1964 Pontiac Parisienne 283 Frankenstein Motor? Decode help.

cgrocen · Member

1964 Pontiac Parisienne 283 Frankenstein Motor? Decode help.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

"Heads appear to be matched to each other with same casting numbers, 1964-1966 327 camel humps, but date codes of January 4 and January 7, 1963 ???"

The Camel hump heads are not original to a '64 Canadian 283 as you probably know, but your '63 head's date codes could originally make it onto a '64 327.

I own a bastardized 283 in a 1964 Custom Sport also ... they are out there. biggrin : https://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/t65190927/mystery-engine/

norontcan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

From past posts I remember that we were able to determine when GM went from the crank case vent tube ( road draft ) to the fitting which vented this to a PCV valve. I just can't remember when it was ( pre 65 ). That is what is shown in one of your pics. This is all per PCV in the valve covers.

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

The 9v number is one assigned at the GM Canada plant when it was installed in a car, if you go to GM Canada Historic and get their package, that number would be included if this were an original block. You would also get a build sheet on a 64.

Maybe someone thought it would go faster with the bigger heads and are those 2.5 inch exhaust manifolds?

The 9 V may mean a powerglide? The rest of the numbers I think are just sequential numbers stamped in order as each motor is installed in a car, nothing to decode.

That pcv at the back of the block is the same as on my Cdn 62 283, in 62 that was optional instead of the road draft tube , the pcv to the carb base, nothing to valve covers, became stock in 63.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

DonSSDD wrote:
That pcv at the back of the block is the same as on my Cdn 62 283, in 62 that was optional instead of the road draft tube , the pcv to the carb base, nothing to valve covers, became stock in 63.

Yes, those valve covers are '63, '64. The aircleaner is '64.

Prefectca · Poncho Master!

Back in the 70s I had a summer job working in a garage. On of my jobs was installing a rebuilt 283 into a 65 Impala. The car had a 327, but the owner opted for the 283 short block because it was $20 cheaper than a 327. On went the heads intake and valve covers onto the 283. You may think that the car owner was a cheapskate, but $20 was a good amount of money back in 74. I remember that the door labour rate was $6:50 an hour. I am sure that a lot of stuff like this happened when the economy wasnt going well. Another one that I remember doing was putting a Ford 255 V-8 in an Econoline one ton van. The 255 no one wanted and the auto wreckers had a hard time selling them, they could be bought for half the price of a 302.

Paul

cgrocen · Member

Hi all,

To answer a question from above, the exhaust manifolds are regular manifolds; 2" I believe, and not 2.5".

Yes, after 55 years, anything is possible with parts on a motor.

Still wanting to find answers to my 2 questions:

1. Any place else where one can find the date code besides on the back of the block in the bell housing area?

2. What does the prefix code 9V stand for and is it year specific?

Chris

otus · Addicted!

My 283 starts with 9V as well...It's a 63 original..I am also curious about this prefix

cgrocen · Member

I found this info regarding 9V suffix on a forum dated 2008! engine number prefix in Australia we received all 58 through 70 Chevs & Pontiacs CKD from Canada. All 58 & 59's Chevs came with the Blue Flame six. 1960 had either six or 283. 61 to 64 had 283's, the 283 prefix was 9V then a six digit number.

Taylor55 · Poncho Master!

The 9V code started in 1955. The 9 = automatic transmission and the V is V8.

Al

cgrocen · Member

Taylor55, I have some questions about the 9V suffix code. I cannot find it in any literature anywhere, but I may not yet have found where you found it. Are there 348 and 327 motors with automatics that have the 9V code? They would be V8 motors with automatics. Also, all the other suffix codes changed from year to year, it does not make sense that that code was used for many years. When did it end? The suffix code is what is used to specifically identify the motor, as there could be more than one version of a V8 each year. Can you post a scan of literature that you would have read that about the 9V code? Just curious to see where you got that information from.

Taylor55 · Poncho Master!

The 9V is in my 1955 Pontiac manual under the identification section. It is probably only used in Canada by McKinnion Industries to identify small block engines that used automatic transmissions. It is unlike other suffix codes that identified which car the engine was used in and what hp the engine had. I have a 1957 Canadian Pontiac 283 that also starts with 9V.with a cast iron powerglide. The numbers following the 9V are sequence numbers of engines built at Mckinnion Industries. The 261 six cylinder engine started with a W followed by the engine sequence number. I do not know what year canadian engines started using the different suffix codes but my guess is in 1965.

Al

cgrocen · Member

Ahh, now that makes sense. There had to be a Canadian twist to things. Thank you for providing the information.

cgrocen · Member

Taylor55,

My other engine that I want to find out what the suffix code "B4" refers to is what I believe to be a 1968 Pontiac 327, but which version. Would you be able to shed any light on that code?

The thread can be found here: canadianponcho.activeboard.com/t64707524/b4-engine-suffix-code/

Regards,

Chris

-- Edited by cgrocen on Saturday 16th of January 2021 02:15:08 PM

-- Edited by cgrocen on Saturday 16th of January 2021 02:15:39 PM

-- Edited by cgrocen on Saturday 16th of January 2021 02:16:01 PM

Taylor55 · Poncho Master!

The block casting number equates to a 1968 large journal 327 engine with a 2 barrel. I could not find the B4 suffix code so it could be stamped incorrectly or all 1968 327 canadian engines were 2 barrel and no 4 barrel versions available.

Al

cgrocen · Member

There was a 327 4-barrel shown in the 1968 Canadian Pontiac brochure. 275 hp Astro Flame, 10.0:1 compression, with a 4 barrel carburetor. Note too that there is another person on that thread trying to find out what the B4 code is. I do not think it is an error if there are more motors out there that have a B4 code. Just my observations.

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

If you want to spend money, go to gm Canada Vintage services with the numbers on that pad, see what you can get. Did you post on the 68 forum and ask anyone who got gm vintage docs on their 68 327 to post their engine details, code from block and 2 or 4 barrel?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

cgrocen wrote:
There was a 327 4-barrel shown in the 1968 Canadian Pontiac brochure. 275 hp Astro Flame, 10.0:1 compression, with a 4 barrel carburetor. Note too that there is another person on that thread trying to find out what the B4 code is. I do not think it is an error if there are more motors out there that have a B4 code. Just my observations.

Yes, 68 B body Pontiacs were a bit of a weird one. Base 327 was a 2 barrel, 275 horse 4 barrel was optional. In Canada the 68 B body Chevy had one 327 available, a 275 horse.

In the US, the 68 B body Chevy had that engine available plus they had a 250 horse listed as 8.75:1 compression, an engine we never saw here in a B body.