Decode my straight eight engine number

Can someone help me with this?

I wonder what year my 248 are. The engine number is 5099825 and it sits in a 1948 Buick Special. What year did the straight eights got insert bearings?

Thanks

Engine numbers for 1948 248s were from 4999881-4 to 52220971-4, so if yours isn't the original engine, it would appear to be a replacement from another 1948 Special.

Hello Per,

Insert bearings replaced babbit bearings after approximately the first 5,000 engines in 1949 production.

Howard Purvis

Dear Per:

The engine number you give was built at the Flint plant in June 1948 for a 1948 car. Approximate matching frame numbers would be around 4908122 to about 4958000.

Regards, Dave Corbin

Thanks a lot for your answers. Dave, where can I locate the frame number?

It’s always fun if it’s the original engine.

Per Ornberg

Dear Per:

On my 1939, the frame number is on a small plate on the top of the right rail just behind the battery box and it's tough to see.

"oldbuickarchive" (Terry Dunham's website) has a listing of locations for various years. Check there if you don't find it.

Also, if you post the information on the body plate, I can tell you what color the car was originally and what upholstery was installed.

Regards, Dave Corbin

Thanks Dave, I really appreciate your help. The paint code is 31 and the trim is 40.

Regards Per Ornberg

Dear Per:

Easy questions, but one might need a bit of explanation.

Trim code 40 is for Gray Pattern Cloth, which may indicate a car for here in the USA, as most export cars had leather interiors. On that same plate, look for an "X" in the model code. That would be for an export car. If it isn't there, it's a USA car originally.

Paint code 31 is for "Carlsbad Black". This deserves a bit of explanation. Here in the USA, we have several parts of the country that have very famous caves. Among them is Carlsbad Caverns (It's in a town of the same name.). The idea was to get you to think about what a cave is like when you have no lights. In other words, it's BLACK !!!

I hope you don't mind the USA geography lesson.

Regards, Dave Cobin

Dave, thanks for giving me a US geography lesson, I need that. And thanks for the great explanations to my trim code questions. Well, the car is black with grey pattern cloth interior so it seams to match the body plate.

Regards Per Ornberg

Dear Per:

I'm glad to help. Were you able to find the frame number? Did the model number on the body data plate have an X?

Regards, Dave Corbin

No Dave, there is no X on my data plate and I haven’t been able to locate the frame number.

Regards Per Ornberg

Dear Per:

The lack of that "X" means that the car was originally intended for the USA market. That would match standard Buick practice for cloth upholstery, as an export car would normally get a leather interior.

It looks like you've bought what we call a "numbers match" car, which is a very good thing.

Regards, Dave Corbin