That is a weird looking casting hump between the # 2 and # 3 main bearing side bolts

Looks like a "window" repair to me.

100% that is a repair in the side of the block , but has nothing to do with the casting area. As far as the vin stamping, yes that was started in 1968 and was on the rear of the block flange by the oil pressure switch location. Bad part about that is it is sometimes very difficult to read being a hand stamp onto as cast location.
Matt

Agreed, it was just a general comment.

Block I ask about was put in the G Plant not an A Body. Thats for posting the picture. I am not up on the 1968 builds, know a little but would have to study plenty on the Hemi Builds. I was told that there is a date in 1968 Production when the VIN was stamped on the blocks. Not sure if this is true or not. That would mean the early Vehicle blocks did not get stamped. I know from other years Chrysler made a lot of their changes in production either in or around Oct. or Jan of the build. After finding problems in the early build the Change in Oct and the major changes in Jan of the production year. Chrysler when it came to these blocks did not follow modern was or production. FIFO First in First Out was not followed. From what I understand the block would be put into a storage room and that is were then would stay until needed. Then the worker would just go get what blocks were needed not looking at Casting dates. So if a 1965 block was at the back it might of stayed at the back for a while till the later casting block were used up. I would imagine that this would change during Inventory and things would ge moved around. I also find it funny that no 1967 block cast. I wondered why the casting mold would sit for such a long time from 1966 to 1968 and problems could arise from no usuage, rust, losing the assembly anything can happen when something sits and it not used in a factory it could just get lost. So I thought Chrysler would run some block just to test it or make changes and test them. Remember the early block are a little different from the later blocks, so were these 1967 Casting a version of tests or were they the good stuff that Chrysler used to make sure their Killer Factory Race Car Barracuda and Darts had all the advantages over all others including other Hemis. When I start into this hobby well it was not a hobby when I started many of the Chrysler workers were around and could answer questions. Now we must look into the facts and come up with answers.

This is one reason why this post was created and I might have to add that 1967 casting date to the list.

I have been told by some old timers and have actually met some one who stamped blocks to match car vins; that even casting date could be changed. Looking at that 67 block the casting date is raised almost as if on a pad compared to many of the other examples. Almost looks like a welding across the top. I am no hemi casting expert but it does look different and someone did have it repaired at one point.

Changing a casting date on a block by the factory doesn't seem to make any sense. The only purpose for it that I'm aware of is to track defects.

Just so we are on the same page my comment on the side of the block repair was actually in reference to the comment that Cab made about the "casting hump".

The VIN stamp I full understand on how it was done and why changes in the VIN stamping process was changed from full VIN to the year plant number. I know the tool that was used from January 1969 up to the Plants went to a Computer based information system. The only thing on a block I believe changes with the later blocks not 64s and 65s is the Casting Date. I should do a real strong comparison on all my block by the 1966 1969 and both 1970s all look the same. The 1965 block is slightly different. The only thing that changes is the Casting Date that is left when the block is cast. So I would think this piece could be taken out and the numbers changed via year, month day that is was cast. I think there would be in this area a piece that could be remove like I see on the 1965 block but will have to make sure of that and go out and see all the iron block I have or just do a google search for Hemi Block Casting Dates and use those pictures. I have a pictures of the 1963 block and a few 1970 blocks but were it is stored is gevin me a hard to to retrieve. So we could look back on this thread of start posting the location of the castin date to compare.

I see no major issue with the casting date area , to modify that area and it to still look as cast would be very difficult to do. I am sure blocks have been modified, I have seen several poor attempts at stamping vins to match cars, and most really are obvious. That said could someone modify one, I am sure that could be done, but might be harder to cover up with no paint on the block. I mentioned in the original post on the block that I thought it was more of an exception considering that the idea was they were supposed to have not cast any blocks in 67. I have looked at a ton of hemi blocks over the years either in person or online, and i can say i have never seen another block cast in 67. Before this I would have said the last batch of 66 blocks were cast on 10-31-66 and the next batch of hemi blocks were done on 1-15-68.
Matt

A hemi block from a 67 car I looked at today. I will post the casting date and the assembly date.
Matt

What month were the Hemi 68 Dart and Barracudas built at the Hurst shop? I read that the engines were shipped over on pallets.

Even these are hard to find. I bought my '67 without an engine and looked for a CH block for years. And when I say years, I mean a decade. Never found one that hadn't been windowed in a hole or in the side of the block. Settled for a '66 casting block cast before my car's SPD that was apparently an over the counter replacement as the pan rail is not stamped and the only stamping on the distributor pad is the "WT".

I totally agree with you blocks or engines from 67 cars are far more difficult to find than say 66 engines. This engine is in a local shop to have some work done, but going back into a 69 RR, unsure if its an original hemi car or not. I have seen a couple 67 engines that were mis-stamped on the top pad to read HC 426 rather than the correct CH 426. There seem to be several irregularities with stampings when you get to looking.
Matt

I would think the exact say way. From what I have seen since lets say early 70s when none of this was very important it now has changed because of people doing fraulent stuff. From them doing this WE meaning the Hobby has taken time to look at things and to come up with the normal stuff at or from Chrysler. With this block and with who the picture came from I would have to believe it Greg says it is real it likely is a 1967 cast Hemi. Take a look at his Web site and it is full of Chryslr race stuff information and this is what he has dealt with over the years. I myself have sent he a lot of pictures of stuff I got of Arlen and bought from others that I had no clue how to tell any dates from it. He decoded my 1965 Hemi block and he was so interested in adding this information to what he has amassed. He also loved the pictures of my super early 1963/4 early production Hemi heads, sent him 64 and 65 pictures of Hemi Flywheels. Getting back the 1965 block, I think Chrysler might of cast these as a special build for these A Body Race Cars. They were a latter build in the 1968 so if they were not completely hand built should of got a serial number on them but these motors might of been hand built. There are others that are not on this board that might be able to add information about the blocks and I only see them a the Drag Strip and even then they are not the show car typle they are the go mid to low 8s type.Need to keep post now and then on this post and keep it present every now and then.

If you look at the casting date area of every other block picture on this thread, they do not look like the 67 one to me. That pad sticks out much further with a different border look. Maybe other block look like it, but to me it sticks out as a pad almost.

I will have to did up all the number of 68 Hemi A Bodies. There were batches of each. It was either three batches of number for one or the other and since I was looking at buying a Dart, all the SO numbesr ran in a row also with the serial numubers and I think about 10 numbers behind. Long time ago so I could be off. I believe these Hemi A Bodies were built in March April of 1968. I think without looking numbers up that they were around 280000 and up. I was also wondering if Chrysler ran a special build for RO and WO rans in 1967. I have not seen many Hemi Block for sale that came out of a 1967. I have a 1966 block that came with everything 1969 and that motor ended up in my Challenger so I could run it harder. Lots to learn hear and still learning after 40 years of this stuff.

I’ve always heard 50 of each and that was it, no more were made. One guy who worked down the street from the place said their whole back lot was full of Darts and barracudas. Sold with bill of sale and non street-able, no vin like regular cars. I was 18, broke and couldn’t pay attention. Also that March date would fit with the 68 block date I had.

The number i have written down For Hemi A Bodies and it might just be want was known a long time ago like 40 years ago is that Chrysler built 80 LO23 Darts and 70 BO29 Barracudas. So looking at that I could of been 3 lots of Darts and 2 lots of Barracudas. I am still looking for my information. I have given most of that information Vins and stuff to other people over the years and only collect 1971 Hemi E Body Hardtop information.

several years back, i reunited this card with the current [at the time] caretaker of this car.
the card fell into my hands by a surprise twist of fate when a friend of mine's boy bought a tool box at an estate auction.
the young fellow dropped the card off here, telling me he had no use for it, and thought it deserved to live here with the rest of my memorabilia.
i didn't look close at it until a week or so later, and just about fell out of my chair when i realized what it was !