[The Boss]

First NEW car Matt, my little guido IROC! Beat the crap out of that POS chevy!

[Tellyshavilli]

Originally Posted by The Boss

First NEW car Matt, my little guido IROC! Beat the crap out of that POS chevy!

Well , it was a new car to you .If you would have got there a little early you would have caught him with the motor in the air .

[Mike Lannom]

1.#'s matching WS
2.correct date coded WS
3.any date code WS
4 SR

I wouldn't put any 400 in a Judge...


I agree with Judge273

[slowgto]

I would prefer a correct WS to an SR. People are restoring cars to factory specs, not what 100s of dealers might have done to repair a car.

[Bet Winner]

Some thoughts--
I am of the opinion that the most correct way to do this is to use an SR block since this is what PMD would have done if under warranty. I believe that PMD, not the dealers, called the shots if under warranty, and PMD's use of parts or methods defines correctness it seems. If the car was not under warranty, and the customer paid a dealership to do the work, the result would be the same if using parts thru the PMD pipeline.

But it would be tempting to use a WS since it looks right to the casual observer, and I am not sure which I would choose. Although, some people may feel that you are trying to pass another WS off as an original block.

In the late 80's I was looking for parts to restore a Ram Air IV car that did not have the original engine. At the time I had both an SR block cast in 1972 and a WW standard bore block cast about 4 weeks prior to the car's build date. Steve Ames told me that he would use the SR block for the reasons that I stated above. (Just to add another opinion.) I was a little disappointed since I leaning toward the WW at the time.

To answer some of John's original question, I would try to use this SR block in the earlier car(s). And, John, with the different opinions on this, I would just go with my own gut feeling.....................................

[PB]

Originally Posted by The Boss

Jeff,

I understand your rationale, and even agree with it from a numbers stand point. But the order I quoted above is the one I personally agree with.

When I pop the hood, I want to see the correct code, and I personally consider the cars with correct/dated blocks to be worth more than an SR even though that's how the dealer/GM would have handled it.

I agree with Chris on this...I hold cars with "correct" NOM motors at a higher "value" than a car with an SR block installed. I do just the same...check the stamping on the motor and I want to see the correct stamp for the car.

Once the ORIGINAL block is gone, it's gone, SR or not, regardless of how gm would have handled it in the day, still, not the original block.

[bulletpruf]

Good question that I've pondered myself. For my Judges I have found date correct WS blocks for both, but I would have been fine with SR blocks for either. I hope to drop off one with Jim Lehart soon so I can put another Judge "beater" back on the road in the spring.

Scott

[GTO JOHN]

Thanks for all the input on this topic so far. I have several WS blocks and the SR available to use. One Judge I plan to sell after restoration completed so I wanted to use whatever block will help hold the car value the most.

[ahub421]

To my little mind a SR block is the best choice for a Judge missing it's original motor but only if one has the paperwork to prove it was dealer installed or purchased over the counter. Should there be no paper to back it up I feel a SR block can be seen as an attempt to legitimize what can't be so without paper a dated WS would be closest to stock that one could have.

[242177P]

I see the phrase "any 400" being tossed around. IMO, the right casting # truly separates a SR from other 400s. I guess my question really boils down to... Would something like a 67 WS ever be considered as acceptable?? FWIW, earlier engine unit numbers were only 6 digits.

[The Boss]

Stampings in 67 have a different look than the 68 & up.

[Mirk]

I just purchased a 1973 date coded SR block off ebay for $900 last month. The block has the perfect casting numbers to go into my 1972 Trans Am. I personally drove to St Louis to pick it up. The block is immaculate. I think I got a great deal, because in 8 months of searching I found only two other 4 bolt main SR blocks with the right casting numbers and each wanted $1,500 for them. SR blocks are becoming hard to find.

Casting numbers matched, date code was about right, and it was 4 bolt main. The only block I would put into my 72 Trans Am. It seems more authentic to me.

[Ron Landis]

I believe the $1500 is a deal! Sold my last one for $2500. JMHO. Ron

[feb69judge]

http://offer.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/...m=250561460578

[Pontiacshack]

Okay, looks like there's been enough opinions layed down and I'm probably jumping in too late, but here goes anyway. My thought is when the original block is gone and you're trying to put the car together as it would have been done "back in the day", the SR block is the correct way to go. I had the opportunity to purchase an original XP coded block and an SR block back when I was looking. I decided on the SR block because I felt this is what would've been done if I had blown the engine myself and, I didn't want a block with a non matching VIN stamped on it. I understand the idea that you look at the code and say,,,, looks good, but to me it's a HOW WOULD PONTIAC HAVE HANDLED IT thing. I am not saying anybody is wrong here, just my humble opinion. This has been a great thread to follow, as are most all of them.

[The Boss]

What year XP? I have a 68 and a 69 - PM me your vin.

[GTOPLACE]

Here's a twist. How about no VIN stamped? Fremont Judge built in January of 69 and shipped out Jan. 31. Heads K208. Intake K128, Block K048, WS. Will the omission of the VIN stamped on the block kill the value of the car?

[The Boss]

Nope, one of those things - you can't prove it's the original, but nobody can prove it's not. Good as gold as far as I'm concerned.

[GTOPLACE]

How common (or uncommon) was it for parts to go unstamped? I've heard of it several times and I've seen mis-stamped also. A friend has a 69 GTO and the last digit of the VIN on the engine is off by 1 digit, the last digit. Did they forget to roll the stamp machine around?

[The Boss]

They're rare, I've got a 71 WC that has no vin.