Is my engine original to the body?

How can I tell if my engine is original to the car? I have a 1953 Chevy Bel Air 4 door w/ a 235 engine , manual 3 speed. Is there any way to match the engine to the cars vin number to see if they were built together? Not real important to me but everything else on the car seems to be as built, so I thought I would check on the engine. Can anyone help? Here is a link to my Youtube page with some pictures. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v07kO27PdMY&feature=share&list=UU6ias9LJ1a_m9mjlKrlsGJw

Thanks
Walter
Savage, Md

 

you can run the motor numbers if the mfg date is after the model year of the car it has been replaced. post up the motor numbers and see when it was built

 

That's probably not the original engine. Looks like you've got a later 235 which is the good news as far as reliability goes. The original engine would have had 2 bolts holding the valve cover. Someone could have replaced the head with a later one however.

Depending on where the car was originally titled, many states used the engine serial number as the "vin". If that was the case, the engine may no longer match what the title says - a common issue in these old Chev's since replacement engines were the cheap and easy way to get back on the road again. If you want to post the first few digits of the number on the title, we can probably determine if that was taken off the original engine.

(the engine no. is the stamped - not cast - number just aft of the distributor)

 

The vin number is C53BXXXX. I have not looked at the engine number yet. If this is a newer engine I asume that it will have insert bearings instead of babet bearings? I will look at the engine numbers later tonight.

Walter

 

C53.....is not an original engine number, but it could be a reman number. Hopefully the number on your title matches the number on the engine, or on a metal plate either on the drivers door post or the firewall.

Only thing left to do now is decode your engine numbers and determine exactly what engine you have.

Yes, the '53 standard shift cars were the last of the Chev babbit motors. The engine number for your original engine would start with LA........ If you see anything else, post the numbers on here and we'll figure it out.

 

C53B... is the VIN, not the engine number, as he said.

If the engine is from a 53, the first letter of the stamped code will be L. You can also look for a casting date code on the block, near the starter, maybe hidden by it....a letter follwed by a few numbers, such as B 23 3

 

Yes, The number I posted earlier is the vin number. I found the engine number tonight. It is LAA45782. There are 4 bolts holding the valve cover on two on each side. Just came in from removing the water pump and master cylinder. Water pump came off easy, But the master cylinder was quite difficult. but got it out. Will look for new ones tomorrow.
Walter

 

This might help. GM heritage site. http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...its/Chevrolet-Trucks/1953-Chevrolet-Truck.pdf

LAA shows to be a 1953 235 built in flint from a passenger car (page 12) L is year (1953), first A is chassis type (passenger car, series 15-21-2400) last A is plant (flint).

No clue what the passenger car series is, maybe someone else can chime in what it is. (edit, page 10 lists this data, but still have no clue how to decipher. My guess it could be an engine from any passenger car in 53).

 

Might also check the head casting number and casting date, under the valve cover. Most of the cast iron parts have date codes on them.

 

So, to answer your original question - yes, that appears to be the original engine. The head is later (4-bolt valve cover) which is not uncommon, the heads from '53 to '62 will interchange.

 

if it's original & the dash oil gauge only goes to 30 lbs it's a babit motor if the oil gauge goes to 60 its got bearings

 

Thanks, I will check the oil pressure gauge tomorrow. Working on replacing all the brake componets now.
Walter

 

The oil pressure gauge only goes to 35 pds. And no oil filter, just a oil line that goes from the oil pressure port over to the distributer side of the engine.

Thanks for all the info
Walter