Re: Block markings & trans stuff

["Dr. Paul M. Pitcher" <pigdoc@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 06:50 PM 9/9/2008, you wrote:
> At 08:16 AM 9/9/2008, Bill Maurits wrote:
> > I had a conversation with an "old" Mopar mechanic last night. He
> > worked for a local Chrysler dealer for ~40 years and has recently
> > retired to make money building and playing w/ and building race cars
> > and motors...name is Garry Neese (sp?) if anyone knows him.
> >
> > Anyway, we got on the topic of block markings and he thought that
> > sometime in the mid 60's was when they STARTED stamping ID's into
> > blocks and before ~64 (he was not sure of the year) there was no year
> > on the block or ID stamped...only a casting number. Is this true? If
> > so, what was the cut off year?
>
> No, MoPar stamped blocks at least as far back as my 38 Plymouth.
>
> My 64 300's 413 was stamp with an T (for 63) then over stamped with a V 
> (for 64) and also stamped 41 (for 413) and HP (for high 
> Performance).  That was an oddball engine.  had pre 64 style rocker arm 
> stands (separate aluminum stands) but had 64 and up 6 bolt valve covers.

Ya, "ID" is not a very specific term.  He may be trying to speak to the 
point at which VINs began to be stamped on engine blocks (and 
transmissions), which I believe was 1968, to comply with Federal law.

When looking at a bare block and trying to figure out for what model year 
it was machined, I just remember that A=1965, and count up from there.

> > Next onto trannys - If I'm correct, 64 & older trannys had 2 cables,
>
> Yes, and also a kick down linkage if it was an auto.  With a ball and 
> trunnion output shaft.
>
> > 65's were 1 cable, 1 linkage,
>
> No, still two cables and a kick down linkage,

I agree.  FWIW, 1964 was the last year for push-button shift.  1965 
introduced column shift with cables.  1966 used linkage rather than cables.

> like the early ones but with a slip yoke output shaft, unless it was a 904 
> style trans, at least in the 65 A bodies which had the ball and trunnion 
> output still.

I could show you a '65 Newport with a 383, late build at the Newark 
assembly plant that has a ball and trunnion driveshaft.
It's lying in a junkyard 20 miles from where I live.
Someone pointed out to me that the transmission could have been changed out 
at some point, but I haven't bothered to do that investigation - the car is 
resting on its subframes.

> > Also, what year did the input shaft diameter
> > change to the "modern" setup...was that 66 and 65's had the smaller
> > shaft? Or did they change in 67?
>
>
> 67, also the centering ring on the crank changed to accommodate the larger 
> diameter centering snout on the converters.

Interestingly, the meat for a bigger crank counterbore is present on the 
earlier crankshafts - you just have to cut them out to a greater (1/4" 
greater) inside diameter.  (Been there, done that).  I can confirm that 
1966 crankshafts have the smaller counterbore.

pigdoc 


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