Chevy Numbers

[63impaloligist]

I am glad I found this site. Actually my Dad did. I wanted to ask if anyone has or had seen a 1963 Chevy 327-300HP engine with an RK stamping? I have one from my SS Impala, but it doesn't have a VIN on it. It is stamped FIII2RK. A 327 4 speed car with AC. The block is a 3782870 and the heads are 3782461X. It had an aftermarket manifold, distributor, etc. The block is a K-2-3, heads K-11-3 and K-12-3. 151 GM cam. Later crank, with 2 key slits instead of 1, manley .125 dome pistons. Loose timing chain. Cam Dynamics (How often do you hear that?) roller rockers.

I also ended up picking up a 1963 327-340 long block. 3782870 with 3782461X heads, 097 cam. F04I7RE, with a Vin. It will need a rebuild and 1 sleeve (broken ring). But the price was right.

And after many years, I picked up my first 409 block. 656 casting. Happ

 

[409gang]

I am glad I found this site. Actually my Dad did. I wanted to ask if anyone has or had seen a 1963 Chevy 327-300HP engine with an RK stamping? I have one from my SS Impala, but it doesn't have a VIN on it. It is stamped FIII2RK. A 327 4 speed car with AC. The block is a 3782870 and the heads are 3782461X. It had an aftermarket manifold, distributor, etc. The block is a K-2-3, heads K-11-3 and K-12-3. 151 GM cam. Later crank, with 2 key slits instead of 1, manley .125 dome pistons. Loose timing chain. Cam Dynamics (How often do you hear that?) roller rockers.

I also ended up picking up a 1963 327-340 long block. 3782870 with 3782461X heads, 097 cam. F04I7RE, with a Vin. It will need a rebuild and 1 sleeve (broken ring). But the price was right.

And after many years, I picked up my first 409 block. 656 casting. Happ

The government mandated manufactures to begin stamping engines with the VIN in 1968, before that there were many engines that did not have the VIN stamped in them only the assembly date and suffix code. Your engine could be right not having a VIN on it, Im not sure which cars or engines got the VIN stamp verses which ones didn't prior to 1968.

 

[oldskydog]

As you said, the RK suffix is a 63 300 hp manual (3 or 4 speed) trans with AFB and A/C and wold not have a VIN number on the block.
The RE is a 63 Corvette 340 hp solid lifter or a 64 Corvette 365 hp solid lifter depending on the casting date. It would have a VIN as would all Corvette engines since early 60 MY.

 

[Carl 1962]

I thought the 300hp 327 did have the partial VIN stamped on the stamp pad, it was the 250hp 327 and lower spec engines (283) that did not.

 

[oldskydog]

From 64 TSB. I'm sure the same provision was in effect in 62 and 63 but don't have the documentation handy.

 

[63impalass409]

I have a 63 340hp 409 with the date stamp and QG stamp and that's it also, is that a possibility? Or did someone do a partial restamp at some time?

 

[1958 delivery]

My 62 409/409 had the VIN on the block. Maybe they didn't do the 340 horse

 

[oldskydog]

No, the. 340hp was not considered high performance since it was the base 409 so no VIN.

 

[409gang]

No, the. 340hp was not considered high performance since it was the base 409 so no VIN.

I have a 1963 Impala 340hp 4 speed car with the original engine. The engine is stamped with both the assembly date and suffix code (QC) and the partial VIN that matches the car and the title. My car was built in St Louis.

 

[oldskydog]

Exceptions on the assembly line are not that unusual but additions of VIN stampings to appear more authentic are always a possibility too. I'm not suggesting yours is such a case.

 

[409gang]

Exceptions on the assembly line are not that unusual but additions of VIN stampings to appear more authentic are always a possibility too. I'm not suggesting yours is such a case.

I bought this car 35 years ago from a guy that lived in a mobil home for $500, the engine was all apart and in the trunk. If someone was going to forge a stamping they certainly would have been selling it for more than $500. I am totaly confident my car is authentic. I don't know about other assembly plants but St Louis was stamping all 409's in 1963 with the VIN.

 

[64ss409]

I know this thread was about 63's, but I'll mention this anyway. My 64/340 SS has the partial vin and matches the serial no. The 283 I took out of my 64 Biscayne also had the partial and matched the serial no.

 

[409gang]

I am glad I found this site. Actually my Dad did. I wanted to ask if anyone has or had seen a 1963 Chevy 327-300HP engine with an RK stamping? I have one from my SS Impala, but it doesn't have a VIN on it. It is stamped FIII2RK. A 327 4 speed car with AC. The block is a 3782870 and the heads are 3782461X. It had an aftermarket manifold, distributor, etc. The block is a K-2-3, heads K-11-3 and K-12-3. 151 GM cam. Later crank, with 2 key slits instead of 1, manley .125 dome pistons. Loose timing chain. Cam Dynamics (How often do you hear that?) roller rockers.

I also ended up picking up a 1963 327-340 long block. 3782870 with 3782461X heads, 097 cam. F04I7RE, with a Vin. It will need a rebuild and 1 sleeve (broken ring). But the price was right.

And after many years, I picked up my first 409 block. 656 casting. Happ

That engine with the RE suffix code and VIN stamped on it could be worth a bunch of money to the owner of the Corvette it came out of if its still around. It might be worth your trouble to try and run down the car/owner and offer the engine for sale. You could buy a lot of stuff for your car even a 409 with the proceeds.

 

[64ss409]

Are you talking about the same 64?

No, I have 2 64's. I edited and added SS to clarify the above.

 

[409gang]

No, I have 2 64's. I edited and added SS to clarify the above.

OK I just deleted my post as I saw the addition of the SS which answered my question.

 

[63impaloligist]

As you said, the RK suffix is a 63 300 hp manual (3 or 4 speed) trans with AFB and A/C and wold not have a VIN number on the block.
The RE is a 63 Corvette 340 hp solid lifter or a 64 Corvette 365 hp solid lifter depending on the casting date. It would have a VIN as would all Corvette engines since early 60 MY.

That engine with the RE suffix code and VIN stamped on it could be worth a bunch of money to the owner of the Corvette it came out of if its still around. It might be worth your trouble to try and run down the car/owner and offer the engine for sale. You could buy a lot of stuff for your car even a 409 with the proceeds.

The RE 327 is a 63 date coded block C-22-3 and date coded heads D-11-3 (for both). I was gonna rebuild this engine before deciding to sell it, so I could try it out. Remember it was only a long block, so I don't have a lot of the original parts that went with it. But, I do have some vintage aftermarket stuff for use with it.

 

[63impaloligist]

Oh, partial VIN on the RE is 3114027.

 

[DonSSDD]

My 63 340-409 has a partial vin on it.

FYI for those who bump into them , All Canadian v8’s had a number stamped on them in 62 forward, but it was not a partial vin, at least on the 283’s I’ve seen. It was a sequential number assigned by the GM plant and was in addition to the normal stamped date code.

 

[409gang]

Oh, partial VIN on the RE is 3114027.

I think the 3 that your partial vin starts with is a S for St Louis as that is where all Corvettes were built back then. In Missouri anyone can do a title search as it is public information providing you have the complete VIN number. In 1963 that partial vin you have could have been part of either a coupe or convertible Corvette VIN. The full coupe VIN would have been 30837S114027 and the full convertible VIN would have been 30867S114027, these are the 2 VIN's you would want to do a title search on. There is a good chance that car is still around and if you find the owner of the car they would want that engine especially as it was a high HP engine and possibly a split window coupe, it would almost double the value of their car. I would almost bet that in New Jersey you could do a title search on a given VIN also. You might have to do a title search in neighboring states if the engine or car it was in was titled from another state. Corvette guys are all about the original engine, I think it would be worth the effort good luck!

 

[oldskydog]

I stand corrected. I checked my 63 QS block and it has the VIN also. Apparently the 340 was considered high performance and got the VIN. The 63 numbering TSB is one I haven't found yet.