Federally the open PCV system was introduced for 49 States and Canada for the 1963 models; earlier ones would have simply used a road draft tube. California got the open PCV system starting with 1961 models though. Also the truck and regular full-size passenger cars would have used rams horn exhaust manifolds which don't work on A-body cars like Chevelles or Beaumonts. It isn't as though somebody couldn't have just change out the manifolds, but to make it easier it would have been best to swap in the engine straight from another 64. They probably went straight with a donor 64 engine. Do you have the full engine code handy?

Best way to tell what engine you've got is by looking at the casting #, in conjunction with your CF stamping.  Cylinder heads, manifolds, etc can easily be changed.   

See if you can get the casting #, I think it should be on the block likely behind the passenger cylinder head.

 

 

Engine code on front pad is T0920CF, so built in Tonawanda, Sept. 20th.

I will check later to see if I can make out the engine casting number (right now, the passenger side of my '64 is 2" away from my '56 in the garage, and I will not be taking it outside for a while). Also, I will be changing valve covers and air cleaner so I will check head casting numbers, intake manifold number and carb number then.

Casting mark on the front of the heads is the fat "L" as shown below, bottom left (from http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/SBC_cylinder_head_identification )

If the data above, and from http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sbch.php are correct, then these are likely '68-'76 heads, not from a 283

But I will continue to try to chase it all down ...

Thanks for all the info, guys!

Dave

I am certain it is a Chevy motor, not a Canadian Pontiac motor.

Given Cam's info, it did not come out of a passenger car, though - the exhaust manifolds are not the rams horns but look to be correct for A-body car.

Dave

Yep but I cannot lean over that far to see it right now, given placement of cars in garage ... pretty soon I will take her outside and check it ...

Dave

Since you've got the valve covers off and got the casting #, can you also get us the date code casting?  I did an extremely quick search, and it looks like 3927185 was used 1968-1973.  Again, that was an extremely quick search so the info is not gospel.

-- Edited by seventy2plus2 on Saturday 22nd of October 2016 07:32:14 PM

Well poop. So some unknown person in the past swapped in a SBC V-8 (most likely a 64 Nova 283) and then some other unknown person in the past stuck on those crappy heads ... well at least it runs fine, idles like a cat purring, will never win any drag race, but it glides smoothly on with the PG and so I guess I will live with it quite happily, given its mission to be a nice cruiser ...

Dave