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Thread: 300 Engine Block decode?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    300 Engine Block decode?

    I have an opportunity to get a real 300 to rebuild for my 64 Special. However, it is advertised as a 300 Nail Head which I don't believe is possible. The seller gave me the block casting number 5D10039 which I a m unable to decode using the website. Does this appear to b a real casting number for 300? If so, is it a 300? He sys it' from a LeSabre.... Thanks...

  2. #2
    That looks more like the partial vin number from the car stamped on the front of the engine: 5 for 1965, D for Atlanta GA assembly plant followed by the 6 digit (missing 1) series number in the line. There was no 300 Nailhead, but people often mix them in because of the vertical valve covers.
    Steve B.



    67 GS 525 Buick Stage IV
    66 GS Convertible
    65 GS HT
    63 Riv
    02 Subaru WRX Turbo
    03 Ford Cobra Convertible (Factory Supercharged)

  3. #3
    There was no 300 Nailhead, but people often mix them in because of the vertical valve covers.


    this.

    people often refer to the 300 / 340 ( as well as the 1961-63 215ci which preceded them ) as "Mini Nailheads". the Buick small block family ( 215 / 300 / 340 / 350v8 and 90* v6s such as the 231 / 225 / 252ci ) shares nothing with the Nailhead design. if you examine them closely, you'll note that not even the valve covers are very much alike.

    easy way to tell them apart is the distributor location. a true Nailhead has the distributor at the back of the block next to the firewall, a small block has the distributor at the front like a Buick big block or Ford.

    you can also see by inspecting the BOTTOM of the valve covers. if the top of the head is parallel to the ground it's a real Nail. if the top of the head is angled with relation to the ground, like a normal v8, it's a small block.

    something to keep in mind, 4 barrel intakes for the 300 are pretty rare. they were only available in two years with the 1964 engines having aluminum intakes and heads and the 1965 engines being entirely cast iron. the aluminum pieces have narrower intake passages so you don't want to put a cast iron intake on top of aluminum heads. that would give you a reversion step at the intake/head transition and REALLY choke flow off.

    there's been a couple of 300s that got built with a 340 / 350 crank ( same stroke ). this gives you the slightly less weight and lower CG of the mid-deck 300ci block with the displacement of the tall-deck 340.
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