I have a '68 Series 1.5 2+2 with an auto tranny. It’s a very original car with a believable 39k miles that runs and drives great, but, I’ve had a front seal leaking on the tranny for a few years. A few months ago it got significantly worse, so I decided it was time to remedy it. And while the engine was out, it made sense to go into it and check it out as well, freshening it as needed.
This weekend, I got around to taking the pistons out, and was very surprised to find the engine number written in pencil on both the #1 and #6 piston skirts. I’m wondering if anyone else has ever seen this? I never would have guessed that any pencil markings would have survived 52 years and 39k miles inside an engine block!
The good news is the bores look fantastic and everything mic’s to spec, so I’m just going to hone the cylinders, install some new rings, and buckle it back up. Although I do have some cleaning to do on the upper part of the pistons, I plan to preserve the pencil markings and leave them in there for the next guy!
Any day we can avoid removing metal, its a good day. For the numbers… crayon marks on GM firewalls ave survived 60 years…
Pencil on pistons… I’m not amazed. Pencil lead is graphite (carbon) and clay. Given that our cars take up the challenge and deposit carbon and dirt on just about every surface that moves, I’d find it odd if the pencil markings WEREN’T there.
Very cool find though. Part of the car’s history. Leave them.
My 1968 S1 1/2 OTS (1e17749) also showed the same markings. While installing my new Mahle pistons (using their recomendations for bore size) I added some notes on the them to my son who gets the car when I can’t drive anymore. I assume that he’ll be installing some new electric system at some point so the messages from Dad will probably go unread (sniff).
Bob
