Year of engine block?

brumac
brumac Expert Adviser
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I have a 308 that was rebuilt and sold by Jack Clifford 35 or so years ago and had been lying dormant for at least the last 30 years. The serial number is 245006. Can anyone tell me the year that this engine is?

Thanks,
Bruce

Comments

  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    edited April 2011

    Bruce

    April 1953. Serial #'s 239913 - 251452.

    Thread title: engine ID, posted by Kdancy Jan 20, 2011, will give you more ID information.

    The casting number under the distributor can give you the day the block was cast.

    Have a good day.

    Lee O'Dell

    Posting picture to show location. D55 = April 5, 1955. The letter represent the month and the numbers are the day and year the block was cast.

    This engine is a replacement engine with a 1952 serial number.
  • brumac
    brumac Expert Adviser
    Lee,
    Thank you.
    Bruce
  • Marconi
    Marconi Senior Contributor
    This block was an AMC block, the casting # is 7 digit and starts with a 5. HMC blocks were 6 digit numbers starting with a 3.
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    edited April 2011
    Marconi wrote:
    This block was an AMC block, the casting # is 7 digit and starts with a 5. HMC blocks were 6 digit numbers starting with a 3.

    Maybe I should have made two seperate posts.

    The first part of my post was answering Bruces question about his serial number.

    Part Two: The picture I posted was not of Bruces engine, it was a picture of my engine. My engine has a 1952 serial number but the block was cast in 1955. Therefore, I believe my engine was made in 1955 as a replacement engine and when it went into a 1952 car it was given a 1952 serial number. I only posted it to show Bruce where to look for the casting number under the distributor and some information on how to interperate the casting number to get the date it was made. Also, 1955 engines had two different dip stick locations, Because of where the dip stick hole is, revealed that my engine was made for stepdowns.

    Yes, you are right in that the second group of numbers, the 6 diget #'s are 1951-1954 and the 7 diget #'s are 1955-1956 engines.

    The casting numbers will help verify that the engine is an original engine or a later replacement engine. Both are good engines. It is information nice to know but for a restorer it is very important information to have.

    Also, because there are some differances between early and later engines, it is important the now when the engine was made when it comes time for a rebuild.

    I hope this clears up any unintentional misunderstanding on my part.

    Have a great day.

    Lee O'Dell
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    My understanding is that the AMC blocks were not as hard as the HMCC one. is that correct?
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    edited April 2011
    Geoff C., N.Z. wrote:
    My understanding is that the AMC blocks were not as hard as the HMCC one. is that correct?

    I do not think that is correct Geoff. I believe I read somewhere the 50's Ambassador engines were also hard nickle blocks. I know my 69 AMX 390 engine is. It would not make since that AMC would degrade the AMC Hudson 308. The older HET club members I have talked to about that topic have told me the 55-56 engines are just as hard. One other advantage on the 56 engine is that it already has 1/2 inch head bolts.

    Have a good dsy.
    Lee O'Dell
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