Identifing

[dab67]

 ???Is there anyway to tell if an engine is a 302,307,327 or 350 from the outside appearances? Or is it just by casting numbers and pad stampings?

dab67

[RAfbody]

If it is a complete engine, the flywheel flange on the back of the crank is different on each crank.  The stamp pad is the best indicator as to how the engine was originally built by Chevrolet. 

[JohnZ]

Block casting numbers, casting dates, and pad stampings have always been the only external means of determining an engine's original application (short of tearing it down to see the innards).