1972 400 Block Casting # Question

[Spaulding]

I have a 72 with a block casting number 3698630 and casting date of what looks to be 2/24/72. My cars build date is 6/16/72. Are there known cases of the this block being used in late cars or should it be the 3614230 block? The vin stamp on the block is correct, just wondering if it's real or restamped block from a 73.

[471Magnum]

That block is correct for the car.

[Spaulding]

I would tend to agree, even though the Information you see on the Internet indicates my block was not used until 73 models. It just makes sense that late cars would get the next generation engine once they ran out of the previous series. Also, it does not make sense that someone would go to the effort to forge the VIN stamp on the wrong block. Thanks for the information.

[71ChallengerSE]

My 72 was built on the last production day and I would have thought it to have a 73 block if not a 72, but I was surprised when I found out it has a 71 in it. I guess the 340 was so poular they made a ton of them in 71 and had plenty to carry on into the next couple model years.

[Spaulding]

First of all, I love the 340 engine. I had one in a Roadrunner back in the late 70's and it was a great car. I'm thinking that just as they had left over engines for your car, they may have run out of 400 engines with the 3614230 castings late in 72 productions and switched the last cars to the 3698630 block that has become known as the 73 block. Anyone else out there with a original number matching engine in a 72 that is a 3698630 casting?

[DixieSatellite]

My '72 400-$ BBL SSP is a 9/72 build car (IIRC) and is numbers matching. Here is a pic of the block from 2010, when the engine was being fully rebuilt / ported.



Ian B.

[Spaulding]

Thanks for taking the time to send the picture. For sure the same block casting number but what is the most interesting is that the casting date is the same as on my block. They must have cast them in batches. Too bad none of the sites out there acknowledge that these blocks were used in 72. I was almost sure it was the original block, now I'm fully convinced. I took a close look at the vin stamp pad and it's definitely not altered.