Well, upon closer inspection, the number is actually G1496 (not a C at the beginning). The plate is not smooth...the texture feels the same as the adjoining areas. The stamping is not aligned very well. Can see any evidence of other numbers, looking carefully with a light and with enlarged photos.
But I now have info from the title records, which show a VIN of A3131693. Don't know where this came from but probably from an earlier title.
So my very uneducated question: If the engine is a replacement, why re-stamp it?
Jim Krejci