62 - 63 327 block

1964SuperStocker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
google "512 327 sbc block casting numbers" All kinds of information out there on this casting. Seems like a small journal 62'-67 block from the brief I read.
 

Greg Reimer

Well Known Member
The 512 block never actually came in cars from the factory,it was a service replacement block. It supposedly was quite thick, it is a small journal replacement block and it's distinctive in that it uses a different oil filter adapter than the rest of the small journal motors, it uses the same oil filter adapter and filter as a 350 or a '68-9 large journal 327. The Stock and Super Stock crowd has used them for years, and they are rather rare. They were designed to replace the OEM block covering all 62-67 327's.
 

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
There were a whole series of those 39595XX CE replacement blocks for all size small blocks. The program started in 67 and ran through at least 74. The first CE castings were based on the 1967 657 blocks for service replacement. In 68 small journal blocks were no longer in production but they still needed to service the earlier small journal engines for the GM 5 year warranty so they ran a set of new castings based on the last production block but with new numbers .They were all cast the same but machined differently for the application of the replaced block/ shortblock or fitted block. There were no suffix codes, only stamped numbers were CE (Chevrolet Engine) and the production number. The desired HP configuration was ordered by part number.

3959512 327 small and large journal for pass and truck
3959532 283 small block for pass and truck
3959534 283 Chevy II
3959538 327 small journal Chevy II

68_letter_CE_engines_ton.jpg


68_letter_CE_engines.jpg
 

skipxt4

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 18
Cecil: Did 350's use different letter codes?:dunno My 1969 350 1/2 Engine, Had CEA-9 letters.
 

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Cecil: Did 350's use different letter codes?:dunno My 1969 350 1/2 Engine, Had CEA-9 letters.
Skip,
The "A" in your stamp would indicate a second batch of castings. At the beginning of the model year each engine plant was given a block of serial numbers for these service engines such as 50,000 to 79,999. If demand exceeded the allotted numbers for that year a second run would be built and the serial numbers started over but with the prefix "A" in front of the serial sequence. If the demand continued past the second run a third could be started with a "B" prefix.
 

rstreet

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 17
Cecil how are your irrigation canals doing this year. We had some dry weather early this year and I thought about your flooding system
Robert
 

Greg Reimer

Well Known Member
A real oddity in the area of Chevrolet small blocks was the '64-67 Nova 283 blocks. Due to the front sump pan and the position of the steering rods and related parts, the Nova block had a rather distinctive deeply recessed oil filter base, it was a screw on filter rather than a canister filter,and it had the same casting number whether it was a 283 or a 327. Supposedly it was a very thick walled casting in the cylinder areas so it could be sized for either a 3 7/8" or a 4 .00 bore. Stock and Super Stock 283 racers, of which there are still quite a few,liked the Nova block because they could bore to .065" over with few worries about wall thickness despite the large overbore. I had one around here that I got in a package deal with some other stuff years ago, and someone who came over absolutely had to have it,so I sold it. I don't remember the casting number or the date code,however. Hope they had fun with it!! The Nova had a different front sump pan, a longer oil pump pickup, a shorter pump, and oil pump drive shaft.
 

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
3790721 was the first Chevy II casting and was the block you would receive if you ordered the V-8 conversion kit for the early Chevy II. It was the 283 block for the first production V-8 cars and was also the 327 version to 65. I believe the 66 283 casting was 3862194 and in 66 and 67 the 327 block casting was 3791362. After 67 it was available as a CE service replacement block as 3959534 for the 283 and 3959538 for the 327.
 

El Rat

Well Known Member
We raced a Chevy ll for a time with the front sump pan. High RPM launches resulted in spun bearings. We built a pan that accommodated the steering junk!
 
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