[jeffschevelle]

Good find. I can't help on what it is worth, but am interested in the stamps (or lack thereof).

Has the block been decked? By 1969 any service replacement block should have a "CE" stamp up top.

The T079 stamp on the starter pad confirms it was a replacement fitted block (machined block with bearings installed and fitted pistons and rings with wrist pins included), or a "partial engine". Not a complete engine with intake and exhaust manifolds and all the tin.

The fitted block or partial engine stamp format in 66 and prior was T0123, which was easy to decode - January 23 in this example. But some time during the 67 model year (either at the beginning, or at least by 1/1/67) it changed to 017T format. I have seen suggestions that that means 017th day of the calendar year (with the only way to know the calendar year being based on the casting date). But I also have seen suggestions that it means January 67, with no exact day indicated. (Maybe they only built fitted blocks and partial engines on one day each month, so didn't need the day indicated in the stamp??). Unfortunately, every one I have ever seen made logical sense either way, until yours.

At some later point (probably when they started putting the CE stamp up top) the starter pad stamp changed to the T079 format like you have. I don't think that means July 9th, because these stamps (after 66) always have three digits and never four, so that would not work for July 10-31. (UNLESS they DID only build fitted blocks and partial engines on one day each month and it was always in the first 9 days?? That seems unlikely though.)

I also don't think in this case it would mean 079th day of the calendar year, since the casting date is E-23-9 which would be the 143rd day of 1969. I doubt that that block laid around at the Tonawanda plant unused until the 79th day of 1970 (2/19/1970).

So that makes me lean toward it just meaning July of 1969, with no exact day indicated. The CE stamp up top probably would have tied back to records at the plant to provide the exact assembly date if that were ever needed.