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Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:54 pm

I have looked at 3 crankcases I have, a 50, a 53 and a 54. See pictures. Sorry for the picture size.

Does anyone know what the small numbers are for, the numbers in red circle.

-Tonny

Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:31 am

Hei Tonny! Just guessing - could it be some kind of "approved by" a controller at the factory? Didn't VW have quite stringent quality controls?

Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:42 pm

Tonny_Larsen wrote: I have looked at 3 crankcases I have, a 50, a 53 and a 54. See pictures. Sorry for the picture size.

Does anyone know what the small numbers are for, the numbers in red circle.

-Tonny

Both the '50 and dished-piston '54 cases have an "A" stamped to the right of the number. I understand the "A" was added when the engines were upgraded to 36hp (30hp DIN) with 77mm flat-top pistons. Were both these upgraded with 36hp pistons at some time (the early pistons were date-stamped with month and year).

I believe the small numbers are inspector stamps.

Sun Oct 15, 2006 7:18 am

janerick3 wrote: Tonny_Larsen wrote: I have looked at 3 crankcases I have, a 50, a 53 and a 54. See pictures. Sorry for the picture size.

Does anyone know what the small numbers are for, the numbers in red circle.

-Tonny

Both the '50 and dished-piston '54 cases have an "A" stamped to the right of the number. I understand the "A" was added when the engines were upgraded to 36hp (30hp DIN) with 77mm flat-top pistons. Were both these upgraded with 36hp pistons at some time (the early pistons were date-stamped with month and year).

I believe the small numbers are inspector stamps.

I don't know about the 30PS (20-0798277) I only have the crank case.
I can't se any data stamp on the 50 (20-0218942) pistons, but the cylinders is stamped 1953, and the pistons is size 74,95.

-Tonny

Sun Oct 15, 2006 9:06 am

Tonny_Larsen wrote: janerick3 wrote: Tonny_Larsen wrote: I have looked at 3 crankcases I have, a 50, a 53 and a 54. See pictures. Sorry for the picture size.

Does anyone know what the small numbers are for, the numbers in red circle.

-Tonny

Both the '50 and dished-piston '54 cases have an "A" stamped to the right of the number. I understand the "A" was added when the engines were upgraded to 36hp (30hp DIN) with 77mm flat-top pistons. Were both these upgraded with 36hp pistons at some time (the early pistons were date-stamped with month and year).

I believe the small numbers are inspector stamps.

I don't know about the 30PS (20-0798277) I only have the crank case.
I can't se any data stamp on the 50 (20-0218942) pistons, but the cylinders is stamped 1953, and the pistons is size 74,95.

-Tonny

That's good to know. At least we know that the '50 engine was rebuilt at the factory around 1953-54 as an 1131cc and the "A" stamp doesn't automatically assume an engine has a 77mm bore.

Sun Oct 15, 2006 9:55 am

janerick3 wrote: Tonny_Larsen wrote: janerick3 wrote: Tonny_Larsen wrote: I have looked at 3 crankcases I have, a 50, a 53 and a 54. See pictures. Sorry for the picture size.

Does anyone know what the small numbers are for, the numbers in red circle.

-Tonny

Both the '50 and dished-piston '54 cases have an "A" stamped to the right of the number. I understand the "A" was added when the engines were upgraded to 36hp (30hp DIN) with 77mm flat-top pistons. Were both these upgraded with 36hp pistons at some time (the early pistons were date-stamped with month and year).

I believe the small numbers are inspector stamps.

I don't know about the 30PS (20-0798277) I only have the crank case.
I can't se any data stamp on the 50 (20-0218942) pistons, but the cylinders is stamped 1953, and the pistons is size 74,95.

-Tonny

That's good to know. At least we know that the '50 engine was rebuilt at the factory around 1953-54 as an 1131cc and the "A" stamp doesn't automatically assume an engine has a 77mm bore.

I believe the 50 engine have been rebuild more than once. Se picture.

-Tonny

Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:19 pm

Hi,

I got two battered cases that appears to be NOS, but they have had a long life outside in nothern Europe. Case numbers are -20-444095- and
-20-0311519- how old are they?

Thanks for any help, Tomas in Sweden

Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:33 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/chassisdating.php
suggests
20-0311519 - June 51 - 25hp
20-444095 - June 52 - 25hp

Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:48 pm

I have same problem to identifie 25 case with 36h/ later parts in my early engine
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=250786