Looking for a Chevy small block head Id in Canada? Read on for facts and info on this integral engine part for Chevrolet vehicles..
Chevrolet is a world renowned brand in the automotive industry. Some of its models are fitted with a small block engine which require a small block head Id.
The Chevrolet Small Block Engine
The Chevy Small Block Engine was so called in order to differentiate it from the later Large Block “W” series engines that were made in the 348 cubic inch to 427 cubic inch displacement sizes. The Small Block has to be one of the world’s longest running and most popular engine series.
The Small Block was a V-8 motor made in sizes ranging from 265 cubic inch (4.3 liter) displacement to 400 cubic inches (6.6 liter) and was in production from 1957 to 2002. In fact, GM’s modern LS V-8 engine can also be considered a descendant of the Small Block.
The original 265 Chevy Small Block debuted in the 1955 Chevrolet Corvette and Bel-Air. This engine had a cast-iron block and the valves were driven by pushrods and had hydraulic lifters. A two-barreled carburetor was standard and a four-barreled Rochester was a performance option.
The 265 was replaced in 1957 by the 283 cubic inch (4.7 liter) that had its block bored out in order to increase horsepower. This engine was also available with optional fuel injection that was very advanced for its time and the combination was very powerful.
The 327 cubic inch (5.4 liter) Small Block available from 1962 had both a larger bore and a longer stroke. A wealth of carburetor / fuel-injection options as well as various camshafts, cylinder heads, pistons, and intake manifold variations were produced during the engine’s seven-year long evolution. Late models are still popular with hot-rod enthusiasts and classic car restorers.
The 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) motor was introduced in 1962 and is still in production for use in custom-built muscle cars, boats, airplanes, and commercial vehicles. It had a longer stroke than the 327 although the overall configuration was still decidedly over-square.
The short-lived 302 (4.9 liter) for the 1967-69 Trans Am was shortened in stroke and had a high-performance forged-steel crankshaft. The 307 was manufactured for five years from 1968 and a marine version was also produced for speed boats. The 400 (6.6 liter) motor was not very successful as was the case with the pushrod 262 (4.3 liter). The 305 (5.0 liter) motor produced from 1976 to 1992 however, proved popular among enthusiasts due to a high availability of performance parts.
Identifying Chevy Small Blocks Made in Canada
The Small Block V-8s are all stamped with an engine identification code. This can be found on the right-hand side of the cylinder head. This ID code is an eight-character stamping. The first letter identifies the plant where the engine was manufactured. This is followed by four numbers, the first two denoting the month of manufacture and the next two the year. The last three letters are the engine suffix code.
If the first letter is V (F for six-cylinder engines), the engine was manufactured in Flint, Michigan. If it is M, the place of manufacture is the Gulf of Mexico. S stands for Saginaw Services in Michigan. T is for the city of Tonawanda in New York.
Finally, if your engine head ID starts with K, you are the lucky owner of a Chevy Small Block made by McKinnon Industries Canada in St. Catherines, Ontario.
