First i want to say i have been researching this for the last hour or so and i keep finding contradicting answers that people post or that web sites post. I got a 96 z28 blew a head gasket. the kit was 170ish from auto zone. But i found a dissasembled lt1 that was supposed to be 96. the cast numbers say 5.7LG side of the blocks say 327. when i was researching one dude that post on this website that the vin near the oil filter will give it away with the letter. mine says s which would be a 95 block but othere websites post s is on like 93-97 or sumthing please tell me. I need a for sure way to tell what year it is and i am supper pissed. if you cant tell i know absolutely nothing about camaros or chevys and just wanted to say thank you in advanced.

 

if it is a 95 can someone tell me what parts are interchangable with the 96. mainly the gaskets.

 

All of the head gaskets are interchangeable.

 

thank you. intake and throtle body the same way

 

If you mean intake manifold and throttle body gaskets yes.

If you mean the intake manifold and throttle bodies themselves, a 93 throttle body and intake manifolds are different than the 94+.

 

yeah thats what i was talking about. still waiting for the answer that its def a 95. im so pissed.

 

Shoebox has the correct "decode" for the year of the engine, from the partial VIN on the block:

http://shbox.com/1/block_vin.jpg

What may be confusing is that "S" was used as the designation of the Firebird in the 5th position in the full VIN, and for the 3.4L V6, in the 8th postion in the full VIN. The year is in the 10th position, and "S" is definitely for a 1995. Only the year code appears in the partial VIN derivative used on the block, trans, etc.