Atomic4 Serial Numbers by Year

[old-sailer]

A little history...
I have managed to find myself a lovely old 30 ft C&C sailboat. (I love the old boats and not interested in the new ones at all) Of course it has the venerable Atomic4 in it and I copied down the serial and model and sent it to Don to see if he could tell me the age, when made etc. He replied telling me what he could about my little girl that she's one of the last late model units made but he also told me he has never seen any log of the serial numbers relative to year of manufacture. Sooooo..... I went hunting.

Here's what I have come up with so far assembled from a number of web sites that have bits and pieces of information on the engine. I found one web site that had all kinds of info. and it's the basis for the list here and then I added other info from other sites I came across adding to it.

I hope this will be Ok with Moyer's to do this and publish it here. I will add to it as more information becomes available, and I simply offer it here for the benefit of all interested in this great old engine.



circa 1949: Serial #?
Zenith series 61-M2AE7 cast iron carburetor with adjustable main jet
Dole thermostat
Auto-lite ignition
Fairbanks Morse magneto (optional)
Auto-lite 6 volt starter
Auto-lite 6 volt generator
Prestolite distributor (1Gw60032E1X)
bronze gear water pump
old style heat exchanger kit (optional)
5 unit control panel with mechanical tachometer, mechanical oil pressure gauge, mechanical water temperature gauge

circa 1962: Serial #?
Jabsco rubber impellor water pump (available as a replacement)
Prestolite 12 volt starter
Leece Neville 12 volt alternator (optional)

circa 1963: Serial #68____
Prestolite 12 volt generator
Auto-lite 15 amp 12 volt generator (optional)
Delco Remy 24 amp 12 volt generator (optional)
Prestolite 35 amp 12 volt alternator (optional)
Prestolite 40 amp 12 volt alternator (optional)

circa 1964: Serial #71____
Ongaro - Teleflex electric control panel with electric tachometer (optional), electric oil pressure gauge, electric water temperature gauge

circa 1965: Serial #77____
"old" Sherwood (7 end cover screws) rubber impellor water pump

circa 1967: Serial #79476
new style cylinder head with thermost housing
Holley thermostat
new style Sendure heat exchanger kit (optional)
Medallion 6 unit control panel with electric tachometer (optional), electric oil pressure gauge, electric water temperature gauge

circa 1967: Serial #170509
Zenith series 68-7 alumininum alloy carburetor with fixed main jet
Delco Remy distributor (#1112446 - 2G11/6C16/3HI8)
Delco Remy 070FLX 12 volt coil
Delco Remy 1107679starter and new ring gear to fit
larger flywheel housing to fit new ring gear
Motorola 35 amp 12 volt alternator
Motorola 51 amp 12 volt alternator (optional)
Oberdorfer model 202M3 rubber impellor water pump (fitted to most engines)

circa 1967: Serial #171514
external valve chamber oil line no longer fitted

circa 1968: Serial #174340
Oberdorfer model 202M3 water pump standard

circa 1969: Serial #174802
new style valves (stamped "Eaton" or "Etn")

circa 1969: Serial #175503
new transmission housing, oil fill moved to front

circa 1970: Serial #176500
valve guide inner diameter revised to .3145 - .3150 in (new valve guide/valve stem clearance specification of .003 - .004 in to prevent valves sticking in guides)

circa 1972: Serial #178801
Paragon marine gear updated with new outer plate combined with pressure plate, and new wider metric gear carrier ball bearing

circa 1975: Serial #192787
new style deep flywheel housing and flat sheet metal cover

circa 1977: Serial #198___
new style electric instrument panel (electric tachometer optional)

circa 1979: Serial #202987
mechanical fuel pump replaced with Facet electric fuel pump and low oil pressure shut-off switch

circa 1980: Serial #204___
production stopped (sales continued to 1984)

[msmith10]

There are several of us with 1970's vintage C&C 30s that frequent this board. Mo and I have Mark I's. That's my 1977 on my avatar. Great boats and still outsailing most others. There are 3 vintage C&Cs at my club and the three of us just take turns passing the season winner trophy between us.
Requirements for boats then were different. Nowadays a manufacturer can't sell a boat unless it's got a king bed in an aft cabin, stand up shower separate from the head, etc.
Soon they'll be building boats that have more beam than length and can't go to windward because they only draw 2 feet.

[old-sailer]

Soon they'll be building boats that have more beam than length and can't go to windward because they only draw 2 feet.

Already have: it's called a Hunter

[sastanley]

old-sailer....there should be a date stamped on your block...it is in between the "slash tube" (breather hose from the crankcase) and the carb. It is in a 6 digit format...mine is 041376 (April 13, 1976.)

Without actually looking it up, I cannot recall my serial number, but it is in the 197xxx range, I think..

welcome to the forum -

[jpian0923]

Nice work old-sailer. Thanks

[ILikeRust]

old-sailer....there should be a date stamped on your block...it is in between the "slash tube" (breather hose from the crankcase) and the carb. It is in a 6 digit format...mine is 041376 (April 13, 1976.)

Without actually looking it up, I cannot recall my serial number, but it is in the 197xxx range, I think..

This is one thing I had meant to do while I had the engine out - check that number. I forgot to do so, of course.

But digging through all the pics I took of the engine during the disassembly and overhaul, I did find at least one in which I'm able to read the numbers.

There are two numbers on that side of the block on mine. Both are visible in this pic:



The lower one, which is bolder and more visible, is an integral part of the casting of the block itself, and I'm pretty sure it's the serial number. Comparing this to some of the other pics I also have of the block, I think it's 295369. Clearly not a date code.

The other number, which is either stamped into the casting or cast in using a removable insert in the mold, is lighter and not as strongly visible. It's also upside-down. That is the date code. From the pic, it appears to be 022880, or Feb. 28, 1980. That makes sense, because I know that the engine was sold and installed in my boat as a brand-new engine in 1983. The receipt was in the big wad of documents the previous owner transferred to me when I bought the boat.

[old-sailer]

old-sailer....there should be a date stamped on your block...it is in between the "slash tube" (breather hose from the crankcase) and the carb. It is in a 6 digit format...mine is 041376 (April 13, 1976.)

Without actually looking it up, I cannot recall my serial number, but it is in the 197xxx range, I think..

welcome to the forum -

I'll take a look and try to find this. But.. it's so tight in the engine bay I'm not sure I can see much of anything.

I should mention I'm 6' 2" and 300 lbs, old and stiff... (fat people like to sail too) not conducive to crawling around the engine. There was a redundant pump/water something on it and I just about killed myself crawling around to remove it. I got stuck in the hold trying adjust the stuffing box. My wife had to help me get out. I finally had to hire a mechanic to finish the job. crap....!!!

[ndutton]

Sounds like you might have a fresh water cooled engine - - sweet!

[ILikeRust]

There was a redundant pump/water something on it and I just about killed myself crawling around to remove it.

As Neil indicates, I wouldn't be so quick to assume it was a "redundant" water pump. If you had two water pumps, it likely is a fresh water cooled (FWC) engine, which is desirable. If it is, I would keep it that way.

[old-sailer]

As Neil indicates, I wouldn't be so quick to assume it was a "redundant" water pump. If you had two water pumps, it likely is a fresh water cooled (FWC) engine, which is desirable. If it is, I would keep it that way.

It's in Lake Ontario, so it's always a fresh water cooling engine.

The redundant unit was not connected and the hoses were rotten. I guess a previous owner had disconnected it. I just removed it. Hasn't been used in years by the look of it.

[ILikeRust]

It's in Lake Ontario, so it's always a fresh water cooling engine.

Well it's raw water, anyhow - but that's not the same as fresh water cooling. Better than brackish or salt water being used for cooling, sure, but you're still using ambient lake water, which will have organic matter and silt, etc.

In any case, on with the rebuild! With pictures, if you please.

So when ya startin'?

[old-sailer]

Well it's raw water, anyhow - but that's not the same as fresh water cooling. Better than brackish or salt water being used for cooling, sure, but you're still using ambient lake water, which will have organic matter and silt, etc.

In any case, on with the rebuild! With pictures, if you please.

So when ya startin'?

Yes.. I know what you mean. I was being glib.. the freshwater kit uses an antifreeze auto style system and an exchanger to cool the engine to prevent rust etc. The system was toast however.. and all metal and terribly heavy.

If I ever re-power it will be electric however. While so many swear by diesels I have a buddy with a Yanmar and no end of problems with it.. won't start, smells, sticking injectors, air lock in the cooling system and on and on, so not for me. I'll stay with the A4 until it dies.

[jpian0923]

A4s don't die!

[ronsue42c@gmail.com]

Serial number

looking for serial # on my Atomic 4 to register my 1960 Dyer Glamour Girl, (finally finished restoring her). Look online for serial# placement, find this:

http://blog.afloat.ca/2013/12/atomic-4-engine-identification-serial.html

Then look on here and find this thread...
Both engine in link, and pic on here have # 295369 ... same as mine !!??

Could that be? But in 1st thread here, there are no serial # beginning with 29.
So, what do you think? Coincidence, or are we looking at wrong #'s?

[ronsue42c@gmail.com]

Ok, after finding 3 engines online with same "serial #", I researched on here where exactly to find serial no. Yup, was looking in wrong place. got it now. thanks!