Flathead engine N

[Johnboy]

Hi does anyone know anything about the flathead engine # starting with the Letter N. I have a 1940 P10 the engine # starts with the letter N. 

[greg g]

I believe some of the very late ones in 1959 for Plymouth and Dodge cars were numbered beginning with N.

[Johnboy]

Hi Greg thanks for the info. Would you know what the cu.ln. was.

[Plymouthy Adams]

per my Motors....in 1959 the last year for the flathead in the US the designation on the block was MP1-L for the Plymouth 230 and MD1-L for the Dodge also 230....the design prefix "N" was not used in the US....the big sisters were not running any flatheads at this time either.  Now I cannot speak for the Canadian designations and they used the flathead in 1960 also for cars.  There is still the truck lineup to consider but I do not have a light truck book but I do believe their number started with a T.  

 

I know some heads will have the large letter N cast on top.....

 

If you engine is stamped with a N what is the rest of the number and manner of sequence...?  If you wish not to show your entire number say if it was N-355231 you can post it as N-35XXXX just would like to know the number of place holders.  Numerous rebuilders would shave and stamp per their specifications and any combination of letter or number could well be possible.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Johnboy]

Hi Plymouthy Adams my engine #N1735xxCAL. This is also my registration # for my car. 
 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Johnboy

[greg g]

That seems to be a number issued by California dmv.  Perhaps it is the result of a swapped engine and titling issue.  Engine swaps were pretty common maintenance issue back then.   Folks didn't always

 Keep up with the paper trail.  Also, Chrysler sold unnumbered blocks to several rebuilder chains like Jasper etc. These blocks were often stamped with the old engine number,  one that was assigned by dmv to keep the paper trail going, or one assigned by the rebuildrer as part of their record keeping process.  Could also be an engine out of a boat as Chrysler sold lots to Chris Craft and other builders.

 

Measure the head 23 inch is likely a 230 cu in.  

Edited August 18, 2021 by greg g

[Johnboy]

Engine # is different from build card #. Is it possible its a military engine since car was military. Is there any way to tell cu.in. I heard about a # under the distributor do you know anything about that 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Johnboy

[Plymouthy Adams]

if the original boss has been shaved (driver side above generator) then you engine history is probably lost.  You can stroke the engine at the #6 access hole but you will need the bore to determine the CI.   Originally your engine would have been a 201.  I do not think military used special designation as these cars were nothing special beyond military sales...as Greg carefully pointed out the 'CAL' would truly indicate the state assigned number for a builder to allow registration.    Your build card would reflect the original number to the engine and this is also stamped on the rear frame at/near tip up at axle drivers side.  This should match your build car...if not...then you are truly homogenized...

[greg g]

What part of ny are you in?  Was that an original staff car or a cosmetic clone? 

[Johnboy]

Greg I’m in Lexington NY bought car from a person in NJ who bought it from an estate in California. People that I have me at car shows said paint is correct and car has a Department of Defense registered vehicle NBD 690 sticker. That’s all I know 

[greg g]

My sister in law used to live in Kingston so we have made a few trips through the area down that way.  If we were a bit closer 

I d come down and give you a hand getting sorted.

Edited August 18, 2021 by greg g

[Johnboy]

A hour west of kingston. I have Hunter mountain and windam ski area nearby. Do you know anything about the number under the distributor. A while back I read something about that to ID something about the engine.

[greg g]

Not familiar with other numbers.  Most have to do with casting crews, facilities and shifts and job orders..  Some blocks were cast as much as two years before they were batched for final machining and assembly and then perhaps another delay till they actually went to the assembly line where the stamped number was associated to the build order in the actual vehicle.   And who knows what happened to it under the Army motor pool maintenance regime.

[Johnboy]

I would like to thanks everyone for their input and sharing their knowledge. Johnboy 

[Sniper]

the block should have a casting date on it.  That would at least eliminate some possibilities.

[Johnboy]

Hi Sniper Do you know where the casting date is located.

[Pete]

I bought my 1939 Plymouth in North Carolina. The NC DMV retitled the car with a number starting with N. They did this because a PO had used a replacement hand stamped plate number in place of the original one. The replacement plate had the original number, but the NC DMV did not care and issued a new one.

 

Pete

 

 

[Johnboy]

Thanks Pete for the info mine starts with N and ends in CAL. The California DMV probably did the same thing. My engine # is my registration # which sounds crazy. Registration has no car body #s.