Casting # Question

[SonOfThomp]

Greetings.
My '61 Bel Air has a small block, non-stock. The casting # is 397 0010 / 88.

I went to this site:

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm


and it has this number (sans the "/88") listed as a 302 (which I'm sure it isn't), a 327, and a 350.

How do I tell which motor it is? What is the "/88" part?

Thanks in Advance
SoT

 

[oldskydog]

I don't know about the "88" but the 010 block you have first came out in 69 and was a 4 " bore so it could be built in 302, 327, and 350 configurations. The only way to tell for sure is to check the bore and stroke, but if it hasn't been apart before then the casting date on the back and the assembly date and suffix code stamped on the front pad will tell you what the original application was.

 

[SonOfThomp]

I looked at the pix I took again, and I don't know where the "/88" came from. Odd.
Anyway, odds are good that it's a 350, as the 327 version was only in 1968 and it's sure not a 302. The 350 was built using that number from 1969 to 1980, so, like I said, odds are good . . . .

Thanks
SoT

 

[1958 delivery]

Just look at the crankshaft flange, 327, 302 and 350 are all unique.