C3 Corvette Casting Numbers

What the casting numbers tell you

Separate from the stamped engine ID pad, most major cast parts, the block, cylinder heads, intake manifold, water pump, and more, carry their own casting number, molded into the iron or aluminum when the part was poured. On the block this number typically sits on the driver's side, at the rear near the bellhousing flange, along with a separate casting date code cast nearby showing the month, day, and year the part was made.

Casting numbers identify the part itself: which engine family and years it was designed for, not which car it ended up in. Combined with the casting date, they let you check whether a head, intake, or block is date-correct and year-correct for a given car, which matters a lot when restoring an engine or evaluating one for purchase. Use the tables below to match what is cast into your parts against known part numbers.