My Hollander xref book shows it to be a 1940. Check the casting numbers again to see if it might be  K-1-0 .

Block casting 839132 was used for the 216 c.i. engines in 1940 Chevrolet cars and trucks.

The date code K 1 6 seems inconsistent as the last number (6) indicates the year the casting was produced.  1936 is not possible and 1946 is very unlikely unless a small run of service blocks were made.  For reference, the 1940 engine used a cylinder head casting #838773.

You might want to check again as a 9 would be consistent with a late 1939 production for the 1940 MY.  Perhaps you read it upside down?

Your engine casting number makes it a 1940 engine. Your casting date indicates that it was cast in 1946. It is possible that it was cast as a replacement engine to be sold over the counter. It is interesting that it is still shown as a "one year only" replacement engine in the 1949 Master Parts Catalog.

As Steve mentioned in the previous post, if the 6 in your cast date is, in fact, a 0, then it makes perfect sense.

Mike

I agree that is is a 1940 Chevrolet casting number.

The last number of the date code is more likely to be a 9 (1939 calendar year production for the 1940 MY) as K is late in the calendar year.  I don't know if "I" was used for the month count, but "K" would indicate either October or November production.

For reference, the 1940 engine originally used a head casting #838773.

Checked all numbers again.

The 6 in the casting date is definitely a 6.

The cylinder head casting numbers are 838773 with F-19-5 in smaller characters above.

The casting date on your cylinder head translates to F = June, 19 = 19th of June, 5 (in your case) = 1945. The casting number is appropriate for the 1937-1940 cylinder head. These early 216 engines had dome pistons. When the piston was changed, in 1941, to a flat top design, the cylinder head was changed to create a desirable compression ratio. I don't believe the late head can be used with the dome pistons.

Mike

So back to the engine block number:  K 1 6

Definitely a 6 and not a 0.  Casting 839132.  

What year is this engine?

@bert-askes Despite what the casting date code looks like the numbers are correct for a 1940 engine. Perhaps the date casting digits are simply a poor casting situation. To verify further if you can get piston and connecting rod numbers it would perhaps confirm that it indeed a 1940.

The block obviously was a later casting of a 1940 engine block. It happened when replacement castings were needed to fulfill parts system needs. The foundry dusted off the masters with the original casting number and added to actual casting date to confirm to their standard practice.

The original block installed in a 1940 vehicle would also have a stamped number in a machined pad near the distributor.  I believe this was stamped at the engine assembly plant and there is a range of numbers used for the 1940 model year.

Factory replacement blocks had "blank" pads and they could be stamped with the original serial number by the shop installing the replacement.  Many were not stamped or stamped with a different number.  Do you have a stamped serial number on your block?   It may give a clue to the history.