strange block markings

-

briwill70

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
148
Reaction score
76
Location
Portland, Oregon
Inspecting and cleaning up what I was told was a 51k mile engine out of a 73 Dart. Everything looks to be original (water pump, hoses, head gasket) but found these weird markings on the block. Suspect it may be from a salvage yard. Doubt it is factory. Thoughts?

block markings.jpg
 
Someone posted something like this in the last 3 years
 
Those are the letters of "The Devil." Evil Block "Hail Mary full of grace...."
 
If you are talking about the paint brushed B C E ,that is the factory bore size markings. They measured to the hundred of a thousandth and mated pistons the same way. They were bored and honed at one place and finished assembled at another station.
 
Suprised they left the factory like that. "Hey salesman, who tagged my motor in my brand new car?"
 
The markings were applied before assembly, the engine paint was applied after engine assembly so the paint did not always adhere to the letters well.
 
It is for the piston size, they measured the finished bore then put a,b,c, for the matching pistons
 
The markings were applied before assembly, the engine paint was applied after engine assembly so the paint did not always adhere to the letters well.
They're stubborn too, here's a 440 of mine after returning from the machine shop--tanking and blasting didn't even completely remove all traces on this one(gotta zoom in to see them)
beans440.jpg
 
Last edited:
Yes, it's one of the things that is proof Chrysler was a company of engineers and machinists.

>>> If you have the 69 FSM, the letter specs are published in the 426 bore size section of engines. This is one of the reasons why our engines lasted so long - pistons fitted to the .0003 spec.

I would love to see the factory data for all the other motors - happy to see it on the Slant block above in the first post. When I removed my untouched 383 4 bbl from my Charger, the letters were there. I was amazed they took the time for a 383. Makes sense for the Hemi's. Now proof for a slant. Amazing.
 
makes sense the slant letters are as cast and the paint is missing....the letter paint seems to have worn off the block and took the blue paint on top with it.
 
I have a very original cast iron 1972 slant six out of a dodge demon with the letter markings

BDDCDC

20200723_204239.jpg


20200723_204246.jpg
 
Yes, it's one of the things that is proof Chrysler was a company of engineers and machinists.

>>> If you have the 69 FSM, the letter specs are published in the 426 bore size section of engines. This is one of the reasons why our engines lasted so long - pistons fitted to the .0003 spec.

I would love to see the factory data for all the other motors - happy to see it on the Slant block above in the first post. When I removed my untouched 383 4 bbl from my Charger, the letters were there. I was amazed they took the time for a 383. Makes sense for the Hemi's. Now proof for a slant. Amazing.

HEMI`s didnt come with .003 clearance tho-----lol
 
Look at the decimal point again in my post and how many places to the right....
 
-
Back
Top