Hi Guys, I am looking at a SBC motor that is in front of me and I am trying to figure out what it was in before it made its way into this 1938 chevy. The casting numbers on the back of the block are 39770010 which tells me from the net that it could either be a 327 or 350/ I am thinking it is mostlikely a 350. The front stamp numbers on the left pad of the motor are V1018TBM. Any help with a webiste or resource that would help me figure out what kind of car this motor was in to help me would be appreciated. Thanks Jay
nastyz28.com has codes, looks like your 010 block is a 1971 350 from a truck or van?? v= flint 1 is 1971 and the suffix of TBM tells you what it's application was that year. everything I read says that tbm in 71 was a 307 though, that doesn't fit with the casting code which takes precidence over the stamp. might be 81??
<table border="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>TBM</td> <td>1970</td><td>307</td><td>conv., van</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>C-10 & 1500</td></tr> <tr> <td>TBM</td> <td>1979</td><td>350</td><td>conv., van</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>C-20 to 3500/Phoenix</td></tr> <tr> <td>TBM</td> <td>1982</td><td>305</td><td>conv., van</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>C-10 to 2500</td></tr></tbody></table> With the 39770010 casting code, I would say its the 79 350
A good block to base a strong running engine on. Outside of 2/4 bolt main, heavier castings on the earlier blocks and what cam and pistons it originally came with I have never really understood the total fascination with what a 350 block came out of. It's like a blank sheet of quality drawing paper. It's what you draw on it an not what it started out as that counts.
TBM will tell the story if you have access to a Hollander manual.mine are all in storage right now. The fact it has a 3 letter code says it's 1969 and later.
Guys I really appreciate all that you have done for me here. I am far away from home right now and don't have access to all of this information. So what you have done is really great! Thanks so much for taking the time to help out. Jay
No doubt about it - it's a rare 350 out of a Corvette. Much more valuable than any other run-of-the-mill 350 4-bolt. Just ask anyone selling a car with that type of engine. The Corvette lineage is critical to acquiring top dollar for your car. So much so, that I'm sure that - from listening in at swap meets and cruise-ins - no sbc out of a passenger car or truck has EVER been used in a swap.
haha, my dad and I always joke about that at swap meets. There isn't a Vette in the world with it's stock heads on it they are all at the swap meets. I built a T-bucket, the car is now sold but I kept the engine because it came out of my Vette when I put an LS into the Vette. I never told people it was a Corvette motor for this very reason.
Just like the reply to the question "What shade of red is that? Why it's Corvette red man." When it's really just plain old Massey Ferguson red.
----------------- All that the 010 casting number means is that the block was cast with a 4 inch bore. A 010 block could be either 2 or 4 bolt mains. Mart3406 =============
back off Jay...I waited a respectful time until some reasonable answers were provided. If you don't have a sense of humor, or haven't been around long enough to have listened to countless "out of a Corvette" engine stories, it's not my fault. I was not aware that you had established a "no snide comments" rule applying to any and all responses. Maybe you need some steel-toed boots if you can't dance well.
Back in the 70's when I was first getting into US cars, the 010 SBC block was 'the hot ticket' - '70 Corvettes and Z/28 Camaro's had 'em. They were supposed to be 4-bolt blocks and were normally fitted with double-hump 2.02/1.60 heads. The 37 tudor in my avatar had one, and it ran real good. Not saying they all had 4-bolt mains, but they were the block of choice for a decade or more. Cheers.
the 010 blocks were supposed to have a higher nickel content than other blocks, then you had the 010/020 block which was way better than the rare 010 block ha ha
They put that 010 block in everything, or at least I found them in everything. Back when I was younger and much more poor, we use to wander junk yards looking for 350's to build. I have pulled 3970010's out of passenger cars, cube vans, trucks, station wagons and conversion vans. My experience was if it was in something big, like a cube van and it had a 2 bbl. carb. Damn good chance it was a 4 bolt. It might have been random chance. But all the "big" vehicles had the 4 bolt.
The 010 is an excellent block. Two bolt or four bolt mains are good for all but the most radical motors. If you are really concerned with bottom end strength start with a two bolt block and have splayed four bolt caps fitted.
I think part of the Corvette deal is years ago a lot of racers would go to the chevrolet dealer and purchase a 365 hp 327 across the parts counter. Later 350/350 HP engines. I purchased one in 65 complete with alum intake dual point dist alum valve covers. all I did was add oil and a carb. Cost was less than 600. The same as a short block was around 250 dollars.................................. This was from Wood's Chevrolet in Birmingham Alabama. I made a 12 month loan from my mother to buy this engine................... Mr Wood's parts dept sold over 250 per year...................... Most of the circle track racers would buy a engine side clearance the rods and go racing. If you blew one up you just went to the dealer and purchased a new one..................................... This was also true of the Z 28..302 engines. Circle track racers purchased at lot of them. Most dealers in larger towns stocked 5 each 302/350 High performance engines. .............. So I guess you could say in a 35 year period I purchased over 15 vette replacement engines and 3 Z28 . None were ever in vettes or Z28's..
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