[165th]

Hi, my parents own this engine. I thought I'd ask to see if anyone knew a ball park of what this engine would be worth?

It's extremely complete and correct, from carbs, distributor, intake heads, engine, transmission and starter.

Even the oil and transmission dip sticks are there and very cool with great detail stamps in the sticks.

The carb linkage and fuel delivery looks pretty questionable however.

The only thing I can't tell is if it's a 300 or 330 HP.

All cast date codes are April/May ish 1958

Also, do you have any idea what applications this engine had?

Thanks!

[Safari Larry]

I don't know what it's worth.

Carb linkage and fuel lines are not correct.

330hp T395A engine had cast iron headers so this is the 300hp.

Only thing I can tell about application is from the car serial number stamped on the engine. The engine with Hydramatic was originally installed in a '58 Chieftain or Super Chief (27 series) at the Pontiac MI plant.

[Stuart]

I used to own a '64 tripower engine out of a Grand Prix that had that exact same carburetor linkage - it's aftermarket, possibly made by Eelco.

[165th]

Thank you both for these insights.

The pass exhaust manifold is 528586.

Attached are a few additional pictures.

[Safari Larry]

I have casting numbers listed at this link. I show 528595 for the right exhaust manifold but yours appears to be 528566 or 528586. I may have the wrong number, or perhaps there was a change in the casting mid year?

Anyone else out there have a '58 right exhaust manifold?

[Teej]

My passenger side exhaust (what I'm calling the right side) is 528596.

(Original 58 370 2bbl, 3 spd manual)

[165th]

Originally Posted by Teej

My passenger side exhaust (what I'm calling the right side) is 528596.

(Original 58 370 2bbl, 3 spd manual)

Thanks Teej, the pass side exhaust on this motor is 528596 also. It was hard to read, but I fell confident that's the number now.

Larry, sorry for stating it wrong before but it was hard to read.

[Safari Larry]

OK, 528596 it is. I'll change it -- web server isn't responding at the moment. One small step for the '58s. 528595 is the part number and someone probably gave me that thinking it is the casting number. Part number and casting number are typically close but not the same.

[U47]

Hey Larry, get a load of that weird tube in the valley cover where the road draft tube is supposed to be attached.

D.

[Safari Larry]

I went back through all the pics and don't see a view of the rear valley cover. What am I missing???

[165th]

I searched the web for underhood pictures of this engine in Bonnevilles and Safari's (Thanks Larry!).

The coil and fuel bowl seems to be mounted in unusual locations.

The center carb seems to be missing the vacuum choke.

The fuel delivery and accelerator linkage seemed to have switched sides. As Stuart mentioned, since aftermarket that may be how the kit came.

Did the carbs have numbers on them, or just tags that have now gone missing?

Did the distributor have a date code or part no. hammered into it like later years?

I am going to list this in Smokes, and maybe on Ebay. I can deliver the motor to POCI St. Charles this summer if anyone is interested in it.

Thanks for all your help of the ID!

[Safari Larry]

I don't know of any way to positively identify the carbs without the tags.

In '58 Pontiac offered a mechanical linkage but I think only with standard trans.

I believe this is a "correct" '58 tri-power with the vacuum linkage (photo from Rick Gonser).

[165th]

What a great picture. Thanks Larry.

Another question, does the G in the Vin no. identify the plant the car was built at, or the model of the car it was in?

Also, on Vin no's, I do not believe my dad's '65 and '66 Grand Prix have vin no's. in the block, just horsepower codes (eg. WH). My '72 TA's have vin. no's in the block.

What year did Pontiac stop putting vin's on blocks and start again?

[Safari Larry]

The G is not in the VIN (car serial number), it is leading character in the engine serial number. I don't know the meaning of it but doubt it is anything meaningful.

As I said in earlier post, "the engine with Hydramatic was originally installed in a '58 Chieftain or Super Chief (27 series) at the Pontiac MI plant." The leading P in the serial number tells that the car (that the engine was installed in) was assembled in the Pontiac MI plant.

I don't think Pontiac quit stamping VIN on the block -- but I don't know much about the "modern" (post 1960) Pontiacs. I'm sure someone else here knows.

The "VIN" terminology was not used until 1959 when they changed the format. In 1958 and earlier it was called "serial number".

[165th]

Larry, thank you for the clarifications. What was throwing me off is by 1972 the car Vin/Serial number has switched locations with the engine sequential number and horsepower codes.

So by '72 in the upper portion of the block identifies the engine horsepower code and the lower portion of the block was the partial car vin number. Attached are pictures showing the arrangement circa '72. The '72 TA engine shown has a block sequential number of C185396 and WD (identifies 455HO 4spd non unitized ignition). The partial vin is 22N521XXX

So for the engine in this thread:
Car serial number: P758H34867. Hydramatic application is '58 Chieftan or SuperChief
Engine sequential number: G196948

That helps a lot

[Safari Larry]

Interesting how they moved the VIN and numbers around, I understand the confusion. For how it was done up through at least through 1960 see http://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1Garag...g%20Block%20ID

For how to decode the serial number for 1955 through 1958, see http://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1Early...html#SerialTag.

You are correct "Hydramatic application is '58 Chieftan or SuperChief" plus the car was assembled at Pontiac MI (P) plant.

I 90% sure that lower number on the engine is an engine serial number -- but I'm not certain of that.

[U47]

Originally Posted by Safari Larry

I went back through all the pics and don't see a view of the rear valley cover. What am I missing???

____________________

Larry, thread # 4, center picture just below the distributor.

[165th]

Originally Posted by U47

____________________

Larry, thread # 4, center picture just below the distributor.

U47, is this the area you're referring to? There seems to be an oiler of sorts there.

[U47]

Originally Posted by 165th

U47, is this the area you're referring to? There seems to be an oiler of sorts there.

_______________________________________

The picture I was looking at I thought something was sticking out of the grommet for the tube for the road draft. With the picture you provided apparently that grommet turned out to be the base of the distributor and the oiler is to the distributor.
thank you,
D.

[blueghoast]

Did they put date codes on the try powers in 57-58.
I've got a chance to buy one and was wondering what
year it might be. It looks like the one you've shown.

Thanks GT.