Topic: engine id

[Jerry64]

Hello everyone,
i am Jerry from Holland. For 2 years I own a 79 T/A. Now i am looking to sell the car because i am up to a new project. Someone is interested in my car but he wants to know (proof) if it's numbers matching.
For weeks i am reading all forums but every location i get turns out to be a disappointment  because i cant find the engine number anywhere.
So far i found the casting number, i found numbers along side of the head but nowhere can i find the engine number.
I looked behind the ps pump but nothing, behind the right cil head, nothing. Can anyone please help me with some good advise. i know its an old topic but on some forums the topics and pics are so old you can't open them anymore.
My car: 79 T/A shipped to Pontiac Switserland. The car never drove in the US. My engine is a 403 olds with cast # 557265 4B. On the heads its stampes 4A and on both sides of the engine is stamped 403. i have the buildsheet but there is no engine # on it. If necessary i can post my Vin # tonite

[Wallington]

403 are easy, but you'll need a mirror as it faces downwards. I'll grab a pic. Do you not even know the engine number for registration?

[Jerry64]

no, i dont know the engine number because its not written on the buildsheet

[Jerry64]

oh and in Europe engine numbers are not on the registration

[Wallington]

By downwards I meant it doesn't face up to you looking in.

Here's a 403...directly under the 4A casting is the tab off the engine block jutting out that is stamped:
403 Olds engine number 4A heads by Aus78Formula, on Flickr

Here's a close-up of my last engine in lovely Chev orange. This one indicates it was a 403 from a 79 model Firebird built in Norwood:
Firebird Engine number stamping by Aus78Formula, on Flickr

And here's a 350 Olds with 3A heads, otherwise the same as 403. This one came out of a '77 Buick. The centre-punched 4 could mean something, or not.

350 Olds 3A heads engine number stamp by Aus78Formula, on Flickr

IMG_3966 by Aus78Formula, on Flickr

[Wallington]

It should be on the buildsheet, if complete since it's the same as the body number. Top RH corner of sheet has 6 digits which also match the 6 digits at top of you cowl buildplate. The last 6 digits of the engine are the same numbers, these are also stamped twice behind the heater box on firewall and transmission too.

Interesting that it shipped new to Switzerland. Perhaps post the buildsheet for us to look at, particularly anything specific to local Swiss requirements or import modifcations. There wouldn't be too many 403's in Switzerland should they ever needed to rebuild it or swap, so unlikely to change.

[Jerry64]

This is my buildsheet

[Jerry64]

here you can read that the car was for Pontiac Switserland

[Jerry64]

my engine is clean so i recon the numbers would be easy to locate. Boy was i wrong!

[Jerry64]

VIN #

[Wallington]

That photo doesn't show where the engine number is, you can't miss it. I was also going to say if it was specially ordered overseas where they have their own requirements it may have its own number or be blank there to be stamped locally. What's on the pad I showed you?

[Jerry64]

ok thx. Friday evening i'll be home than i will get back to you

[Jerry64]

i found the number! Just like you showed in pict 1!
The engine is numbers matching. Thanks so much!!!!
Is there a way to check if the transmission is also matching?

[Wallington]

Here's a TH-350 out of a 78 Van Nuys Firebird, same number as engine and on firewall.

TH350 repainted VIN by Aus78Formula, on Flickr

TH350 original VIN by Aus78Formula, on Flickr

[Jerry64]

thank you very much sir. I'll look it up tomorrow.
And here's picture of my 79