3932388 is a 1969 350 and 302 casting
HN is a 1969 300hp 350 with TH trans for a full size
73SC said
Jun 20, 2018
I found this post on Team Camaro, I just post it as I cannot make any claims to its veracity, is your's two or four bolt main bearing caps.
The 3932388 block came in both 2 bolt and 4 bolt main versions. The 4 bolt was used in a small number of the Z28 Cars and they were only found in early 69 production cars say till December of 68 Castings Dates. Quote:
The casting number 3932388 was only used in 1969 and is rare because not many cars much less Camaro's got this block casting number that are known. The book Chevrolet By the Numbers 1965-69 says this engine was put in 1969 passenger cars and Camaro's. Their notes say this: "Very little is known about this block". It seems that most blocks were Tonawanda cast and built, but some Norwood assembled Z28's used this block with Flint-produced engines. From all indications the block is identical to #3932386. It has been found in Passenger cars with the 350/300hp engine suffix code stamping. At least four SS 350 and at least two Z28 Camaros were built with this block, with casting dates ranging from L 20 8 to C 11 9. At least one Camaro was built it September 1969 with this block. Other cars could have received this rare block, but it is unknown which or why. Most #3932388 blocks are dated from September to December 1968." We have apparently had all (and then some) of the Camaro owners, according to Chevrolet By the Numbers 1965-69, of this block casting to email us about it. The problem is there are no exact numbers as to how many cars had this block casting number. The block doesn't have any special features that sets it off from the rest that would make it any more desirable than other blocks from that time period though.
-- Edited by 73SC on Wednesday 20th of June 2018 12:32:30 PM
HK1837 said
Mar 17, 2020
I think you'll find any 388 blocks used for Flint engines are actually Tonawanda cast. In my experience the 3932388 block is Tonawanda cast only (just like 040 and 041 fuelie heads), and as far as I am aware Tonawanda did not produce 2.02/1.6 valve fuelies so the only Tonawanda engine plant applications for the block in 1969-70 will be 300hp (L48) or less. It will be 4 bolt for L48 and 2 bolt for L65. 2 bolt also for any of the 2BBL 210hp or 235hp 327's used in early 1969 Camaro and Chevrolet if Tonawanda produced any of those. If a Tonawanda truck engine it will be 4 bolt. If the 388 was machined at Flint V8 then it could have been used in a 2.02/1.6 valve application, so that is probably why not much is known about it from those interested in Corvettes and Z28's as it would be pretty rare compared to the 368 or 618 blocks they are used to. Most of the in-depth research into this sort of stuff seems to be done by those into the higher hp variants, not near that much interest in the dungers! For some strange reason at the same time in 1969MY that Tonawanda was using 388 blocks, they were also using 3956618 blocks cast at the Saginaw Grey Iron foundry (these are where most of Flint and Flint V8 engine plant castings came from I believe). Never been able to find out why, must just be an excess capacity thing or even extra castings at one plant of the other to cover outages or maintenance periods at the other. I've also had the odd Flint V8 plant machined 291 or 186 head turn up that had a Tonawanda casting which is kinda wierd as Tonawanda put the Saginaw plant casting number on the heads that were to be machined at the Flint V8 plant (Tonawanda fuelies were 040 or 041), yet retained the 388 block casting number on blocks they cast for Flint V8.
-- Edited by HK1837 on Tuesday 17th of March 2020 03:42:33 PM
rebelrouser said
Aug 11, 2020
So while we are on the topic if numbers, I came across a bare SB 4 bolt dated J266 with this stamped on the pad- 716323985. Oh and it is a 010 block. Is this block an early '67 engine? The guy also has a set of 461 heads( didn't get the dates), steel crank, rods and pistons. It looks like the block has been punched .020. I'm at a loss to the application of this motor. He said it was in a Beaumont which was then stolen from him.
4SPEED427 said
Aug 11, 2020
I have a feeling that would be a 77 engine, not 67? It's likely a large journal block? There were no small journal 4 bolt main blocks. (Or at least so I've always stated and so far haven't been proven wrong with that statement.)
Beau_SD_65 said
Aug 12, 2020
Looks like there is some confusion on that engine. Since it appears to have been a 4" bore block it might have been used on large journal 350's or 327's. So the only differentiation will be the crank's stroke , if you have any crankshaft sitting on the bottom end of that block. The strange thing about this fact is that the 327 application listed for the suffix code mixes large and small journal cranks. I'd turn over the crank very gently to check what the stroke is, to confirm if it's an early 327 or a '68-69 350sbc.
As Ray said, if there are not 4 bolt main caps on the bottom end it would be just another 4" bore block IF there's nothing special about that crankshaft.
rebelrouser said
Aug 12, 2020
I'm going to get a few pic's of the crank as well as the heads-casting dates. I'm also going to see if I can get a measurement on the connecting rods.I'm assuming they're of the 327 stroke configuration. We'll soon find out though...........
Taylor55 said
Aug 12, 2020
The crankshafts in 1968-1970 350 295 -300 hp engines were tuffrided as process GM used to harden the surface. Not as strong as forged steel but would live all day long at 6500 rpm when dirt track racing or drag racing. My all time favorite 350.
Al
Beau_SD_65 said
Aug 13, 2020
Taylor55 wrote:
The crankshafts in 1968-1970 350 295 -300 hp engines were tuffrided as process GM used to harden the surface. Not as strong as forged steel but would live all day long at 6500 rpm when dirt track racing or drag racing. My all time favorite 350.
Al
Did you mean "tufftrided"?
-- Edited by Beau_SD_65 on Thursday 13th of August 2020 02:54:56 PM
HK1837 said
Aug 14, 2020
4SPEED427 wrote:
I have a feeling that would be a 77 engine, not 67? It's likely a large journal block? There were no small journal 4 bolt main blocks. (Or at least so I've always stated and so far haven't been proven wrong with that statement.)
There were a few 4 bolt small journal blocks. Very rare though. They were made for the 1963 Corvette Grand Sport. 4" bore with 3.75" stroke for 377ci (people incorrectly call these 383ci when they make them out of 4" bore blocks with 400 crank).
I have what I believe is a 1970 300hp 350ci sbc
and I cant seem to find any info on the suffix?
2HN
Casting number 3932388
Any thoughts??
3932388 is a 1969 350 and 302 casting
HN is a 1969 300hp 350 with TH trans for a full size
I found this post on Team Camaro, I just post it as I cannot make any claims to its veracity, is your's two or four bolt main bearing caps.
The 3932388 block came in both 2 bolt and 4 bolt main versions. The 4 bolt was used in a small number of the Z28 Cars and they were only found in early 69 production cars say till December of 68 Castings Dates.
Quote:
The casting number 3932388 was only used in 1969 and is rare because not many cars much less Camaro's got this block casting number that are known. The book Chevrolet By the Numbers 1965-69 says this engine was put in 1969 passenger cars and Camaro's. Their notes say this: "Very little is known about this block". It seems that most blocks were Tonawanda cast and built, but some Norwood assembled Z28's used this block with Flint-produced engines. From all indications the block is identical to #3932386. It has been found in Passenger cars with the 350/300hp engine suffix code stamping. At least four SS 350 and at least two Z28 Camaros were built with this block, with casting dates ranging from L 20 8 to C 11 9. At least one Camaro was built it September 1969 with this block. Other cars could have received this rare block, but it is unknown which or why. Most #3932388 blocks are dated from September to December 1968." We have apparently had all (and then some) of the Camaro owners, according to Chevrolet By the Numbers 1965-69, of this block casting to email us about it. The problem is there are no exact numbers as to how many cars had this block casting number. The block doesn't have any special features that sets it off from the rest that would make it any more desirable than other blocks from that time period though.
-- Edited by 73SC on Wednesday 20th of June 2018 12:32:30 PM
I think you'll find any 388 blocks used for Flint engines are actually Tonawanda cast. In my experience the 3932388 block is Tonawanda cast only (just like 040 and 041 fuelie heads), and as far as I am aware Tonawanda did not produce 2.02/1.6 valve fuelies so the only Tonawanda engine plant applications for the block in 1969-70 will be 300hp (L48) or less. It will be 4 bolt for L48 and 2 bolt for L65. 2 bolt also for any of the 2BBL 210hp or 235hp 327's used in early 1969 Camaro and Chevrolet if Tonawanda produced any of those. If a Tonawanda truck engine it will be 4 bolt. If the 388 was machined at Flint V8 then it could have been used in a 2.02/1.6 valve application, so that is probably why not much is known about it from those interested in Corvettes and Z28's as it would be pretty rare compared to the 368 or 618 blocks they are used to. Most of the in-depth research into this sort of stuff seems to be done by those into the higher hp variants, not near that much interest in the dungers!
For some strange reason at the same time in 1969MY that Tonawanda was using 388 blocks, they were also using 3956618 blocks cast at the Saginaw Grey Iron foundry (these are where most of Flint and Flint V8 engine plant castings came from I believe). Never been able to find out why, must just be an excess capacity thing or even extra castings at one plant of the other to cover outages or maintenance periods at the other. I've also had the odd Flint V8 plant machined 291 or 186 head turn up that had a Tonawanda casting which is kinda wierd as Tonawanda put the Saginaw plant casting number on the heads that were to be machined at the Flint V8 plant (Tonawanda fuelies were 040 or 041), yet retained the 388 block casting number on blocks they cast for Flint V8.
-- Edited by HK1837 on Tuesday 17th of March 2020 03:42:33 PM
Looks like there is some confusion on that engine. Since it appears to have been a 4" bore block it might have been used on large journal 350's or 327's. So the only differentiation will be the crank's stroke , if you have any crankshaft sitting on the bottom end of that block. The strange thing about this fact is that the 327 application listed for the suffix code mixes large and small journal cranks. I'd turn over the crank very gently to check what the stroke is, to confirm if it's an early 327 or a '68-69 350sbc.
As Ray said, if there are not 4 bolt main caps on the bottom end it would be just another 4" bore block IF there's nothing special about that crankshaft.
The crankshafts in 1968-1970 350 295 -300 hp engines were tuffrided as process GM used to harden the surface. Not as strong as forged steel but would live all day long at 6500 rpm when dirt track racing or drag racing. My all time favorite 350.
Al
Did you mean "tufftrided"?
-- Edited by Beau_SD_65 on Thursday 13th of August 2020 02:54:56 PM
There were a few 4 bolt small journal blocks. Very rare though. They were made for the 1963 Corvette Grand Sport. 4" bore with 3.75" stroke for 377ci (people incorrectly call these 383ci when they make them out of 4" bore blocks with 400 crank).
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/engines-drivetrain/1901-1963-all-aluminum-377-small-block-chevy