1920's Engine Numbers I.D.

[Guest Rods & Relics]

Hello everyone,

I have search around (maybe I'm looking in the wrong places) I am looking to I.D. a couple of Buick motors we have.

They belong to a customer who has said "sell them". Not much point doing that until I know what they are.

We are in the process of restoring a '26 Master 55 Sport Touring of which these came with it.

These motors do not match (though I did believe the Master Motor was correct until we needed some parts from it )

Any assistance would be muchly appreciated. (I have pics of the motors themselves if this would help.

CHEERS,

Rod.

[Guest Rods & Relics]

I may as well add the extra pics:

[1939_Buick]

From the BCA judging manual Rev 2

1926 standard engine numbers start at 1439500

1926 master engine numbers start at 1456915

1927 engine numbers start at 1691750

On that basis your 1484422 & 1567527 are 1926 Master. Do they both look the same ?

What is the number on the 1926 Master 55 Sport Touring ?

[Guest Rods & Relics]

Thanks,

No, the 1st number/motor is a "Standard" (no top water line in the head & a smaller block)

I'll have to check the number on the car we are restoring to see.

Thanks to Allan also for sending me an email with regards to this.

I am now confused :confused::confused::confused:

[sean1997]

I think that the numbers are like this:

1926 standard engine numbers are 1439500 to 1691749

1926 master engine numbers are 1456915 to 1691749

rather than this:

1926 standard engine numbers are 1439500 to 1456914

1926 master engine numbers are 1456915 to 1691749

The difference between 1439500 and 1456915 is only 17,415 and Buick built 115,308 standard series cars for 1926. So what that means is that the first standard series engine was given number 1439500 and the first master series engine was given number 1456915, but that the engine numbers are intermixed with each other. Any engine from 1439500 to 1456914 would be from a 1926 standard series. A better way to say it would be:

1926 engine numbers range from 1439500 to 1691749

That means that the engine serial number only tells you the year and that you need to look at the actual engine to determine if it is from a standard or master series. The standard should have a Marvel T-3 and the master a Marvel T-4. The standard should have a 3 1/8 inch bore and the master a 3 1/2 inch bore.

Edited May 19, 2013 by sean1997 (see edit history)

[Guest 1922 Buick]

[That means that the engine serial number only tells you the year and that you need to look at the actual engine to determine if it is from a standard or master series.] Not necessarily true, Buick assigned engine numbers in blocks of numbers.

The engine #1567524 is definitely a Standard engine. 1926 Standard engine serial numbers started with 1439500 and ended with 1691745. Engine #1567524 was assigned in the fifth block of engine numbers, ranging from 1549687-1570586, mid-production. There were ten blocks assigned for Standard engines and two individual numbers assigned #1691738 and 1691745.

As for engine #1484422 it is definitely a Master engine. 1926 Master engine serial numbers started with 1456915 and ended with 1691749. Engine #1484422 was assigned in the second block of engine numbers, ranging from 1483884-1501560, early production. There were eleven blocks assigned for Master engines and two individual numbers assigned 1691748 and 1691749. Source: Buick Motor Division Car & Engine Data. I hope this helps you out.

1922 Buick

Jeff Kearney

Edited May 19, 2013 by 1922 Buick (see edit history)

[sean1997]

You are indeed correct Jeff. Buick assigned engine numbers in blocks and if one happens to know what those blocks are you can determine which ones were assigned to the standard or master series, but without this information the engine serial number only gives the year. Do you know if this information from the Buick Motor Division Car & Engine Data is published somewhere so the rest of us can see it?

[Guest Rods & Relics]

Thanks Jeff & Sean.

I spose this means I need to get the number on the car we are working on to make sure, it is what it is.

As mentioned, many of the motor parts from the spare Master Engine, do not fit it.

(I got snowed under today & forgot to write the number down........... I'll be back!)

[ROD W]

As you said one is a master and one is a standard. They are both 1926 as they both have separate starter and generators, and solid engine mounts, 1924 and 1925 had combined starter/generator. and 1927 had rubber engine mounts. If no parts fit from that 26 master motor maybe the car you are doing up is not a 26. Possibly a 25, because 25 and 26 engine parts are not inter changeable. 1924 has a square intake manifold where as 25, 26 and 27 have round intake manifolds. Hope this helps.

Rod W

Edited May 20, 2013 by ROD W (see edit history)

[Guest Rods & Relics]

As you said one is a master and one is a standard. They are both 1926 as they both have separate starter and generators, and solid engine mounts, 1924 and 1925 had combined starter/generator. and 1927 had rubber engine mounts. If no parts fit from that 26 master motor maybe the car you are doing up is not a 26. Possibly a 25, because 25 and 26 engine parts are not inter changeable. 1924 has a square intake manifold where as 25, 26 and 27 have round intake manifolds. Hope this helps.

Rod W

Thanks for the info!

(you must be a god bloke with a name like yours;))

Yes, a number check of the other engine will confirm what year it is (mean time I had better post these to engines for sale........... I NEED the room!)

[Guest morerevsm3]

Thanks to Allan also for sending me an email with regards to this.

I am now confused :confused::confused::confused:

no worries, hopefully you can get to the bottom of it all