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Hmm, that is an interesting idea I hadn't thought of.  Is there a reason the date code on a CE motor would matter?  It seems like the CE motor would imply replacement due to breaking the orignial, this would surely happen after the car had been sold and driven for some length of time?

Hi, this is my first post here but you guys seem very knowledgable on these cars so here goes.

I have a '69 Z28/RS of which I am the 3rd owner.  I have owned it since '97, and my uncle owned it since ~1980 before me.  When my uncle purchased the vehicle from TX the block cracked in cold weather while being shipped up to Seattle.  He just threw it away .  This means there is no way I can ever build this car as "numbers matching".

I am aware of a few options so let me list my goals here first.
1. I am doing a resto of the body/paint/interior right now, but have already used some aftermarket body panels.
2. I intend to drive this car, not daily, but its not going to be a garage/trailer queen.  I will drive it on the street, and likely drive it hard now and again.
3. It will probably go to local shows, but I don't plan on "competeing" in shows.

So my question is about locating a 302 to put in this car.  I can build one from most any smallblock block and the correct crank/heads/cam and get basically the factory performance out of the engine.  This option wouldnt cost too much money as far as I can figure.  I was thinking it would be nice to get an original DZ motor though for that period authentic feel.  Since I cannot make it numbers matching (due to that block being cracked and long since thrown away).

1. Is there any more value in having the DZ motor as apposed to building a 302 from other parts?
2. Is there any more value in finding a correctly dated block, eg. Oct 69 like my car's build date vs Dec 68 (still a 69 model year DZ engine)?
3. Is there anything I am unaware of that I could do to make it as close to numbers matching as possible that would make it worth more as a package?

Thanks guys!