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Understanding Engine Assembly Plant Codes, VIN stamps and more

Started by mtull, October 13, 2023, 03:37:50 PM

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mtull

Please educate me,  I need help understanding engine VIN stamps and a few more things.

I found a forum post stating 440 engines were built in Trenton Michigan Plant, code (T or TP)?  I also found another forum post stating the engine year codes are:
D = 68
E = 69
F = 70

Say you had an early built 1970 E-Body built in August or September of 1969 with either a 440 or 440 six pack.

Questions:
- Would the engine code most likely be an E440 or F440?
- I think the first character for the engine VIN represents the year?  Would the VIN most likely start with a 9 or 0?
- I think the second character in the engine VIN represents the assembly plant code,  What would it most likely be?

Regarding the engine year code, I'm assuming early or late cars are gray areas regarding the year due to supply vs. demand?

Thank you
M.


Chryco Psycho

Once the 70 model production starts in early Aug everything is coded 70
The Engine will be F coded
the vin is zero
Ebodies were B code for Hamtramk plant

6bblgt

Quote from: Chryco Psycho on October 13, 2023, 07:14:11 PM
Once the 70 model production starts in early Aug everything is coded 70
The Engine will be F coded
the vin is zero
Ebodies were B code for Hamtramk plant ("0B" in the VIN)

:iagree:

Ebodies were E code for Los Angeles plant ("0E" in the VIN)

little to NO gray area concerning early or late vehicles


mtull


cuda hunter

If the F motor was produced in 1970, wouldn't all the e bodies earlier than actual 1970 have had F motors that were produced in E 1969? 
I thought there were 5 months that would have received E 1969 motors and when 70 started, actual code dated F motors were installed. 
  Is that wrong? 

  Did the factory produce F 1970 motors in 1969?  Therefore not having correct cast dates on the blocks?   Correct for the year of car they were going into but not correct to the actual date they were produced? 
"All riches begin as a state of mind and you have complete control of your mind"  -- B. Lee

Blowout

 :popcorn:
I was going to ask this exact question. My car has a build date of 10/1969 and was wondering if I should be searching for an E or F HP motor..

Mr Cuda

 I think there's some confusion in the answers.
Yes, B and E plants, but all 70 model year engines are F stamped.
Only Dan would know if August cars got leftover E stamp motors,  but I'm sure by September,  they did not.

I accept being corrected.


Chryco Psycho

Engine block casting dates could go back 4 months from Aug 69 but once assigned to a 70 build it will have an F stamping .
Slipped my mind that 70 had E bodies from LA E plant 71 up were only B code

6bblgt

casting date is a reference point - it could be 1-month, 3-months, 6-months or more before a car's actual production date

ALL 1970 model year engines, from pre-production to August 1969 to July 1970 are "F-SERIES": F440, F383, FW340, etc.

7E-Bodies

To reiterate on what Dan states above, my numbers matching 70 440 has a casting date of 5/14/69 and the car has an SPD of 11/04/69.
1970 Challenger R/T Numbers Matching 440 Auto in F8 Quad Green

mtull

Quote from: 7E-Bodies on October 15, 2023, 05:29:43 PM
To reiterate on what Dan states above, my numbers matching 70 440 has a casting date of 5/14/69 and the car has an SPD of 11/04/69.

Thank you for giving a real world example.  The block was cast six months prior.  Wow!

I learned allot during the course of this thread. Thank you to all who contributed


cuda hunter

Quote from: 7E-Bodies on October 15, 2023, 05:29:43 PM
To reiterate on what Dan states above, my numbers matching 70 440 has a casting date of 5/14/69 and the car has an SPD of 11/04/69.

So your 440 upper pad has a stamping of F440, correct?
"All riches begin as a state of mind and you have complete control of your mind"  -- B. Lee

6bblgt

ALL 1970 model year engines will be "F-SERIES"   :takealook:  even engines assembled in 1969

7E-Bodies

Another sample of mine...
1970 Challenger R/T Numbers Matching 440 Auto in F8 Quad Green

7E-Bodies

ZERO flipping idea why the casting date pic decided to roll 180 degrees  :pullinghair: :verymad: :madashell:, but there it is. Those were pics prior to engine rebuild (mostly stock with a 0.020 over).
1970 Challenger R/T Numbers Matching 440 Auto in F8 Quad Green