Hello, I'm new to this forum, I currently have a 1975 cutlass with a 350. I'm interested in swapping motors to a 455. I found one for sale for 400 bucks, its a complete motor. The seller dosent know what it came out of or how many miles are on it, he wasn't able to find any casting numbers on the block but this is some info he was able to give me. Block and intake are painted gold, there are points in the distributor, the letters AA were cast into the intake, the heads had a casting number of 147, and the left exhaust manifold had a casting number of 380145. I am just wanting to make sure this is an oldsmobile 455, I don't have a ton of knowledge on motors. Does anyone know where the casting number would be located on the block? Thank you for your help

 

Theres ,#
Have him take pics, post them.
1, above water pump housing

 

You can't always count on the color as it may have been repainted. Those numbers don't sound familiar to me, but here's an old thread with photos for you to know where to look. Let us know if you still have questions. John


https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...engines-13691/

 

Also what is the big letters on the head by the #1 and #8 spark plug? If it is a number, it is probably a SB Olds. If you can pull the pan, do it. There are many more 455's with wasted bottom ends than the 350's, consider it a core until some caps are pulled.

 

Block casting number is 156CFD

 

Wrong number

 

395558 2. Turns out its a 350.

 

Check on the driver's side head, up by the first spark plug, should be a letter cast into the head to lower left of the first spark plug

 

That block casting number was used from 1968-1976, so you need to check the head number in the location said above (small blocks have number heads, big blocks have letter heads) to narrow down the year. If it has #8 heads, it's essentially the same engine in your car.