Block date

[Brice]

Is it possible to date a block from the serial number? If so what might the number 98048 roughly indicate? 

Many thanks.

[Chris Garner]

October 1929

[Colin Morgan]

Quite a few blocks have a date case into them - mine carries the date 5th February 1937.

[Brice]

Thank you Chris, and Colin. I have another block with a 1929 date clearly marked on it, though nothing on this one. So the block numbering simply follows crankcase numbering?

[Parazine]

Where is the number you quote? On earlier (vintage) blocks, the engine number was stamped on the bottom lip of the valve chest. Intermediate blocks (1932 on?) carried no number but the late Ruby blocks (1937 on) had a platform in the casting above the water manifold, where the engine number was stamped. As has already been stated, engine number 98048 dated from October 1929, is this the number on your crankcase as well?

In all vintage engines, every major component carried the engine number. It makes spotting engines built from bits vs. those with all their original parts easy.

[Brice]

Exactly, bottom lip of the valve chest, and no it does not match the crankcase, far from it.
Thank you Parazine.