Plymouth Owners Club

General Category => Technical Discussion => Topic started by: jd2ksilver on July 21, 2013, 10:16:21 PM

Title: Little help with engine ID? Spitfire Head
Post by: jd2ksilver on July 21, 2013, 10:16:21 PM
Hello,

I just purchased a engine from a friend that came out of a early 60's Power Wagon.

Also, this engine was a replacement that his dad bought from Sears way back.
It has a Spitfire Head, although I know it may not have been original.  It is the long block.

Numbers as best I can read are;

This is where my P23 engine number is located, driver's side, front close to the head.
N258979CAL

Another number on the block, close to where the starter is;
1138129-5, I think this is the casting number.

Any help as to what size motor this is?  Everywhere I looked on the internet do not show a number starting with N,, but this letter I am sure of.
Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Little help with engine ID? Spitfire Head
Post by: jd2ksilver on July 22, 2013, 01:56:45 AM
I was able to use the casting number to find out it is a 251.  The rest is a mystery still.
Title: Re: Little help with engine ID? Spitfire Head
Post by: plym_46 on July 22, 2013, 11:56:14 AM
I believe that the N numbers started in 58 or 59 and continued into the 60 cor non military uses.  It was discussed a while back on the P15 D 24 board. You might want to look there and do a search for engine numbers.
Title: Re: Little help with engine ID? Spitfire Head
Post by: jd2ksilver on July 22, 2013, 12:04:41 PM
I'll take a look, thanks.
Title: Re: Little help with engine ID? Spitfire Head
Post by: TodFitch on July 23, 2013, 02:27:06 AM
Hi jd2ksilver,
Sorry, but I can't help with this question but I can let you know that your PM space on this web site is full so I could not respond there. :)
Title: Re: Little help with engine ID? Spitfire Head
Post by: jd2ksilver on July 23, 2013, 11:43:38 AM
Thanks anyway Todd, I was able to get help from two other sources.  Found out the engine stamp was issued from CA DMV.  See below

California DMV assigned the block a serial number when it was installed in a vehicle (Hence the CAL) since CA used engine SN as the VIN until the system was revamped in the mid 50s. My engine SN is N82205CAL. CA didn't allow restamping of the frame number on the replacement block because the old block may still be in service (Then you have two vehicles with the same VIN)


As for the PM box, I have only two messages in my box???????