i just realized i had probably been better to post here so i am doing another thread just in case on the same subject. Could you tell me how i can tell that i have a 1955 engine in my 1955 98 holiday ...the engine serial number which is supposed to be stamped on left hand cylinder block is not there.. A 1955 4 barrel carb would not fit properly and had to be adapted.. i was told that a late 1955 car was sometimes fitted with a 1956 v8 engine..i would greatly appreciate any information you can give me..thanks

Liz

I would bet that if you could post a pic of the motor, you would get your answer.

Tom

i would love to post a pic but i just do not get this paste and copy..etc..use to doing it browse from my pictures on my pc..

oldslady liz

It's my understanding that the same basic 4GC carb was used from 1954 to 1956.... What is the number casted into the intake manifold?

Good luck

Even if it would be a '56 engine, it should still have the number stamped in the same place. It should be visible on the driver's side head, on a machined pad between the front and center exhaust ports. '55s started at number V400001. I'll be what happened is somebody switched the passenger side head from another engine. The original head might have cracked. Heads are interchangable as far as I know, at they are on the later 394s. I can't explain why you're carb won't fit.

Paul

54 and 55 is the same and 56,57 and 58 are the same ..

well i ordered a rebuilt carb from Fusicks and when the machanic went to install it he could not fit it properly and the linguage was all wrong.. we called fusicks and they said thats the right one for a 55..so our mechanic went ahead and installed it but he had to make a few changes to get it to work..turns out it works great..then we sent the the carb {original} back for the refund {about $300..and they tell us the carb we sent back has some 55 and 56 parts on the carb and because they cannot use it we lose our $300.. that was bad enough..but now i want to order other parts for the engine and certainly do not want to end up with the wrong parts etc..so now i am totally unsure of the engine's year..and there was no ID number where you mentioned or anywhere.. thanks for your info though.

Liz

If I remember my Olds' correctly from my 50's and 60' hot rod days, the 49 thru 54 were 303 ci and the 54, 55 and 56 were 324 ci. The same engine with diffrerent bores. The 371 ci was in 57 and 58 and carried over into 59 when the 394 ci was introduced. The 371/394 is a different engine than the 303/324.

By Google search for Rochestrer carburator you can find which Rochester number fits which engine. I recently purchased a NOS Rochester 4 barrel and a Google search told me it fits a 55 Olds Super 88. It appears that there were slight differences from year to year and model to model.

The engine serial number is on the block, not the cylinder head. There is a flat machined pad on the left side of the block that is visible by looking down between the last two spark plugs and the cylinder head and exhaust manifold.

---*-----*------*------*---
V4000

You may have to wipe the area clean to read the stamped numbers. "8" heads are 1955. It seems to be pretty rare that any of the carbs still have the id tags attached making almost impossible to positively identify the year engine from which it came.

Picture of what you're looking for. (This is a '50 block and '55 heads)

Liz,

Why don't you email me photos of the engine and I'll post them for you.

Paul