Topic: Did they ever VIN stamp the W72 blocks differently at Van Nuys?

[ta78w72]

How on earth did they stamp the number on the inside of the timing chain cover?  That would suggest that they knew the VIN of the car it was going in when they built the engine.  That info changes my understanding of how they matched the VIN's.  It also suggests that the assembly of these cars was extremely well planned.

[y88rick]

no i dont mean the inside of the cover itself i mean when the cover was on it, you couldnt read it as it was on the block. or maybe it was covered by the gasket. but it took for me to pull the motor out and remove the cover before i could read it on the block.

[ta78w72]

I meant on the block but covered by the timing chain cover.  I can't believe GM was that organized.  That does change my opinion of when the vin was stamped.  I thought it was as the engine was installed in the vehicle. 

[y88rick]

i went off that assumption as well. I dont know why it was there. maybe i just didnt pay any attention but im 98% sure i couldnt read it until the cover was off. but as said it may have been gasket related too as to why i couldnt read it. it did go straight up and down rather than side to side like most i have seen. wish i would have taken a picture of it so you could see what i mean.

[ta78w72]

Well, I always wondered when the vin got stamped on the engine and transmission.  I assumed it was just before or during installation in the vehicle.  But the whole assembly process is magical to me.  All those parts coming together just at the right time.  It's pretty amazing.

[y88rick]

yup i know. commonly i have seen the stamp on the bottom near the oil pan or towards the middle to the top of the face before the head. this one was always a head scratcher. but if i remember correctly someone else on here has mentioned this as well. this was the only van nuys car i have ever owned too so i have nothing to compare it with over past owns.

[John Witzke]

My research has shown for W72 engines the partial serial number on Norwood built cars were generally stamped on the smooth machined pad of the lower passenger side block just above the oil pan adjacent to the timing cover.  Van Nuys cars had the partial serial number stamped on the machined area just under the passenger side cylinder head, just above the stamped block code.  

[y88rick]

so what in the crap does this mean? well then again this was not a w72 but an L78 if that makes a difference? i just realized we were talking about w72 rather than the plant in general.

[ta78w72]

I would have a hard time believing the vin stamping process would differ between engines.  But I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again in the future.

[y88rick]

i cannot say yes or no on any of it. just thats where the were
again i have never seen anything like it before but i do recal someone else saying the same thing. on here but i dont know how in the world to dig up their post to see if they have pictures or not.

[y88rick]

here is that topic of another fellow 78ta member with the same thing....atleast same symptoms 78 L78 400 engine with the YU code.

http://www.78ta.com/smf/index.php?topic=25953.msg276768#msg276768