Thread:

Block i.d?

I have block that is a two bolt 454 chevy with "HI PER" and " PASS" cast into it with a casting # of 3999289.Anybody have info on this block?

Originally Posted by Ronboats

I have block that is a two bolt 454 chevy with "HI PER" and " PASS" cast into it with a casting # of 3999289.Anybody have info on this block?

every BBC except tall deck truck blocks have HI PERF PASS cast in them. Truck blocks have either TRUCK or TRUCK MAR(ine).

Nothing special there. Just you average everyday 2 bolt BBC.

Originally Posted by gn7

every BBC except tall deck truck blocks have HI PERF PASS cast in them. Truck blocks have either TRUCK or TRUCK MAR(ine).

Nothing special there. Just you average everyday 2 bolt BBC.

Thats what I figured-thanks

so with that said . if i was to be taking a stroll in my local pick u part lookin at old chevys with big blocks is there something i need to look for?? other than climbing up in and scraping off the casting numbers and calling my wife at work to run them in the computer to see whats what??

Not really. Aside from the some Corvette blocks that have a 3/4 pipe tap above the filter, not much to go by.
The problem is that the 2 bolt and 4 bolt blocks are the same castings. They are just machined differently. there are different casitng numbers, and small chages made to the casting, but they are all basically the same block.
Even the numbers can be misleading. There are some numbers that can be either 2 or 4 bolt.

[QUOTE=gn7;1654607]Not really. Aside from the some Corvette blocks that have a 3/4 pipe tap above the filter, not much to go by.

All the early 4 bolt blocks have the 3/4 pipe tap hole above the filter i think.

[QUOTE=steveo143;1654637]

Originally Posted by gn7

Not really. Aside from the some Corvette blocks that have a 3/4 pipe tap above the filter, not much to go by.

All the early 4 bolt blocks have the 3/4 pipe tap hole above the filter i think.

I USE to think that too. Then I remembered how an english teacher defined ALL as EXCLUDING NOT EVEN ONE. All is one powerfull ass word. "NONE" carries just as much power. I try to avoid words like that when talking about what GM did with blocks as they were being pushed thru machining.
When you consider that the oil plug machining is not done at the same time at the same station as the main caps, it is possible to have a 3/4 pipe plug and 2 bolts. Never seen it, but if anybody said they have, I wouldn't agure it. Would I buy a 3/4 plug block from a wrecking yard without dropping the pan? OH YEAH. It is by far the one best indicator.

But when you say ALL EARLY BLOCKS, you have to mean pre 67. Because I have a 67 427 with a 1/2" plug, and its far from the only one I have seen. I have NEVER seen a block that had a 3/4 plug that wasn't a 4 bolt. But I have seen a few late 60s blocks that have 1/2" plugs and 4 bolts.

It would have been nice of GM to put 3/4 plugs on all 4 bolts, and only 4 bolts.