Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines No VIN on my engine block

Hi, on my Camaro L6/230, I was reading up on engine numbers, trying to ensure if I put money into the engine, it's the original numbers. I'd previously looked only at the casting numbers.

I found the website with the magic decoder ring. They show a block number and a VIN on the same flat tab next to the distributor. My VIN is missing. I don't see a VIN anywhere else that's obvious.

Is a missing VIN typical? Would I find it somewhere else?

Thanks,
Mark

Hi mshaw230 . . .

The engine serial number and the VIN have never been synchronized by Chevy AFAIK. There are some States that have been known to use the Engine Serial number to replace a missing VIN tag to Title an old vehicle . . . leading some to believe that these numbers should match.

Engine serial numbers were created to show when and where an engine was assembled:
Old Car Manuals Project

A car with a VIN and engine SN of contemporaneous vintage are so called 'numbers matching'. For example, a car that shipped in April of '50 with an engine assembled in February of '50 would be considered likely original and numbers matching. But a restorer could use a block from Jan to Apr of '50 and still have a numbers matching car. An engine serial from a later date being an obvious transplant . . .

regards,
stock49

Engine numbers and car serial numbers were the same (unless the engine was swapped) up until about 1954.
After that the engine casting number referred to the engine application only.

Will Willis

My 69 Camaro engine block had the matching numbers as the VIN, IIRC, it was not a complete copy of the VIN, just partial.

That block is long gone, crack/junk.

Matching original number inline 6's are not worth much, not like a matching numbers BB Camaro.

6 Cyl Camaros are baseline cars, not worth much,, people who would want to spend a lot of money on a 6 cyl car has other plans for it, like getting rid of the 6 & putting in an LS engine.

J.M.O.

MBHD

I think I read once that when Chevy vehicle VIN numbers bagan being stamped on blocks (late '60s?) it was only on hi perf engines like big blocks, not on lowly sixes. The VIN stampings I've seen are on the bell housing flange and on rough cast surface. Engine code is stamped on clean machined surface next to distributor on sixes as you know.

Disclaimer: My recollection, may not be accurate.

Hi MBHD,

I hear ya. I need to figure out why I'm hesitating. When I bought the car, the little engine quickly led me to a decision to drop in a crate v8. One of the biggest draws is that the L6 is quickly becoming rare and will be harder to find parts in 20+ years I hope the car remains in the family.

But then I learned that I can get enough power out of the L6. I got all excited about that and a unique engine. Maybe it's the old '52 truck or '32 Chevy that have me waffling.

Here's the website I found on numbers.
Thanks I'll look in the other spots suggested.

Mark
camaros.org/numbers.shtml

It is a common misconception - but engine serial numbers were not related to VINs in early Chevy:
Old Car Manual Project

Engines got serial numbers from one of two plants assembling them - Flint, MI or Tonowanda, NY - GAA and GAM prefixes respectively for '49.

Cars were serialized where they were assembled. There was a separate series for Special models (J) and Deluxe models (K).

My car was assembled in Norwood, OH in September - VIN prefix 9 G K I with an engine from Flint - prefix GAA.

I have read that the State of Missouri is known to have used engine numbers on early titles - giving later owners grief after engine swaps:
ChevyTalk

regards,
stock49

GM did not put VIN # on the blocks until after 1965. Maybe till 67. Up to then the engine ID was only used. On Chevy anyway.

Your block may have been replaced with a warranty unit. Then no vin would be on it.

I had a '68 with a v-thing in it. It had no partial VIN - just engine number.

mshaw230, your engine doesn't even have a CE number? The service parts were supposed to be serialized too:
ChevelleStuff

Mine has the same partial match. 68 L6 250 Camaro.

Here is a collage of the numbers, I haven't found any additional numbers, but I also haven't looked too hard. Everything is consistent.

Thanks,
Mark

The codes are regular production. With an early February engine I guess one would expect a February or March build on the car itself. The VINs by month can be found here:
CamarosOrg