1933 Buick 90 series engine and body numbers I.D.

[Joseph Colvett]

Hello to everyone..

I have a 90 series Club Sedan and wonder if the engine (2827342) is the one that came in the car. The serial number on the frame behind the right front wheel is (2674162).

I also have a complete power train from a 1933 90 series and that engine number is 2841271. Is there a way to verify that it is truly a 1933 90 series engine and  in what body style was it originally in?

[West Peterson]

Joseph

I will get back later with a full answer to your question.

[Joseph Colvett]

Thanks West..

Any information you can provide would be truly appreciated.

[Str8-8-Dave]

So I had a similar question about my 31 8-66S special coupe, the engine number was over 100,000 higher than the chassis number on the title.  Oh- by the way, the car had been the subject of a very slow body off restoration and bless their pea-pickin souls they lost the serial number tag.  I have a great mentor car buddy in GA, Dave39MD, who has an original 8-66S special coupe, I'm constantly bugging him for pictures as I try to complete the car.  I asked him if his engine number matched the chassis number and his is engine serial number is also over 100,000 higher than the chassis number.  I doubt if GM even has  records of engine numbers to chassis or job numbers so proving the engine that came with your car is actually the one it was born with might be hard.  That said don't be disappointed that the engine number is not the same as the serial number, it won't be on the early cars...

[Matt Harwood]

The frame number and engine number will not match and do not correspond to each other in any way. Some factory records may show the range of engine numbers built each year, so you can at least narrow down the year in which the engine was built, sometimes even the month. That is as close as you'll get to "matching numbers" on a car of this vintage. It's all academic anyway--as long as the engine is the correct type for the car, it should not have an effect on value. There are several members on this site who will be able to tell you about when your engine was built based on the engine number, hopefully they (or West) will supply an answer.

[West Peterson]

The Buick Heritage Alliance is capable of researching Buicks, especially prewar Buicks, "by the numbers." For the most part, original selling information is not available through them, but I believe their archive is the most extensive for researching. It is currently housed in the AACA Library & Research Center. If you contact the BHA, this is an example of the professional response that you would receive (this is an answer to the OP's original question):

 

Memorandum
Re: Engine and chassis numbers for a 1933 Buick Model 33-91 Club Sedan (138"
wheelbase), Fisher Style Number: 33102

You have asked me to research the following engine and chassis numbers for a 1933 Buick
Model 33-91 Club Sedan, as follows:
Engine number: 2827342
Chassis number: 2674162

You have also asked me to research Buick engine number 2841271.
For model year 1933, I am unable to research engine and chassis numbers by series or model. All
I am able to do is confirm whether a particular engine or chassis number was assigned to a 1933
Buick.
Engine numbers 2827342 and 2841271, and chassis number 2674162, are all 1933 Buick
numbers.

Beginning with the 1932 model year cars, definite blocks of numbers were no longer assigned to
the engines and chassis for each series and model. Unlike in previous years, beginning with the
1932 model year, engine and chassis numbers were assigned sequentially as they were
manufactured, regardless of series or model. With the production data presently in my
possession, I cannot identify engine and chassis numbers by series and model after 1931, only by
year.

The Buick Heritage Alliance is working on the preparation of a data base that will hopefully
enable us to research post-1932 engine and chassis numbers by series and model. Work on this
database is slowly proceeding, but the work is still far from complete.
I hope what little I am able to offer above is useful.
All the best.

http://www.buickheritagealliance.org/about/mission_and_history

[Joseph Colvett]

Thanks so much West

I was happy to get your response and the information you gave me is very helpful. I will follow up with the BHA for the research they are working on and any publication they might put together. Really glad to know the engine numbers I gave you are indeed 1933 numbers. Thanks again for you help!!!

[Davlet]

Not sure if anyone is documenting Numbers but Can share with few more 90 series 

 

[nzcarnerd]

Do the Buick engines of this era have casting dates on them? I have been involved with Pontiac, Chrysler and Studebaker engines from a few years earlier and they all have casting dates which help give a clue to where in the production year they originate. My 1965 Pontiac also has those clues. A late July ('64) casting date is reasonable for a first week of September build date. One thing odd with the '65 Pontiac is that it is not 'matching numbers' as it should be. The car is #824 off the South Gate line but the engine number is #821. I am fairly sure the engine has not been changed, certainly not in the 40+ years I have owned it.