966. Dealers had to worry about floorplan costs.


Turns out Canadian stamping with radically different form US stamping on blocks. Who knew.. Thanks to a little internet sleuthing:

​

Canadian Mopar Engine Stamping Format (mid-1960s)​

Canadian engines often had a longer alphanumeric sequence that included:

1. Assembly plant code
   Engine type or line code
   • “AL” = Windsor, Ontario engine plant (A = Auto, L = Windsor engine line).
   • The “2” usually designates the engine type within that plant’s production. For example, “2” was often the small-block line (273/318), while “1” was big-block.
2. Sequential build number
   • “117316” = this engine’s unique sequential number within that model year’s production run.
3. Suffix letter
   • “C” = Model year 1967 (Canadian engines used a suffix letter for year, rather than a prefix like U.S. blocks).
     • B = 1966
     • C = 1967
     • D = 1968, etc.

---

So, your stamping means:​

• AL → Windsor, Ontario engine assembly plant.
• 2 → Small-block production line.
• 117316 → Sequential build number (the 117,316th engine of that type that year).
• C → 1967 model year.

 

[gstavely]

The 1966 model year started in Fall 1965 (the SO's start at A, but there are early production models) and runs through summer 1966. By the time you are getting into mid to late 1966 you are already seeing the ads and pre-production stuff for the 67 models that will be out in the fall of 66. The 65's would be long gone from production, and if on the showroom floor would be severely discounted to get rid of them before the new 67 models hit the floor in late summer/fall 1966. Dealers had to worry about floorplan costs.


Turns out Canadian stamping with radically different form US stamping on blocks. Who knew.. Thanks to a little internet sleuthing:

​

Canadian Mopar Engine Stamping Format (mid-1960s)​

Canadian engines often had a longer alphanumeric sequence that included:

1. Assembly plant code
   Engine type or line code
   • “AL” = Windsor, Ontario engine plant (A = Auto, L = Windsor engine line).
   • The “2” usually designates the engine type within that plant’s production. For example, “2” was often the small-block line (273/318), while “1” was big-block.
2. Sequential build number
   • “117316” = this engine’s unique sequential number within that model year’s production run.
3. Suffix letter
   • “C” = Model year 1967(Canadian engines used a suffix letter for year, rather than a prefix like U.S. blocks).
     • B = 1966
     • C = 1967
     • D = 1968, etc.

---

So, your stamping means:​

• AL → Windsor, Ontario engine assembly plant.
• 2 → Small-block production line.
• 117316 → Sequential build number (the 117,316th engine of that type that year).
• C → 1967 model year.

Thanks for that, I definitely did not find that info in my searches…
Looks like it is probably not the original engine for my car. The block and intake are stamped to be a 1966 273, I haven’t had the valve cover off to check the heads but I don’t think it will be the 273 commando it was supposed to be…
I guess it could have been a replacement engine put in sometime in 67 but the original owner passed a while ago so it would be next to impossible to find out what happened. I will dig into it a bit more this fall though.
here is a pic of the engine, it’s missing the air cleaner which I wish it had and the original carb is long gone as well.
Thanks again!

 

[Dana67Dart]

I haven’t had the valve cover off to check the heads but I don’t think it will be the 273 commando it was supposed to be

assuming it is a 66/67 cast block and heads you have the better heads with the intake bolt angle that fits the most common small block intakes

he block and intake are stamped to be a 1966 273

you refer to "Stamped" are you talking the cast in numbers of the numbers stamped in with a hand punch. 2 different things with 2 different meanings. Cast in dates could be on an engine that is maybe a year older than the cast in number, (blocks cast but sat around for a while waiting to be used)

 

[gstavely]

assuming it is a 66/67 cast block and heads you have the better heads with the intake bolt angle that fits the most common small block intakes


you refer to "Stamped" are you talking the cast in numbers of the numbers stamped in with a hand punch. 2 different things with 2 different meanings. Cast in dates could be on an engine that is maybe a year older than the cast in number, (blocks cast but sat around for a while waiting to be used)

I apologize, I meant the cast numbers/ raised. The one I posted was stamped.

 

[cudamark]

Doesn't the 66 ,model year run from October 1965 (month "A"), November 1965 ("B"), December 1965 ("C") and then January ("1") etc. to September ("9")? So a June 66 production date probably was end of the 1966 model year, correct?

Correct. His 6-7-66 casting is most likely for a '67 model. They only made '66 models for another month or so, and more than likely used earlier casting block already seasoned. My early '66 Barracuda has an 8-17 Shipping order date which is August 17th of 1965. I can get the block casting if it would add anything to this thread, but, it's buried pretty deep in the back of my garage.

 

[cudamark]

Thanks for that, I definitely did not find that info in my searches…
Looks like it is probably not the original engine for my car. The block and intake are stamped to be a 1966 273, I haven’t had the valve cover off to check the heads but I don’t think it will be the 273 commando it was supposed to be…
I guess it could have been a replacement engine put in sometime in 67 but the original owner passed a while ago so it would be next to impossible to find out what happened. I will dig into it a bit more this fall though.
here is a pic of the engine, it’s missing the air cleaner which I wish it had and the original carb is long gone as well.
Thanks again!

View attachment 1716451779

All 273's for a given year used the same head casting.....Commando or not. '64-5 (for all intents and purposes) used the 315 casting. The '66-7's used the 920 casting, and the '68-9 used the 675 casting (same as the 318 those years.)

 

[str12-340]

Can I assume that when it is said in this thread that the engine was Canadian built, what is actually meant is built for Canadian sale? For instance in 1970 there were 191,000 Darts Built and only 3000 some of them were built in the US. The rest were built in Windsor, presumably with Windsor built engines? But I think that those destined for sale in the US used the more conventional block front stamping, while those slated for sale in Canada used the other stamping style?

 

[67Dart273]

As old as these girls are it is almost impossible to second guess their history, unless maybe you buy a car from a family who KNOWS the cars history from new, etc.

Keep in mind that all my life, there has existed overhauled exchange engines, "long" and "short" blocks. People thought nothing of buying an exchange engine and tossing it in the vehicle. Same goes for transmissions. I once had a 60 Falcon for a short time before I joined the Navy in 68. I had tore up the tiny 3 speed gearbox, and bought an exchange from the local junkyard. They said they "went through them." Nothing to it. Threw it in and go.

 

[gstavely]

Can I assume that when it is said in this thread that the engine was Canadian built, what is actually meant is built for Canadian sale? For instance in 1970 there were 191,000 Darts Built and only 3000 some of them were built in the US. The rest were built in Windsor, presumably with Windsor built engines? But I think that those destined for sale in the US used the more conventional block front stamping, while those slated for sale in Canada used the other stamping style?

I believe I just said the car was Canadian built, I also believe the engine would have been manufactured in the US not in Canada but the stamp is definitely Canadian installed engine.