Chevy engine blocks origin ?

[Tim H]

I am curious where the v-8 blocks were made for Chevrolet back in the day, prior to say 1980. I know the Tonawanda Team used to assemble many of the high performance engines but where did the blocks originate from ?

[FED 387]

Depends on where the engine was assembled--- Flint engine plant blocks came from the nearby Saginaw foundry and Tonowanda blocks came from the Tonowanda foundry across the street from the Tonowanda engine plant--- FED 387

[Greenlight]

As far as I know, the blocks were cast at one of four places.

The casting foundry ID may be located near (next to) the casting number on the block.

CFD - Central Foundry, Defiance, OH

GM-D - Central Foundry, Defiance, OH
(there was some sort of merger between two casting foundries that resulted in different foundry IDs. A foundry in Danville, IL was part of GM Central Foundry at one point too.)

SMCO - Saginaw Metal Casting Operations

???? - Massena Casting Plant, Massena, NY (not sure if any Chevy blocks were ever cast there)



CFD and GM-D are the most popular that I have seen.

There is a large single digit number near the casting number that is used to identify the drag core pattern number.



Tonawanda Engine Plant is where some blocks were machined and assembled.

others:
Romulus Engine Plant (since 1976)

Silao Engine Plant in Mexico (opened in 2001)

[John Scott]

Tim,

Looks like blocks with a "K" cast into them come from General Motors of Canada (McKinnon Industries Limited) St. Catharine's, Ontario.

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Got hold of an engine core once-the cast date on the block at the rear was E127-May 12,1967. The stamping on the pad in front of the right head was T 0515 XX{don't remember the code- it was for a 327 250 horse PG trans type of thing.That engine was final assembled and ready for assembly line installation three days after the block was cast. Talk about a real seasoned casting!
All the 348,409,396-454's were Tonowanda engines. The small blocks were if the stamping on that same pad started with T. Also, the Tonowanda engines had a silver sticker on the passenger side valve cover that said,Tonowanda the Number 1 Team.

[Tim H]

Really interesting info, thanks to all who responded.

[rx dealer]

Flint, Michigan was the machining and assembly point of the small block chevy. Saginaw gray iron plant cast the blocks,Heads,Intake manifolds, cranks and connecting rods. Chevy in the hole plant in Flint on Chevrolet ave. made the cams, valves and valve train pieces. AC Delco plant in Flint on Dort hwy made the valve lifters, spark plugs, air cleaners,oil and air filters and tons of other parts..All 302 Z/28 engines, LT-1 of the 70's and and about 95% of all small blocks came from the Flint engine plant....Luke

[rx dealer]

Not to change the subject but every Buick V-6 and V-8 was cast and assembled in Flint, MI.

[Tim H]

.........

[FED 387]

Possibly Toluca Mex foundry