Hello, I am restoring a 1958 Oliver 550

[Bornfree1966]

I am restoring a 1958 550, of which this tractor was originally sold through the Goodison dealer here in Ontario Canada. My question is that the original engine block, verified by Floyd County, has 4 small rivet holes drilled into the oil dipstick side of the block, closer to the top of the block, about 3.5" long and 1 1/4" tall.
It looks as if there was or should be some sort of a label riveted on here, but I can't find yet any reference to this, hoping you'all have the answers!!
Thanks in advance, Chris

 

[tom upton]

Often a good engine rebuilder would affix a tag with the details of rebuild like undersize bearing journals.

 

[oliverkid]

I am restoring a 1958 550, of which this tractor was originally sold through the Goodison dealer here in Ontario Canada. My question is that the original engine block, verified by Floyd County, has 4 small rivet holes drilled into the oil dipstick side of the block, closer to the top of the block, about 3.5" long and 1 1/4" tall.
It looks as if there was or should be some sort of a label riveted on here, but I can't find yet any reference to this, hoping you'all have the answers!!
Thanks in advance, Chris

Waukesha used that same block for industrial applications. They would have had their own data plate fixed to the block using those rivet holes. Simple as that. Why some of the blocks got those holes drilled in them while others didn’t probably just came down to Oliver’s demand for finished engines at the time and Waukesha pulling from their own stock to keep Oliver fed.

 

[Bornfree1966]

Thank you for this info, I have been looking at any pic I could find of 550 engine blocks, but this makes perfect sense, and I very much appreciate the knowledge and sharing of info!
Cheers

 

[Bornfree1966]

Here are a few pictures that show others what I am looking at. Here are the drive pin holes and you can see in the water jacket area, the cast in material allowing these holes to be drilled and obviously not hit the water!!