How old is this engine???

[B Blunt]

Can someone tell me what year my Model B Chris Craft 4-cylinder engine was built by the engine number?

The engine number is.......3705

Also where are the typical places Chris Craft stamped hull numbers on Prewar runabouts? I can't find any...

[charlesquimby]

My '39 16' Special Race Boat "Miss Miami V" had numbers stamped into: Both engine stringers on the top adjacent to the aft mounts, both engine hatch cover frames and jumpseat hatch frame, back side of foot rest, and on the top of the bottom stern frame adjacent to the rudder box. They are also found on the keel near the propshaft stuffing box. Many times they have been painted over so much that the paint has acted like a filler. If you are re painting these areas, sometimes a wipe with laquer thinner will bring the numbers up, but only momentarily... CQ

[jim g]

The mariners museum has a master list of engine numbers. They will tell you what hull the engine was put in. Thus you would find out what year the engine is. Hercules usually casted dates into the castings. A 3700 series number is going to be a early to mid 30's motor.

Also on the early B motors there was a lightweight and heavyweight flywheel and a hot and cold exhaust manifold. These to differences depended on if the engine went in a cruiser or runabout.

If the boat was used into the 50's or 60's. Most of the B blocks were replaced by new short blocks from Chris Craft. The B series used babbitt bearings for the mains until the late 40's.

Attached is a picture of the casting date in a B block that came out of a 1937 runabout. As you can see the date is 1952. All of the other parts are dated 1937.