Engine Numbers and Years

pmlmbigpondcom

G'day All,

Amongst the parts which came with our Railton were several engines incl No's 23049 23003 & 30826, all 8 cyl

I would appreciate advice as to what years these are from

Thanks

Phil Macwhirter

Australia

hudsontech

Good morning Phil.  Engine numbers are a lot trickier than serial numbers.  From mid-1938 up serial numbers and engine numbers were the same.  8 cylinder engine numbers for 1938 s started at 35,000 so higher than the numbers you have given.  This assumes that the numbers you have are the engine numbers.

Going back to 1932 engine numbers start at 55,000.  From there they go up:
1934 -30000 to 54339 - this puts your 30826 number in this block;. or does it.
1937 - 18,000 to 32,027 - which your numbers fit into.

Now, the other part of this is I'm not to sure about Railton numbers. I don't have any info on them.  Did the Hudson factory send the blocks out with serial numbers or did Railton use their own numbers.  That's something that has to be considered.  If the factory issued the numbers then I'd venture to say two engines are 1937's and one could be either 1934 or 1937..

Hope this is of some help.  Y'all have a good day, hear.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

oldhudsons

Alex - Railton didn't alter the engine #s on the blocks. They did affix a Railton Motor Cars plate on the firewall with a Railton number (on not all, esp. earlier ones) & most would have had the Hudson plate on the firewall too with the Hudson chassis #.

oldhudsons

I found a good shot of a '37 Railton drophead's firewall with the Railton nameplate, 1st time I've tried to load a pic in Club format, see if it posts.

hudsontech

Ok, Pete, I really didn't know if Railton put their own numbers, tho I suspected that the numbers would be Hudson factory numbers.  Thanks for the input - after over 40 years playing with this stuff I still learn something new every so often.

Posting photos is easy - click on "Attach a file" (under the text box).  Then click on browse and find you picture.  Click on the picture and then "Open" and it loads.  For an example I posted a picture of Amelia Earhart and McAneeny with the Chapins taken in July 1932 at the new Essex-Terraplane intro.
 

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

hudsontech

Phil, it crossed my mind are the generator and starter, maybe the carburetor, on the engine.  It's possible to get the year of the engine with those numbers.  Starters in 1934 were MAB-4061, generator GBK-4602.  1937 starters were MAB-4075 and generators are GCJ-4803.

Of course the 1934 starters were used thru early 1935 eights and 1937 starters were used from late 1935 thru 1939.  Generator GBK-4602 were used in 1934 Hudson and Terraplane and the GCJ-4803 is 1937 only, Hudson and Terraplane.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

pmlmbigpondcom

Thanks Guys
Yes, they are all Hudson Numbers
Thanks Phil

Geoff

 Phil,  You can identify the engines by their features, if they are complete or not. The '34 -'35 engines had a raised centre section on the cylinder head, and the water pump bolted to a flange on the front of the head, and the water outlet pipe on  the side of the jacket, pointing forward. '36 was the first year with a "flat" head, and water pump on the block, and the water outlet on the top surface of the jacket.   '36 had small round exhaust ports.   '37 were same head and pump, etc, but with larger exhaust ports and manifold.  Hope this helps.

Geoff 

Ric West IN

Alex, What happened to my list of engine block casting numbers?? The whole point of my research was to make engine ID easier.

Casting numbers for the 8 cyl are found on the dipstick/starter motor side of the block.

1936 = 150001
1937 = 152601
Have not found a sample for 1938,39 .
1940 = 162451
1941 = 162451
1942 = ??
1946-47 = 165611.

Would be happy to receive additional info. to fill in the "gaps"
Hope this helps,
"Ric"

hudsontech

Alex, What happened to my list of engine block casting numbers?? The whole point of my research was to make engine ID easier.

Casting numbers for the 8 cyl are found on the dipstick/starter motor side of the block.

1936 = 150001
1937 = 152601
Have not found a sample for 1938,39 .
1940 = 162451
1941 = 162451
1942 = ??
1946-47 = 165611.

Would be happy to receive additional info. to fill in the "gaps"
Hope this helps,
"Ric"

X(  Overlooked that Ric - sorry 'bout that.  Hey, at my age I have trouble, sometimes, remembering where I live. 

Alex B