weird engine manufacture code

[PeteLeathersac]

4T is known and a '68 Chevelle L35 396/325 manual. . 4U is also known and a '68 Chevelle L34 396/350 manual. .

I'll look tonite as I have an old Canadian book w/ some numeric codes I've never found elsewhere....just in case it's there?
I fixed a '63 Vette about 20 years ago that had a small block w/ 77 as the suffix....sure enough it was in the old book as a '67 Chevelle 283 so you never know?

~ Pete

[70CitrusZ]

cool thanks

[PeteLeathersac]

Found the book last night but no go on the 3S suffix. . There's a few others I will post later as they're worth noting but are small block engines including L79's. .

I forgot to note yesterday that 4W is also known and is '68 Chevelle L34 Auto. .

Considering these known Mk1V numeric style suffixes are all for '68 cars (besides the numeric Marine ones) I think this 3S suffix may be something worth investigating further. .

Lastly I just had another thought, aren't the '68 Gibb Novas w/ the L78 M40 a unique suffix that's similar to this....I don't have it in front of me but isn't it a 3 something....anyone? .

~ Pete

[Kim_Howie]

E3

[70CitrusZ]

We need an individual who possibly worked at either GM Canada, or someone from Tonawanda plant if we are to find out more on the subject. Or, failing that, anyone else with a Canadian built 1968 427 Biscayne (or possibly impala ss 427)...I can't have the only one?

[Keith Tedford]

There must be a GM book with the engine codes as I have a page showing the E2, E3, and E4, amongst others. Perhaps GM was planning the L78 automatic for the Chevelle and Camaro as well.

[PeteLeathersac]

I looked through the Chevy engine code pages of my Hollander manual today but found nothing in numerical suffixes either....didn't really expect anything as it's somewhat weak on these but thought it may be worth a whirl? .

I wonder if Geo Z. has access to anything that may shed some light on these? .

Fran Preve of Tonawanda plant may have something too? . I've spoken and messaged w/ him a few times over the years....anyone in contact w/ him lately? .

What other codes do you have Keith? .

~ Pete

[70CitrusZ]

I asked George initially when I got my docs, because I thought the engine code seemed odd, and didn't match normally accepted codes for the model.
I have also emailed "GM Canada" to see if they have any literature, which I'm sure they do, the question will be if anyone is willing to take the time to look for me.
Somewhere, there is a list of engine codes for Canadian Chevrolets, there has to be, because something like that is always documented, and GM Canada obviously never throws out any documentation.
Also, I'm curious as to whether the whole engine code was stamped in at Tonawanda, or if further code stamping was done at assembly plant. The way I have always understood it, all the stamping of the origin, date, and code was done at the engine plant, and the vin part done at the assembly plant. This would maybe mean that someone who worked at Tonawanda might have some input, although since so few of these engines were built, they may have not noticed a few weird codes.

[Kim_Howie]

Keith you are correct I used to have a sheet showing all the E codes on it. There was a E3 , E4 ,E2. I think they were coded for Chevelles and camaros. In fact if you look at the parts list in Ed C's COPO book for the Nova's several part's are Chevelle and don't belong on a Nova.

[70CitrusZ]

I checked my stamping last night and it is "3S" on the block, so I guess I have the rarest 427 in existence at 1 of none.