Question regarding numbers after NE57 on 392 Hemis

[Jamie242]

My father has two 392 engines and the numbers are:

NE57 12816 and NE57 8201

Does anybody know what the numbers stand for

Thanks for your time.

Jamie

[392heminut]

I believe they are some type of sequence or serial number.

[steve392]

The numbers are indeed serial numbers. I believe they started with 1001, and went up from there. Both are fairly low numbers. If you can get the total production numbers of the New Yorker for 1957, you could see where those engines fit in production-wise.
Also take a look at the casting date on the top side of the block next to the valley cover, it will give you the date the block was cast. I read somewhere that all of the 392's, both '57 & '58, were cast in the same year, at least the ones from the A-1 foundary. Don't know if this is a fact though...

Steve