i4abuy

Hello gentlemen (and ladies), I am new to this forum and I am a musclecar guy. I acquired some 56 vette parts many years ago and I am inquiring to all of you of their possible value and/or if they are worth anything. I have a 56 283 block and crank, heads with domed pistons and a 4 speed automatic transmission, one complete tranny, one for parts (I was told). Block has been sitting for years and has some surface rust. I also have the aluminum corvette valve covers, heads and the like. Does anyone have any ideas or advise? I am a pontiac musclecar guy and I frequent the pontiac forums often and know those gtos well. Vettes, I need help. Thanks to all in advance.

groovyjay

1956 should be 265ci and no 4-speed automatic was available...

i4abuy

Thanks for the reply. The block is a small block chevy with the motor mounts on the front of the block and the Bell housing it appears. What am I looking for to determine what I have. How do I determine if the block and trans are corvette originals or not. How do I determine the value?

emccomas

Value is determined by the numbers and the condition.

Post all of the numbers stamped on the engine front pad. This ia an area that sticks out just below the passenger side cylinder head.

Should see a series of about 7 digits (the letter I is used as a 1) followed by a combination of four or five letters and digits.

Also get the block casting number (from the top rear driver's side of the block, where the bell housing bolts up), and the casting date (top rear passenger side). Casting number is usually 7 digits, and casting date is a combination of letters and digits.

Tell us what all of those numbers are, then we can give you an idea of value.

redhot62

While you are at it, might as well get the numbers off the heads and post them too. Casting number and date ..

i4abuy

Block casting # at rear is 3720991
small #s on other side 287

#s on front of block X G9 Number is behind waterpump- is this the right location?

Heads are # 3731762 casting date E106 & E76

If you are interested I will have the block & heads cleaned and magged to make sure they are good.

Panama 58

i4abuy,
What everyone is asking for is what is shown in this picture. Locate this surface on your block and tell us what is stamped into it.

While facing the front of the block it is located directly to your left at about the 9:00 position and where the head sits on the block.
Panama

Frankie the Fink

That is indeed a '56 per this site:
http://corvette-world.com/corvette_1...ng-Numbers.php so you have a 265ci and not a 283ci. Your heads are also '56 correct per the same web site...

i4abuy

Thanks guys for the number location, I am a pontiac guy and I know where to find those. The number in front of the passenger side head is stamped 0050513 F56 FG

i4abuy

Also the block and heads have some surface rust, I believe it will clean up well, I also have the original domed pistons and it seems that the block has never been bored. The transmission #s on the side of the cases are
First Trans is CFD 10 5515018 223
Second Trans has larger stamping #s 11-7 8615013
I believe they are similar automatics.

Dean Bitner

According to my original GM manual... FG is the correct alpha code for a 1956 Corvette with Power Glide auto OR 1957 Corvette with Power Glide transmission.

Hope that helps.

On a related note ... Wouldn't it be nice if this block matched one of the members cars ? How sweet would it be to reunite the original block and heads to an owner that thought they were long gone ?

Dean

emccomas

OK, assuming that the numbers are correct, and not a restamp (and it sounds like they are original), you have a 56 Corvette two four barrel, powerglide engine.

The bare heads, by themselves, are worth around $1500. The short block is probably worth another $1500 or so. Total value is about $3000 in my opinion. This assumes that all parts are rebuildable.

If you are looking to sell, you need good pictures of all of the numbers.

The date code on the heads tells me that this engine is probably correct for a late May / early June 56 Corvette.

The 287 number on the back of the engine has be be something like D87. The first character has to be a letter, not a number. Please double check that.

Nice find!

Panama 58

Now we are getting somewhere! FG is definitely a corvette suffix and is for a dual quad, power glide car which many were made this way in '56. Unfortunately Dean, unlike later cars (mid-1960 and higher) the production number on this block has nothing to do with the VIN and therefore there is no way to tell what car this engine came out of. Great thought though.

i4abuy, does your stamp pad (now that you found it, good for you) look like this? Can you post a picture?


Ed asks an all important question. What is the casting date which is found on the top just rear of the distributor? Looks like this:


Great find.
Panama

emccomas

If you have the Corvette automatic transmission, that is worth about $600 to $700 as well.

john neas

Two things to consider
(1) I do not believe that any factory 265 were originally equiped with domed pistons. However not uncommon to overbore and use 283 FI or aftermarket pop-ups. Panamas engine has 283 or 3 7/8" pistons. Post pictures of pistons and someone can probably identify them.
(2) The sequence number of 50,513 may be to early for a Corvette engine. The block code will help.
Good luck on your research.
Regards

i4abuy

Thanks guys for all of your help, it seems that you are all as helpful on this forum as my pontiac friends are on the other that I frequent daily. Maybe you guys can convince me to trade my 67 gto and go vette.

Panama - thanks for the pics. The stampings on the pad are similar however there are spaces between the 0050513 F56 FG

I will send photos later today, I have a very busy day with appointments. I will also look at the block stamping date and send that info along also.

I must say you have all really generated a curiosity in me to find out what this is. I looked long and hard to find a numbers matching HO 400 for my 67 goat convertible and I am sure someone out there really would like to have this set up if it is truely original to a 56 vette. I also have the crank (surface rust on the journals), bell housing and the aluminum valve covers that have a scripted Corvette on them.

Do you all suggest having a machine shop clean up and mag the block and heads?

I will attach photos later today or tomorrow. Thanks again guys, it is fun, this car stuff, isn't it?

How desireable is a dual quad for 56? Were there many made? What do you all suggest that I do at this point?

Thanks guys, I will hang up and listen.

emccomas

Cleaning and checking the heads / block for cracks is a good idea. A potential buyer will be worried about cracks.

Post some pics and get the date code from the block.

Do the valve covers have 7 fins or 9 fins? 9 fins are valuable, and would be correct for a 56 Corvette.

Dean Bitner

Not to be a naysayer but ... How do we know this block is for a dual 4 barrel car of 1956 vintage? My original GM lit says FG is correct for the 56 with automatic and GR for a 3 speed standard. It makes no mention of any fuel carburetion or injection options until 1957. Ironically enough the FG is correct for the 1957 with dual 4 barrels.

My Standard catalog makes mention of the 2 different carburetion options in 1956 but the original GM literature has no such reference ? Is it possible that FG was the code for all automatic equipped cars irrespective of their carburetion options ? Maybe someone has info more accurate than mine ?

The really big deal here is that this block is 100% 56 Corvette if it hasn't been restamped. For a guy that's trying to restore a 56, this block is priceless if it has a suitable cast date code.

Dean

emccomas

Dean;

Lots of references available that describe the engine suffix codes for 1956 Corvettes.

The FG code is for a 225 hp, automatic trans. The 225 hp engine is equipped with two four barrel carbs.

The base motor engine (not available until April 6, 1956) is a 210 hp engine with a single four barrel carb. Suffix code with a powerglide is FK.

56 Corvette engine break down is as follows:

FK 210 hp (single four barrel) powerglide
FG 225 hp (two four barrels) powerglide
GV 210 hp manual trans (only 3 speed was available)
GR 225 hp manual trans
GU 240 hp (two four barrels, high lift cam), manual trans

I get my engine suffix info from The Lime Book

Frankie the Fink

The dual quad WCFB Carter carbs for '56 are rare...the correct bases have the idle air adjustment screw in the side and this was only used for '56 and early '57. I sold a set to a forum member last year that had been installed on my '61 and he stated he had been looking for the correct '56 dual quads for two years.