help decode this motor

engine code is V0613CHH

ENGINE VIN STAMPED RIGHT UNDER THIS IS
18(5 OR S)320511

BACK OF BLOCK ON DRIVERS SIDE IS RAISED numbers
3970010

there are to clocks embosed too on the pass side back..
clock one has 10 dots... it is pointing between two of
the dots and aiming at the front driver's side of the block.

clock two has a " N | D " in thirds and is pointing at the D


driver's head has 7941 stamped on the back

V0613CHH

V = Flint engine plant
0613 = June 13
CHH was for 2 diferent engines

CHH = 1973 307 115 hp F and X body cars
CHH = 1978 350 170 hp Full size cars

D = Engine was cast on the day shift
The 10 dot clock points to the shift time of a 10 hour shift

VIN#
1 = Chev
8 = 1978
Third digit is the assembly plant
S = St. Louis
S = Ramos Arizpe
5 = Bowling Green
5 = London
320511 = last 6 digits of the original vehicles vin number (numbers matching)

The 010 casting is a common casting for a 4" bore block so that rules out the 1973 307 engine.

You have a 1978 350 engine. Nothing special but a good base for a buildup. You'll need to pull a valve cover to find a head casting to know if the heads are worth using. Probably no performance value.

thanks, that confirms what i had dreaded,,,


I bought it when it was in a car, and i could only make
out the end of the engine code,,, the HH

and i thought it was a 66 corvette 300hp vette motor....


I got it home this weekend, and began to suspect it was
not, and then i kept hoping i was some how decoding it
wrong, as i started to see the 1978 clues returning....

can you tell me if it is a 4 bolt main?

My guess would only a 2 bolt main but the only way to know for sure is to pull the pan off. 4 bolt 010 blocks are common if it was out of a truck. Cars didn't usually get 4 bolt blocks especially common run-of-the-mill cars likle a full size GM. (Caprice, Impala, etc).

Nothing wrong with a 2 bolt block. Replace the main bolts with ARP studs, get it lined honed and build an engine. I've seen 700+ hp BBC engines with only 2 bolt mains.

There should be more casting marks behind the timing chain when you finally get the cover off. They should indicate if you have a high nickle block or not.

the heads have 333882 between the rockers

Yuck. They're the best of the worst and for some reason everyone wants them. You could probably easily sell them off for some better castings.

Stick a coat hanger into one of the center exhaust ports. It should come out the heat riser on the intake side. Stick another coat hanger into the other center exhaust port. If it also comes out the heat riser, you have a couple of boat anchors. The casting between the 2 ports is too thin. If only one coat hanger goes through, it's the stronger 882 casting but still no real performance potential. Personally I wouldn't even want these on a street engine. There are better and stronger factory casting to chose from even in the late model engines.

993 and 997 castings are good and strong and have little chance of finding a crack in them. Targetmaster replacement engines usually have the 993 casting.

thanks for your help...
I have another 350, if you don't mind, I will get the numbers
tomorrow,,,

Clean up the 882's, crack-check them, then spray paint them red, then EBAY them. Like Stephen says, they are the best of the worst. Best, in that they flow about as much air as a set of stock L98 heads. but worst, in that they are a low compression 76cc open chamber head with thin castings prone to cracking.

I sold a set once that were equipped with 2.02 intake valves for $100 on ebay a few years ago. So, there are folks out there with WORSE heads on their engines willing to buy 882's. If you are going to performance build though, unless you do all your own head work, it's probably going to cost you as much to re-do those heads as buying some new World Product heads, or some Vortech heads.

if its a 2 bolt its fine for a hot street motor, junk the heads and build the short block up and buy some decent heads, for a street car you can EASILY get NEW aftermarket heads for cheaper than it is to re-build stockers