TA Engine stamping and casting numbers

[Ccuda]

My AAR has a replacement block that reads the correct casting no for a TA Block but vin numbers have me in question. I'll attach some pics if I can. Pictures of valve train and "U" code heads verify the correct adjustable Valve type TA heads. The car runs very strong and I know it's just not the run of the mill 340. Correct Eidlebrock manifold and carbs all are correct from what I've researched.
My question is about the vin number stamps on the passenger side pad and the front right side number . Any help will be appreciated.
The pass side pad shows" B497" which looks to be double stamped.
The front passenger side pad reads" FW340P32110316"
Drivers side casting shows" 3577130TA340.3"
Date code on passenger side is "4-6-70"

[MoparCarGuy]

My AAR has a replacement block that reads the correct casting no for a TA Block but vin numbers have me in question. I'll attach some pics if I can. Pictures of valve train and "U" code heads verify the correct adjustable Valve type TA heads. The car runs very strong and I know it's just not the run of the mill 340. Correct Edelbrock manifold and carbs all are correct from what I've researched.
My question is about the vin number stamps on the passenger side pad and the front right side number. Any help will be appreciated.
The pass side pad shows" B497" which looks to be double stamped.
The front passenger side pad reads" FW340P32110316"
Drivers side casting shows" 3577130TA340.3"
Date code on passenger side is "4-6-70"

The engine block stamping FW340P32110316 decodes as
F=1970 production year
W=Windsor Assembly Plant
340=Engine CID
P=Premium Fuel
3211=10,000 day calendar date of May 13, 1970 (5/13/1970)
0316=316th engine assembled that day

I am not sure if all TA blocks had the "s" between the 340 and P. The B497 could stand for Hamtramck and 497th spare or TA warranty block assembled but that is just a guess on my part.

[Ricomondo]

Looks like the vin pad has a partial VIN on it. Scrape the paint and look again. Its for sure a TA engine.

There should be a 0 in front of the B (Hamtramck plant) for 1970 Hamtramck, then the six digit partial VIN.

Most of the TA/AAR blocks were cast November 69'.

As that one is 4/70 that's at the tail end of production for the Trans Am cars. Later castings have a  71 partial VIN 1B______ and those block were used on the line.

Warranty blocks have a blank VIN pad. So its probable you have a more digits there, just can't read em due to the paint or stamping. My last TA block was missing the last digit entirely. Looks like there is a digit after the B then the 4 then a space then 79 then another space then a 7.

[cuda hunter]

I agree with @Ricomondo   There is a vin stamp there. 

Blank vin pads were not a preference, they were warranty blocks.
I've not seen any proof that no vin stamped blocks went into cars on the production line. 

[JH27N0B]

I'm not 100% on the law, but I think the VIN had to be stamped on the engine on new production cars by federal law.
Interesting question would be what happened if a car rolled off the line, and during post production quality checks at the plant the engine was found to have problems and needed to be replaced prior to the car being shipped?  Did the mechanics at the plant stamp the VIN in the replacement engine?

[cuda hunter]

No other car manufacturer of the time had to have the vin stamped on the engine or transmission. 
Not a law. 

[Ccuda]

Everyone here has good ideas on the originally of a replacement block but Im still trying to put together what really happened. Here's my quess for now. Im thinking the replacement blocks from the factory definitely had a tag with 4 didgets. (I'll repost Cuda
Hunter's pic of the tag) My block looks like it was restamped with the same 4 Didgets twice. The ones underneath were a lighter stamp and probably a mistake. The hole near the freeze plug that is particularly filled with paint is near a freeze plug but because of its placement it would be impossible to hang the tag there. Therefore we have a 4 Didget vin stamp. The "MoparCarGuy " had a similar guess.

[cuda hunter]

Can you please finagle a better straight on picture of the block stamp. 
That will help a little with clearing up what I see.

[MoparCarGuy]

Ccuda,
Is it possible your VIN pad's stamping of B 4 9 7 has more lightly stamped numbers? A faint 7 between the 4 & 9 and/or a possible 4 between the 9 & 7 makes me wonder.
I thought this might indicate there is actually a normal 0B#4#9#7 VIN with some numbers lightly stamped. I know the normal engine assembly stampings for AAR VINs were done with a fixture which held the letters and numbers for a single hammer strike so this theory did not really make much sense to me. I still wanted to consider this being another AAR's original block with a normal VIN stamping in March or April that might fit the 0B#4#9#7 format. It does not appear to be 0B1479#7 because that would have been very early in the model year. It also does not appear to be 0B2479#7 because the lowest AAR Cuda VIN in my digital fender tag database is 0B274409 with an SPD of 311. If anyone knows the earliest AAR VIN and the SPD, please let everyone know. It is also unlikely to be 0B3479#7 as the latest AAR VIN I have is 0B308560.

Your own theory about it being a double stamp on a T/A 340 warranty block is also possible but I have read that Chrysler did not provide T/A blocks for warranty engines, just regular 340 blocks. It is highly, unlikely that a May 13, 1970 T/A block was sent out as a warranty block. Most "extra" T/A blocks were put into inventory for purchase, not warranty.

You might want to wipe off the orange paint with some paint thinner to reveal exactly what we are dealing with on this pad. We can at least see any faint stamps under that paint.

[MoparCarGuy]

Can you please finagle a better straight on picture of the block stamp. 
That will help a little with clearing up what I see.

That block looks like a Hemi warranty block. You can see the holes for the main cap cross-bolts. Great example of the warranty tag location on an RB block.

[cuda hunter]

I have combed and combed and can't seem to locate a picture of a T/A warranty block or warranty tag. 
I found a few folks that talked about having a t/a warranty block on moparts but no picture and those were stories from back in the 80's. 

Still looking as I am very curious. 

Yes, those are hemi's. I have a 440 warranty block, but no tag. 

[Bpret]

Here is one on a friend of mine's 340 T/A block

[cuda hunter]

Thanks for posting.
I can't quite tell where on the block this is?  Same place as a big block?
Where is the freeze plug? 

[mccannix]

@Bpret
I was wondering I could ask a question as well.
Just curious if you are sure that is the tag on your friends 340 block.
0302 the reference number on the tag is for 426 Hemi..or at least I thought so
as I have seen an 0302 tag on a Hemi service block.
Different engines had different tag numbers on the block in reference to ordering parts for that engine.
This 4 page packet came with some crated service blocks I was involved with, also explains in part
how dealers received a block with no numbers and were expected to stamp numbers if mandated by their state.
A dealership I visited in upstate NY some years ago, the parts guy showed me a complete set of stamps in the stockroom and told me they were shipped with a warranty block destined to be replaced in a vehicle.
He couldn't remember if they stamped it or not....and 'no' he didn't want to let the set go.

[cuda hunter]

Wow!  Now that's a story.  Glad you mentioned he didn't want to let go of em.  I'd a asked.