Help with engine size and year?

[Smith]

Any info on this engine?

Engine # on the back of the block 3905398 and front f527c. Please help with info. I know it's a 265 or 283.

 

[motormonkey]

Not sure if you are familiar with the site listings of casting numbers but the one you have listed here does not appear on the list. Are you sure about that casting number? And your other code seems to be a date code but it is strangely put together. is it F527 or 527C? Usually these are spaced such as C 27 5. This would translate to March 27th, 1955. If the F is the first code letter here then it is an anomaly as the second series of numbers (usually two digits but can be just one) indicates the month the part was cast. We only have 12 months in a year so? The data you have provided seems erroneous. Can you check again and confirm? Once you have done this you should be able to answer your questions on your own. As a side note a 265 block doesn't have a provision for an oil filter cast and machined onto it. All 283 engines do. It is possible that Chevrolet did make some 265s with the filter but they would be late 1956 engines or service blocks cast or manufactured after the end of the model year. I hope this helps

 

[Craig Hanson]

I looked for your casting number and didn't see it, but you could be off a little. Someone else posted a block number as GM 3898948....but it was really GM 3896948.....the 6 looked like an 8 with dirt and rust. Now the good news...your F527C Means F Flint Michigan, 527 May 27th and the C is Powerglide. If it was F527FC it would be Powerpack, Powerglide.

The motormonkey said 265's don't have oil filters...WRONG!! only 1955 265's didn't have the casting for a canister oil filter. All 1956 Chevy 265's and all 1957 Chevy 265's had a casting for a canister oil filter. Some people didn't grow up with these cars and only know what they read. I'm 68 years old and have owned a dozen of these cars and I was Founder and 4 year president of San Jose Classic Chevy Club. side note...early 1957 Chevy 283 engines were bored out 265's and both carried the same block casting number 3731548. 3 3/4 in bored out to 3 7/8 in bore. same crank with 3 inch stroke. Chevy made a New casting for all future 283's.

 

[motormonkey]

Craig, thank you for your insight, however everyone makes mistakes. As I said it IS possible that some 265s did get oil filter casting and machined provisions. As a side note I was just at a swap meet last week and saw a 56 date 265 without a oil filter housing. Unless you watched them all go down the line, nobody knows it all, and even then there are exceptions. We're not perfect here

 

[Craig Hanson]

You said this..... As a side note a 265 block doesn't have a provision for an oil filter cast and machined onto it. All 283 engines do. It is possible that Chevrolet did make some 265s with the filter but they would be late 1956 engines or service blocks cast or manufactured after the end of the model year. I hope this helps.

I know that Chevy made 265's for 1955-1956-1957 and to my knowledge only 1955 did not have casting for oil filters. In 50 years, I've never seen a 56 or a 57 265 without a oil filter canister casting on the Block. The way you worded it above would make someone who doesn't know, think all 265's are without oil filter canisters, yeah Chevy did make some 265's with the filter, how about 2 years worth? I have 2 blocks in my garage...one is a 1956 265 for a 2 4bbl carbs car or Corvette, and one is for my 1957 Chevy truck. Both have oil filters.

Also the only GRAY engines I've ever seen are 6 bangers, mostly the 261's as most 235's were blue I did see 1 Gray 283, it was new in the crate with underwater gear added to it.. All 55 engines were Orange....56 were Red....and 57's were Red-Orange. My 57 truck did not have a GRAY 265, sorry

 

[motormonkey]

I don't know what all years you are referring to Craig with regard to the "Gray" engines but I can verify from 1959 onward and maybe even further Chevy began painting "base' engines, both V8s and 6s a gray color in trucks. This was done until about 1965 when they reverted back to orange. I don't see where I made any claim of "gray" in this post, however I did state on another that in the late fifties/early sixties Chevy did start painting truck base engines a gray color, which is true. I have been researching ALL Chevy engines for over 30 years and so far I have NEVER seen a 1957 265. I have heard stories but never seen a verified engine in either a car or a truck.. Would love to see pictures and also verification via early books or factory literature of some kind. I am not some know-it-all jackass trying to prove how smart I am, I just want to make clear, verifiable claims. If I have made an untrue statement, show me where and I will acknowledge. I have a photograph reputedly taken at the Tonowanda engine plant in 1959 which I will attach if I can figure out how. While it does show only 6 cylinders, I have seen 283s painted gray as far back as 1960. I have a 1960 348 that is still wearing it's gray paint, and used to have a 1963 truck 327 in green. I have seen 409 truck motors green. It may be possible that Chevy didn't start doing this until later. I appreciate your input as it furthers our knowledge of these great engines.

 

[motormonkey]

I would like to apologize for my earlier post regarding this reply. I edited it so as to remove incorrect statements made by me without reference. Please excuse that message if you should see it as I was clearly in error. Thank you

 

[Craig Hanson]

Hey Motormonkey, can we call and talk to each other for a bit? Easier than typing and waiting...I need to ask you many questions about the tri-fives. Some things you say and where you got the info from. My name is Craig Hanson and my cell number is 714-213-2919, love to chat a bit, we both know lots of stuff.

 

[Craig Hanson]

Howdy Motormonkey, I've been digging and doing more reading research today on 1955-56-57 chevy trucks. Again it proves that the light duty 57 Chevy trucks came with a 235 inline 6 or a 265 V-8. The Med duty and Heavy duty 57 trucks might and prolly did have the 283;s. If you ever seen an Original 57 Chevy truck with the original V-8 engine in it.....it was a 265. Even though the current owner thinks it a 283 because they didn't know any better. Here is the line I copied today......The 1957 Task-Force pickups received a fresh, functional new grille design featuring a flat oval shape inside the grille opening. The standard engine was the 235 ci six and optional power was from the 265 CI OHV V8. A 1957 Model 3104 half-ton pickup is shown. here is a link to where I was today....http://oneclassics.blogspot.com/2012/07/chevrolet-apache-trucks.html
Let me know what you think. Thanks Craig

 

[motormonkey]

Craig, I like the link you posted a lot. It's good to know there are those of us who care about these old vehicles enough to try and get the information correct so that they can be preserved properly and restored correctly. I only wish I had the time to call and talk with you. I have a friend who is much older than me-about 20 years, who used to be a fanatic about the tri-5s. He told me he had more of them than he can remember. At one time he literally had a entire garage full of 55-57 stuff...body parts, interiors, engine parts, you name it and he got tired of the stuff and sold it all in a huff one weekend for $500. It was long before I knew him but he told me many things about those cars and I learned a lot from him. Wish I could connect you to him buy I'm changing jobs and this forum will no longer be available to me to visit in the future. I appreciate all your comments and information as I have learned a lot. It's been fun talking with you.