Cummins Big Cam

79/80 that should be a BC1. I think the cooling system change was on the BC3 engines.

 

Early engines had id number stamped on block on a machined pad on left (intake side) front below the front head behind air compressor. Later blocks had it on the rear block machined pad below the rear head.
Should have BiG CAM cast in block on same side below the large cam followers. ( some early big cams did not have big cam cast in them. But by ‘79 they would have if it is original.
That number will tell you what it was originally assembled as. But being 40 plus years old it could have been overhauled to be anything in its lifetime.

 

That engine will have the high flow cooling and should also be higher oil pressure. Unless oil pump was changed to later low pressure during an overhaul. Low flow cooling did not come around till ‘84

 

Iam not a Cummins guy so Iam not gonna be of any help there .. but just a few things to think about since I fool around with 359s if that truck has been sitting and not had much done .. your gonna be a busy guy getting it road worthy and it's not gonna be cheap
I''am not even gonna talk you in or out of buying and I am not gonna begin to tell you want it costs just in parts
There's 2 members here that have done it and made Ytube videos you should watch them to know what your up against.. @ Easy Rider & @TwinStickPeterbilt
Maybe @wore out will speak up
But he like myself is a Cat guy but he knows 359s very too
Good luck on your endeavor

 

I am not a fan of Cummins but the 393 and 676 CPL are my favorite. I have no idea what your hopes or intentions are for the truck.....let me just say it’s a long hard expensive and very heartbreaking ride to bring one back from the edge of the grave. Getting it road worthy is kinda the easy part but it’s not easy. Once you get that much money in it it sucks to not make it nice.....there is the heart break and hard work. So many look nice at a glance but if you start digging then you see the the smoke and mirrors. Like @Catmando said I won’t try to persuade you but this is one time you may be better off leavin that thing where she is and wondering what mighta been

 

O yea that plate looks good but finding out it belongs on the motor that's in the truck now will take some digging into the numbers on the block that's in it now?