Hello all!

Does anybody here have a 1978 Monte with the original 305 and 4-speed manual transmission ? If so, I am looking to verify that the engine in my Monte is indeed the original 305 from the factory; my VIN decoded to a ‘78 Monte that came with the 305 engine, so I want to make sure that the 305 I have is original.

The casting number on my block is 460777, which I know to be a 305 cast between 1976 and 1979. (Mine was cast Dec. 6, 1977). So the casting number and the casting date both check out for the car. The pad number is what doesn’t make sense to me.

The pad on the passenger front side of my engine block is stamped with T0301C4D and a portion of my Monte’s VIN. So I know that my engine was assembled on March 1 in Tonawanda, NY. I referenced The Lime Book, page 28 (link attached at the bottom), to learn that the C4D suffix was used in 1978 to signify a 305 engine with a 2-barrel carburetor installed in Monte Carlos and Malibus. So far, everything checks out; my Monte has is a 305 and has a 2-barrel carb. What concerns me is the note on that entry which says those engines were paired with a TH350 automatic transmission.

Does anybody know if the C4D engine suffix could have been stamped on engines paired with the 4-speed manual? I know those cars are extremely rare, which is why my grandfather kept it (I recently inherited the car from my late grandfather). My grandfather told me once that he got in touch with the original owner (my grandpa was the third owner and I am the fourth) who said everything was original. So all of the evidence besides the C4D suffix stamped on the pad tells me I have a numbers-matching car. I am just one of those folks who loves to be double, triple sure of things.

Thanks for any advice!

http://www.camaros.org/pdf/LimeBook.pdf