[Gary H]

I recently rebuilt two 455 SD motors for two different owners. The first one was a 73' SD engine and didn't have the transfer lug on the back of the block, similar to how the 389 and 400 blocks were cast. The second engine is a 74' SD engine but does have the transfer lug on it. Both absolutely are casting #132 SD engines with the extra lifter bore bracing, etc. My understanding was that all 455 SD engines supposedly didn't have the transfer lug. Was it 73' model blocks only?

[poncho-mike]

The January 1973 cast date SD blocks were used well into the 1974 production year. I don't know how far those blocks were used into the 1974 production year, but I think the blue 1974 I sold a few years ago had a Jan 1973 cast date block, and was built around Feb 1974.

I have a 1974 SD block that came out of a fairly late built car (June 1974) with a cast date of A094, and it has the transfer lug. Many years ago, I rebuilt the engine in my 1974 SD 4-spd and took pictures when the engine was out. I don't know the cast date, but the car was a July 1974 built car and had the transfer lug.

I never paid attention to the block in my 1973 SD455.