Buick Engine Identification, Until 1952
Engine number location - 1935 on right side of crankcase. 1935-52 series 40, 50 on right side of engine near front. 1936-52 series 60, 70, 80, 90 on right side of engine near rear.
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| How to tell the big ones from the little ones?
You will notice on the images above, the 320 is on the left and the 263 is on the right. On the 320 the engine number boss is located towards the rear from the distributor and on the 263 the engine number boss is located towards the front from the distributor. You will also find that the 263 rocker cover is about 30 3/4" long and the 320 rocker cover is about 33 3/4" long. Unfortunately this makes it more difficult to squeeze a 320 into a 263 hole. That is why the big cars had 4 holes and extra hood length. |
| STARTING ENGINE NUMBERS (hyphens can be ignored) |
| 1935 |
40 |
4-2937408 |
1936 |
40 |
4-2995239 |
1937 |
40 |
4-3166225 |
| 50 |
5-2922072 |
60 |
6-3001000 |
60 |
6-3176225 |
| 60 |
6-2922072 |
80 |
5-3001000 |
80 |
8-3176225 |
| 90 |
9-2922072 |
90 |
9-3001000 |
90 |
9-3176225 |
| |
| 1938 |
40 |
4-3396937 |
1939 |
40 |
4-3572652 |
1940 |
40 |
4-3786214 |
| 60 |
6-3396937 |
60 |
6-3572652 |
50 |
5-3786214 |
| 80 |
8-3396937 |
80 |
8-3572652 |
60 |
6-3786214 |
| 90 |
9-3396937 |
90 |
9-3572652 |
70 |
7-3786214 |
| 80 |
8-3786214 |
| 90 |
9-3786214 |
| |
| 1941 |
40A |
4-4074859 |
1942 |
40A |
4-4457941-A |
1946 |
40 |
4558037-4 |
| 40B |
4-4074859 |
40 |
4-4457941 |
50 |
4558037-5 |
| 50 |
5-4074859 |
50 |
5-4457941 |
70 |
4558297 |
| 60 |
6-4085000 |
60 |
6-4457941 |
|
|
| 70 |
7-4085000 |
70 |
7-4457941 |
|
|
| 90 |
9-4085000 |
90 |
9-4457941 |
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|
1947 engine numbers continued from 1946
|
| 1948 |
40 |
4999881-4 |
1949 |
40 |
5220972-4 |
1950 |
40 |
5568000-4 |
| 50 |
4999881-5 |
50 |
5220972-5 |
50(std) |
5628758-5 |
| 70 |
4999881-7 |
70 |
5220972-7 |
50(dyn) |
5624734-5 |
| 70 |
5635021-7 |
| |
| 1951 |
40(std) |
6240128-4 |
1952 |
40(std) |
6646232-4 |
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| 40(dyn) |
6240100-4 |
40(dyn) |
6646230-4 |
|
|
| 50(std) |
6240564-5 |
50(std) |
6647024-5 |
|
|
| 50(dyn) |
6240100-5 |
50(dyn) |
6646230-5 |
|
|
| 70 |
6240161-7 |
70 |
6652000-7 |
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