[starlightblack]

This is a 455 H.O. engine I recently found that is perfect for my 1971 Trans Am missing its original engine. The engine sat in a '76 Formula until about 10-15 years ago when it was pulled and placed in a local guys' shed. The story is it came out of 40,000 mile car for whatever reason and was placed in the Formula after its 400 gave up the ghost. Nobody remembers what car it came out of or why because the guy who had the Formula died and his widow sold my acquaintance with the engine the car.

Here's the thing: Neither GM of Canada nor PHS have a 455 H.O. Formula or Trans Am from 1971 with the last digits 103332 in their records. According to PHS, Norwood # 103332 is a 350-powered Espirit. The closest thing Canada has is a 1971 Trans Am with VIN 103336 sold new in Quebec. Is this the original engine to 103336 that was mis-stamped at Norwood? The car shipped out Sept 18th, 1970 for Quebec according to the docs at Gm of Canada.

This engine hasn't been tampered with, look at the broach marks and font, they're perfect.

['ol Pinion head]

The partial VIN stamp appears correct from memory & I can better ck when home. The font on the WC appears correct.

Can you post a better pic of the complete asm number above the WC? I can then ck each character, have a WC original to one of my '71's, it's a 483637 cast H31. Being a Norwood 103xxx VIN, I bet the above block is also a 483637.

[starlightblack]

i will get more pics

[RAFormulas]

GTO engine?

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by RAFormulas

GTO engine?

No GTO's built at Norwood plant.

We got lucky on some of this stuff by Birds and Goats coming out of seperate plants.
It has eliminated a lot of second guessing on some issues, and nailed some other issues in other "investigations".

Thank You PMD

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by starlightblack

Is this the original engine to 103336 that was mis-stamped at Norwood? The car shipped out Sept 18th, 1970 for Quebec according to the docs at Gm of Canada.

This engine hasn't been tampered with, look at the broach marks and font, they're perfect.

Yes - that has to be the case. In this case.
Stamp man either forgot to change the character in a rush.
Or grabbed the wrong character by mistake / rush.
One way or another - it was a mistake on the line.

Too coincidental that 336 was sent to Canada - and you found engine in Canada.
I agree it looks pristine virgin in all aspects.
Date codes should pre-date the invoice at least a couple few weeks.

i know they didnt build TA's at Oshawa - but IF the car would have been built at Oshawa - then they would have the EUN on record.



just as curiousity - i do wonder where the #332 350 Bird shipped to -
hopefully far away from canada. lol

[starlightblack]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

just as curiousity - i do wonder where the #332 350 Bird shipped to -
hopefully far away from canada. lol

wasnt shipped to Canada, U.S.-sold car

[giles]

The engine unit no. ending in 1200 and the WC were stamped at the Pontiac engine plant. A "WC" could have gone into either an A or F body. The "21N103332" would have only been stamped at Norwood, so we know the engine was installed in a Firebird there. My records indicate this would have been around the 1st or 2nd week of September in '70. The GM-wide strike commenced on 9/14 so I assume workers were not too focused on details and there was likely a mis-stamp. Usually mis-stamps were off by the last digit, but who knows? Might have been 103323 or any number of near misses.

[starlightblack]

Originally Posted by giles

The engine unit no. ending in 1200 and the WC were stamped at the Pontiac engine plant. A "WC" could have gone into either an A or F body. The "21N103332" would have only been stamped at Norwood, so we know the engine was installed in a Firebird there. My records indicate this would have been around the 1st or 2nd week of September in '70. The GM-wide strike commenced on 9/14 so I assume workers were not too focused on details and there was likely a mis-stamp. Usually mis-stamps were off by the last digit, but who knows? Might have been 103323 or any number of near misses.

GM of Canada says 103336 is the only number (car) they have even remotely close to that 103332 engine number equipped with an LS5 & 4-speed combo - or even auto. for that matter

[johnta1]

Maybe the guy that bought it was a line worker who had it 'swapped' in?

[Held for Ransom]

Thinking of it being mis-stamped with a digit higher or lower than car. Will search.

[starlightblack]

i also thought it may be an incomplete '8' so 103382 - GM of Canada has nothing for that VIN and PHS says it is yet another 350 firebird.

[keith k]

I've seen plenty of "one digit off" mis-stamps on both bodies and engines or transmissions. I'd guess your theory is correct. Not many 4-speed/455 HOs probably went to Northeast Canada... and only one digit off? Odds are pretty good, IMO.

[Formulabruce]

sweet find!
I agree on the miss stamp, and can tell ya first hand its easy to do in a hurry, or not thinking. Can empty the holder quick and when you add one in, they all get loose, so gotta keep it tight then release handle to lock them in place. Wonder how that car is these days...the one it was in...one of my 72's ended up in New Scotland and rusted OH so bad,I wish they hadnt sent me pics 26 years later!

I should post a pic of the equipment they used to do this. Ill grab one soon and post..just to show how easy it is to make this error.

[starlightblack]

please do Bruce.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Just for reference -
70 Oshawa built Judge with EUN on document.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Just for reference -
70 Oshawa built Judge with EUN on document.

That's interesting. The GM Canada docs for my old Norwood built 70 T/A don't list an EUN (content is otherwise pretty much the same).

[74SDformula]

A guy that lives nearby supposedly got this out of a GM facility years ago. The stamps that are in the box are the smaller ones that are the correct size for the VIN stampings. Unfortunately most of the stamps are missing.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by keith k

That's interesting. The GM Canada docs for my old Norwood built 70 T/A don't list an EUN (content is otherwise pretty much the same).

Did you get the microfiche copy with your Canadian docs or just the letter with GM letterhead?