Buick 320 Straight-8 Identification

[Grant Z]

Can anyone confirm what year this engine number came from on a spare 320ci Straight-8 I purchased?

 

It came out of a 1948 Roadmaster, but I wish to be certain what year the engine is from. Please include your reference for the information.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Edited November 29 by Grant Z
More detail (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Grant, looks like a 1948.

  '48 numbers began with  4,999,881

  '49 numbers began with 5,220,977

 

  SO , 1948.

 

  Team Buick site has the charts I use,

 

  Ben

Edited November 29 by Ben Bruce aka First Born (see edit history)

[EmTee]

Doesn't the leading digit ("5") indicate the series, "50" in this case?

[Shootey]

If it’s a 320 it can’t be a 50 series. Also, there are 8 digits rather than 7. What does that mean?

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

3 hours ago, EmTee said:

Doesn't the leading digit ("5") indicate the series, "50" in this case?

 

     Not post war.    1946 and later the series digit migrated to the  LAST digit.

 

  Ben

[Shootey]

So the number 7 at the end means Roadmaster?

[1939_Buick]

3 hours ago, Shootey said:

So the number 7 at the end means Roadmaster?

70 series for this engine

At time the series pre fix (pre war)or suffix (post war) can lead to a little confusion. But other engine features like water pump or front engine mounts can identify.  Have seen photos where sometimes the stamping of the series can be a little different to the engine number.

https://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine_til_52.php

Edited November 29 by 1939_Buick (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

3 hours ago, Shootey said:

So the number 7 at the end means Roadmaster?

 

 Yes.     This is a 1948,  320CI engine.   Pre war,  a couple other series used the 320.    Post war, I believe, only the Roadmaster had the honor.

 

  Ben

 

 

[Grant Z]

On 11/29/2024 at 10:53 PM, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

Grant, looks like a 1948.

  '48 numbers began with  4,999,881

  '49 numbers began with 5,220,977

 

  SO , 1948.

 

  Team Buick site has the charts I use,

 

  Ben

Many thanks Ben, that is very helpful. On the chart on the Buicks.net website, does the "-7" at the end of the 70-series number range mean all numbers in that range end with a 7 (like mine)?

 

by the way, above you say "'49 numbers began with 5,220,977". Do you mean 5,220,972?

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

My mistake, Grant.     Yes, 5,220,972 , and of course , 7 for the series#.

 

 All series began with the same number sequence,  and ended with the series number.

 

  Ben

 

[Grant Z]

10 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

My mistake, Grant.     Yes, 5,220,972 , and of course , 7 for the series#.

 

 All series began with the same number sequence,  and ended with the series number.

 

  Ben

 

Thanks for clarifying my friend. You have been very helpful.