Topic: What came first, Block or heads and intake?

[13Outlaw]

Just curious if there was a sequence, my 428CJ is date coded with 8L Block and 8M heads and intake, so Nov-Dec. A motor I am about to buy is 8L Block and 8K heads and intake, so Nov and Oct. From what I'm told they are both original engines.

[sportyworty]

They may in fact both be original long block assemblies. The blocks and heads will have different batch dates and they can be cast before or after any given block selected for an assembly. There is no specific pattern of before or after. That being said if someone had a comprehensive list of batch dates a pattern may be detected. The problem with 69 is there were so many batches. For  example in 1968 I could share that very often the heads preceded the blocks due to 6 or so March batch dates and scarcity of April therefore the majority of April/May cars have March dated heads.

[Brian Conway]

My block is 8H and so are the heads with a 9 day spread after.  No intake but the bell housing w/dust shield and balancer are also 8H.  Brian

[13Outlaw]

Awesome guys, thanks for the input!