Removing VIN numbers

[RichSchmidt]

I figured that title might get some atention.Here is my situation.I hear a lot about cars with restamped engines.I hear of these cars being decked and having new codes stamped.I recently stumbled across a list of bigblock chevy engine codes and decided to go and see if I could find what the 454 block in my race car actually came out of{it is a late 1973#289 block}.Now to put this into perspective,this block is so decked that the pistons stick .020" out of the hole,yet there is still about 80% of the VIN number still on the block.The letter codes for the application are gone,but the VIN is still there.So my question is how much do these guys deck these engines to get the numbers off,and do they usually have other problems.I have no interest in doing this,but it just struck me as odd that my engine was decked over .040" and still had deep numbers on it.I find it hard to believe those numbers could ever be taken off and the block still be useable.So what is the real story with these restamps?

[Musclecarkid]

Most restamps are done on blocks with a clean, never stamped pad. Others don't have deep stamped numbers and can be decked to remove the factory stamping.Just my opinion, I'm sure you'll get others to respond.

[olredalert]

------Is it possible that the numbers you see were stamped after an inbetween decking job? Therefore you still see the remains. If you are racing a 1973 dated 4-bolt main block the engine didnt come out of a car anyway! I believe it would have to have been over the counter. As far as I know 4-bolt applications were discontinued after the last LS6 1971 Corvette. Truck or passenger car or Corvette 454s produced after 1971 should have only been 2-bolt mains. I had several 1973 dated LS6 engines we used to race with.
------As a matter of fact,my old race car Red Alert(now in the capable hands of Mike Guarise) has a 1973 casting date LS6 block in it presently (original engine was included with sale)..........Bill S

[RichSchmidt]

My race engine is just a 2 bolt main.I have been making about 1100hp with it for about 4 seasons now which defys all laws of physics,but it has nothing more then main studs.When I got it,it was in a junk pile that somebody had their dog tied to,and it had a lot of cylinder ridge and sludge on it which indicates very high mileage.The guy I got it from said it was from a car,but I was just curious as to what kind of car.I spent about $1200 having the block machined and had it checked for hardness and wall thickness before I had it machined.I built it to run a racing class where they require production engine blocks and to run near the front of the pack would have required nearly 1600hp.Neddless to say the top guys go thru blocks like I go thru spark plugs.There was one guy in this class making 1600hp out o a stock block,stock GM 990 iron head 427 with a single fogger nitrous system on it.Running 8.30's in a 3600# car on radial ply street tires with enough mph to run 8.0's.I just figured I would throw in a little history of what I do.I bet somewhere out there some guy is getting ready to blow the main caps off of the all numbers matching block to somebody's L88 vette.Oh well.

[Pantera]

Just how do you keep the pistons from hitting the heads? You must have some thick head gaskets!

That is some impressive HP you are getting out of your motor.

Do you have a pair of open chamber BB heads. I need a pair for the LS-7 motor in my 70 BM Phase III car.

[olredalert]

Rich,

-----I have been told by many racers more knowledgable than I that the 454 1973 cast blocks are stouter than blocks before and somewhat after as well. I raced with more than one and the last ran 14:1 compression. It was just a 100 over roller motor and in fairly mild form it dynoed at 765hp. I punished it pretty well and it never even groaned.............Bill S

[RichSchmidt]

I run .060" thick copper gaskets on my motor to keep the pistons from hitting.

[GM-26]

I would love to see some pictures of your car launching at the track. Maybe some "wheels up" shots !!

[RichSchmidt]

Mt car doesnt get them too high,but I have one with the wheels up an inch or two.It is on my website http://www.homestead.com/schmidtracing/TheBirdPage.html

I just purchased a new car to go racing with.I dont know what I want to do with the bird,maybe a street/strip cruiser after the resto,but I think it's hardcore racing days are over.I am putting the drivline into a mini tubbed 1996 camaro.I am attaching a pic of the 96 camaro which I just bought.It is a super clean V6 car with no Ttops,roll up windows and no frills.It is also white with a bacl interior.It isnt an old school supercar,but with a 427 bigblock under the hood it will cary on the tradtion.

[GM-26]

I enjoyed reading the info and seeing the pictures of your Firebird. It's a pretty intense car. Your plans for the Camaro sound great.