63 409/425

0monte

Member
Thanks, Ohio is a long way from Oregon. I’m here looking for any info on whether my block is an over the counter replacement, been decked or did they not I d stamp 63’s

I will try and get some Picts up here. View attachment 73375View attachment 73376View attachment 73377View attachment 73378
Bought this car with little history. One thing I was told was that the car came out of Ca. Years ago. From there there were two Oregon owners where the car spent 20+ yrs in small muscle car collection. That’s all the info I have. The heads, manifold and dual point distributor are all 1963 h p. So is the block but the Ident. pad on the front of the motor is blank. Is there a way to see if the motor is orig. to the car or over the counter replacement motor?
 

0monte

Member
The car has 6500 original miles, orig int, 1 repaint. Pretty nice orig interior 425/409, super t 10 four speed and 12 bolt 4:11 poi’s rear end. After looking it over I think a lot of those 65000 miles got put on a quarter mile at a time. Nice body everything straight
 

Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
1. Last year for dual point distributors was 1962.
2. 12 bolt rear ends did not start until 1965.

Check both of those items to confirm your information.
 

DonSSDD

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
If stamped numbers removed from block, hard to tell what it was “built as”. Check casting number and date code off the back of the block, date codes and casting numbers off intake, heads, exhaust manifolds, transmission, and carbs. If they were “born together “, it may be original. Post numbers here for verification.

Nice 63 in any case.
 

0monte

Member
I know the trans and rear end are not orig. I didn’t know 63’s did not have a dual point dist. Block casting # is 3830814, date code 355 (QB). Has an X cast on front of block. Head casting # is 3814690. Intake mnfld casting # is 3814881, has 2 new edelbrock 500 carbs. Also has a set of tri-y headers. Have no idea how this motor was built but it seems to have an other than stock cam in it. Not conducive to street driving at all. Trying to take off in first gear is impossible unless you run the rpm’s up and dump the clutch like you were racing. This is my first 409 so I don’t really know how the stock 425hp motors act but this one doesn’t sound stock to me. Should I run progressive or straight linkage on the carbs? Still has the steel stamped rockers in it so I am assuming the motor was built years ago.
The build date for the car is 2B which I found to be the 2nd week of Feb.. With the blank I’d pad and a Dec 63 date code on the block I thought this might be an o.t.counter replacement block. I appreciate your comments and am trying to learn as much as I can about this car and motor. Thank you
 

Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
This could be your real block. 355 means mid-Dec 62 casting date!!! Right on target.
Sounds like you have a high rearend ratio....3.08 maybe. Can't imagine that if it was a "racing" engine.
Progressive linkage only for street driving.
We'll get you there!!!!!
 

0monte

Member
I was thinking 63 and didn’t even consider 62,thanks for that. The rear end is a newer 12 bolt 4:11 Eaton posi
 

0monte

Member
With the motor being built in Dec 62 would that explain the dual point distributor? Are there any other differences between 62 and 63 motors or is my motor considered a 63
 

Fuzz1957

Well Known Member
Welcome to the forum. Lot of smart people here!

Like me, remember the three L’s - read, listen and learn.

Fuzz

MAGA
 

Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
With the motor being built in Dec 62 would that explain the dual point distributor? Are there any other differences between 62 and 63 motors or is my motor considered a 63
You have a 63 engine. Engine production usually started about Aug. for the new year. Your 355 date code is Dec. 21, 1962. Chevy dropped the dual-point in 62 for the 63 vacuum advance distributor and a single set of points. That's why you would not have a dual-point.
The 12-bolt is totally added and not original.
Hope this helps.
 
Top