SUPERCHARGED ENGINE NUMBERS

[Rick Allen]

I know the engine #'s for the supercharger 289 Avanti engine started with RS and then s letter and 2 numbers if I'm not mistaken, but were the numbers stamped into the block or were they raised up?   Attached is a picture of a Supercharged engine and it "almost" looks like the numbers are raised, rather than stamped into the block; or is it the way the picture was taken? If you enlarge the picture as I did, you may be able to see what I am talking about,,,

 

 

[Dwight FitzSimons]

The numbers are stamped in.  The example you show is a 1964 Avanti engine number.  R = Avanti, S = supercharged, H = month of assembly of the engine, 3 = year (1963), 7 = 7th day.

Note that 1963 engine numbers are different than 1964.  A '63 Avanti engine would start with either R or RS, then a sequential number starting with 1001.

--Dwight

[64studeavanti]

FWIW, H translates to Aug. So, the assembly date is Aug 7th 1963.

[mfg]

52 minutes ago, Rick Allen said:

I know the engine #'s for the supercharger 289 Avanti engine started with RS and then s letter and 2 numbers if I'm not mistaken, but were the numbers stamped into the block or were they raised up?   Attached is a picture of a Supercharged engine and it "almost" looks like the numbers are raised, rather than stamped into the block; or is it the way the picture was taken? If you enlarge the picture as I did, you may be able to see what I am talking about,,,

 

 

I very much dislike the 1964 Stud ebaker engine serial numbering system....Two or more engines can have the same serial number! ☹️

[64studeavanti]

Just curious, where is the number? It does not appear to be in the correct location.

[64studeavanti]

If you enlarge the picture, it really does look like the serial number is raised. Could this be an attempt at re-numbering a replacement block?

[Rick Allen]

23 minutes ago, 64studeavanti said:

If you enlarge the picture, it really does look like the serial number is raised. Could this be an attempt at re-numbering a replacement block?

Yes it does appear to be raised rather than stamped in, it's in the usual position on the block where you would expect to find the engine number, I understand that the engines were hand stamped in the factory so I guess there was no real uniform pattern for the numbers and the pattern could vary from block to block.  

6 years ago the car was pulled from a garage where it  sat for 35 years and the engine was pulled for a rebuild, the odometer showed 57,000 mi and the condition of the car seemed to reflect that  mileage.  Both the body and serial number matched the production order paperwork, as well as the engine number,,,

 

 

[Nelson]

That isn’t raised it’s stamped. Looks totally legit to me.

[Rick Allen]

I have enlarged the picture of the engine number, so looking at this picture, is the consensus still that it is stamped, with an illusion of being raised, or "could" it be raised?

Also, who can tell me:

If an engine is replaced under warranty, how did Studebaker identify an engine in that circumstance?  Did they have a special coded number (?), they would have at least had to stamp it as to the cu. in. letter and perhaps an R or RS for Avanti engines; or could they have re-stamped the original engine number to correspond with the production order/ build sheet?  And if that were the case, did they have a way to raise the numbers up to identify it as replacement engine?

Of course this is all speculation on my part but when I get back to where the block is stored, I will try, at least for my own satisfaction, to take a picture at more precise angle!

[64studeavanti]

Here are a couple of picture if engine numbers. These are definitely stamped.

[Rick Allen]

1 hour ago, 64studeavanti said:

Here are a couple of picture if engine numbers. These are definitely stamped.

I agree; what do you think of the latest enlarged picture?

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Re "stamped versus raised" there is NO DOUBT that they are stamped --  believe me.  It is an optical illusion that it may look raised.

How would Studebaker manufacturing make a serial number that is raised?  They would have to change the mold for each block they cast.  That would have been very impractical.  Besides, on '64 engines the serial number reflects the type of engine and the assembly date.  They couldn't cast a block, machine it, and assemble it all in one day.

--Dwight (2 '64 Avantis, 3 '64 R1 Hawks, 1 '64 R1 Cruiser, 1 '63 R2 Hawk, ~20 previously owned Studes)

[64studeavanti]

We all agree that Studebaker stamped engine serial numbers. This one appears to be raised, implying that someone other than Studebaker numbered it.

[Avanti1963!]

Rick Allen's pictures show clearly stamped numbers just like the original blocks.  They are NOT raised.  

[mtgibby]

That’s an awesome optical illusion! Someone needs to post that to the Daily Mail and blow up the internet! Better than “is this dress blue or gold”!