O/T Chevy 350 block info needed

[GRQster]

Hey ya'll, my brother has a really cool '55 Chevy pickup with a SB 350 and he's looking to find out what from or what year the block came from. Here's what he wrote to me:
"This number is found on the passenger side front tab of the block VK021791. There is another number on the driver side back of the block GM 5.7LG. There are three other letters below this but I can"t make these out. Can you help me find out what year this engine is. Keep in mind I believe this is a vortec or at least has vortec heads, by the way that the valve covers and the intake manifold mount."

It is not fuel injected now and neither of us is up on identification of blocks and heads by sight like some of ya'll are.
Do the casting numbers shed any light on this?

Thanks,

[lomodyj]

Try this one:

http://www.mortec.com/

[dave]

Chevy SBC Vortec heads only have 4 bolts for the intake manifold. So that means a total of 8 bolt holes to the intake manifold. Older SBC fuel injection heads 1986 - 1995 have 6 bolts for the intake manifold. So that means a total of 12 bolt holes to the intake manifold for 1986 - 1995 fuel injected heads. The 1986 - 1995 fuel injection heads have the two center bolt holes drilled at 72 degrees. The 1955 - 1986 SBC intake manifold has the two center bolt holes drilled at 90 degrees. If the the intake manifold has 8 bolt holes the engine has Vortec heads. [img]images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
dave