GM Aluminum Block Small Block Chevy Casting 0 359198
 

Happy New Year to All,


This site is a wealth of knowledge and I am hoping someone can help me find some more info on this engine. I bought this from a guy who got it in a package deal from a friend years ago. From what I understand, the friend was into vintage race cars, exotics, Ferraris, etc. The friend was refining his collection and offered the guy I got this engine from a deal he couldn't refuse on a bunch of parts he had in storage. This engine was part of that deal. The guy I got it from was under the impression that the engine was fresh and ready to run. When looking the engine over, I noticed it did not have any head gaskets installed. Once we pulled the pan, it was evident that he was mistaken about the engine being fresh. It has spun 2 rod bearings and the rods and pistons from those cylinders are MIA. The damage appears to be isolated to those journals on the crank. This did not concern me much since I was mainly interested in the block. Where it gets interesting is the crankshaft itself. It is not your standard SBC crank, it is a 180 degree, AKA flat crank, as found in Ferraris, etc. This of course also requires a special camshaft, etc. I had never seen a flat plane crank in a SBC and googling the subject only pulls up one such example that was custom built in the 50's.

I am hoping someone has had experience with this casting number or knows of a flat plane crank that was run in some sort of race car of this time period such as Chaparral, etc. Speaking of time period, I am not even sure of the era the block,heads, etc came out of. The heads are very early Brodix castings and have what look to be self made stud girdles. The oil pan is a dry sump setup and the front drive components look to be Summers Bros. I am hoping someone has some knowledge of this engine since it is so unique. That said, if it is a period race piece, things were pretty hush hush most of the time.

I was only able to find one other block online with this casting number and it was posted by Jim at Heartbeat City and was built as a 302 engine. I remember Charley put a GM aluminum block in a 67 Z/28 but I was not able to find the thread.

Please post any and all comments.


Thanks,


Jason

More pictures. The last 2 are just for fun.

Also, searching the H518 stamping on the Brodix website shows:

Your part was cast on: 6/15/81
The serial number is: H518
Your part is: -9 Standard


Thanks,

Jason

Now that is crazy wild. Love to hear more about this gem and it's history.

Paul

Very Cool Jason, i'll be watching for updates. I have a 69 Z28 that is motorless and I keep thinking it would be really cool with a vintage experimental engine or vintage aluminum gm block under the hood. The oddball stuff and super rare stuff always interests me. I also remember reading that thread years ago about the Experimental engine Charley had in a first gen camaro. I would like to revisit that story again too.


Tommy

I thought GM made an aluminum 302 to go in the Vega when it first came out. I forget which book I saw that in but I'll start to look around.

Wow, extremely cool find.

Very cool, Jason. I don't know how you keep finding this stuff but it's neat that you do.

Thanks guys,


Jon,

I try to stay on the hunt.

Jason

Amazing.

Looks like pretty hefty sleeves.

One would think Brodix heads from 1981 would have the accessory bolt holes.

Can't help much but a few random things. I'd be curious to know the bore size. The intake valve looks small. The heads look "tall", like an 18 degree head. Dipstick on driver side like an early block. No gussets or reinforcement like most aftermarket blocks. No winters foundry marking, they seemed to have done most of the early Chevy aluminum parts. I'm sure it has an interesting history, thanks for posting and good luck.

I should have tried to measure a bore when the pan was off. The valves are GM units which is the reason a took a picture of them. It looks like the engine was mounted using the studs coming out the front of the block.

The blower that I put on the engine on the last couple pictures is mounted to an original GM dual quad intake and the ports don’t come close to matching up. The ports on the heads are much higher.

Thanks,

Jason

'

Heads may be later but O# Casting Alloy SB's bring the CERV cars to mind.
Cerv-1 w/ Alloy 283 was likely an Alcoa O# Casting as pics of one a guy had in his Corvair at this link...
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automo...-into-corvair/

Cerv-2 program parts may better fit subject if you can find info/details?
The 1990 Cerv-3 Corvette was reportedly a Lotus built Alloy 350 so may fit uncommon Flat Crank piece of the puzzle?

A few questions;
How long did GM use O# Castings?
Was there leftover/unfinished 60's O# Alloy blocks available late 80's to supply Lotus?
Did GM still have Block Castings to make new Blocks 70's/80's w/ changes/modifications?
What specific GM Alloy SB's were Chaparral or other Racers using 60's/70's/80's?
Do the CGT4 CONV1 Castings help indicate timeline also is the Block w/ same #'s at this link a brother or perhaps someone previously seeking info on this same Subject Block...
https://www.camaros.net/threads/gm-a...-block.124075/

Any truth to the Military Alloy SB's mentioned in above link and what parts were they using?
Whether info correct or not, did you see this 2012 Camaros.net posting...
https://www.camaros.net/threads/alum...engine.214727/

Keep digging Jason, super interesting stuff and looking forward to what you figure out!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

Thanks Pete,


I had come across the articles you attached in my searches but there is not much concrete info. The military theory is a possibility but I don't think it would have an O casting in that case.

Here is the one that Heartbeat City posted but that all the info I have on it:

https://twitter.com/hbcitycamaro/sta...52115568164864


Thanks,


Jason

Jason, I’m guessing the short block is IndyCar type to meet the stock-block rules.
Scale the stroke, should be approximately 2.2”. In the early 70s they were experimenting with the flat plane crank and the engines displaced about 207ci.
Below is a link to an old ad for one Smokey Yunick built.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/fo...e/37588/page1/

Rob,

That is interesting. I bet the stroke is pretty short since the block has reliefs for the rod bolts but the sleeves are not clearanced in these areas at all. I never thought it would be that short though. I will check the bore and stroke the next time I am near the engine.

Thanks,

Jason

Didn't Al Maynard have one of these?

I saved some Pictures years ago.
I think that its in a Museum.
Cant remember.

Thanks. That looks like the same one Heartbeat City had posted.

Jason

Hi...Yes, I saw an aluminum SB in a early 30"s Ford when I was there. I asked him about it, said he got out of the GM tech center in a load of scrap!!!!!

I'd never seen a 2-4 Z28 set up in Canada till that day. He had so many I couldn't count, 20-30, with air cleaners. A pile of Muncie transmissions, 25-30 brand new and at the time the largest Mac tool box I had ever seen in his garage, over 6' long and close 6' high. They are "everywhere" now....Early 90's

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/19...l-block-chevy/


1963 All-Aluminum 377 Small-Block Chevy article

Were the original aluminum 377 CUI Grand sport engines from 1963 sleeved? What was the casting number on GS engines?

ZERO (0) I thought was experimental for Chevrolet.

Yes, the casting numbers starting with 0 are either prototype or experimental parts. I don’t know if the 377 blocks were sleeveless or not. This block could have originally been sleeveless and had the sleeves added. No real way to know for sure.


Thanks for all the replies,


Jason

This block looks similar and has casting number 0 395946. Does anyone know if the 0- casting numbers were assigned in numerical order? I’m curious if I could narrow down the time this was made based on the casting dates of other experimental parts in relation to the number after the 0-. For example, was this block with the 0 395946 designed after mine with the number 0 359198?

https://hotrodenginetech.com/1969-z28-canted-valve-302/



Jason

0 240983 is the Grandsport engine casting number - however the description sounds the same, notched cylinder block to accommodate a 3.75" stroke, 4 bolt mains, thicker webs and pressed in Steel liners.

'

The Numerical thing makes sense until proven otherwise.
O-172978 is the 63? Alcoa Casting Cerv. Block in the 'Vair link.
Anything on the Bore/Stroke of your engine yet Jason?
:beers:
~ Pete

.

Nothing on the bore and stroke yet. It has been raining here and I have to pull a car out to get to the engine. Possibly tomorrow.

Thanks,

Jason

I found the thread with the 67 Z that Charley put the aluminum block in. It can be found here:

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...imental&page=9


Jason

Here are some other 0- casting numbers with their associated date codes:

0313436 5/27/68 Big Block Chevy Heads

0-319183 12/5/68 Big Block Chevy tall deck intake

0-334112 11/17/67 Big Block Heads

0-310512 12/8/67 Crossram Intake Top

0-272117 12/9/65 Small Block Chevy Intake

0-314634 12-2-68 302 Hemi Head Valve Cover

^ hah. Nice!

OK, I was able to get to the engine and take some measurements. It was hard to be sure accurate since the tangs on my caliper were not long enough to reach into my side of the cylinder and I could only measure the stroke with a machinist ruler.

The best measurements I could get were 3.75 inches for the bore and 2 3/8 for the stroke. That looks to come out to 206ish cubic inches.

RobR,

You were right on with your theory.


Thanks,

Jason

I had worked at Hank the Crank in ca and we did build Flat cranks for guys like Ryan Faulkner race engines and Traco and Chaparral. The crank u have looks like a billet to me with center counter weights. If to check on the front counter weight it will tell u the stroke and both rod and main sizes if it’s a HTC crank. Also looks like a Avaid oil pan Weaver Dry sump and Norris stainless steel rockers and maybe BBC push rods. All the people I mentioned were in the Los Angeles area. As far as “0” dash # goes the parts that I have from Jenkins had the part in there box an the new GM # after the 0
N

Thanks Stefs,

That is some great info. I have already stashed the engine back in its spot. I will check the front throw for stampings next time I’m near it. I looked it over pretty closely earlier but could have missed something. I’ll have to tear it down at some point anyway. I’m torn about what to do with it. It is a cool piece as it is but could also be great with a larger bore and stroke.

Thanks,

Jason

This engine is iron head and block but sounds like a similar build

Smokey Yunick Twin Turbo Indy Chevy built for his 72-74 stock block Indy run. Only stock block turbo to qualify in that period. Received Indy engineering award in 73. 205 cubic inch, reverse rotation, 180 degree flat plane crank. Easy converted to std. rotation. Made up to 1300 hp per Smokeys Indy Book. Smokey refreshed and checked in mid eighties. Stored since. Long Block with Intake,headers,distributor,available with turbos, wastegates,dry sump pump etc.

Technical Data
Engine
Engine Builder: Smokey Yunick
Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Type: turbo indy chevy
Displacement: 205 ince
Horsepower: 1300@90inchs
Induction: twin plenum turbo with remote wastegates at turbo inlet
Heads: yunick iron with extensive weight removal Ported and flowed
Block: iron 4 bolt with weight removal
Crankshaft: custom 180 flat crank
Pistons: forged custom

Thanks for that Joe... I knew Yunick built a 200"ish" CUI indy engine. You saved me the trouble of trying to find the specific info.

Thank you guys. I believe this is the same engine as the one being discussed above:


https://www.museumofamericanspeed.co...twinturbo.html


Jason