350 with a draft tube???
 

I recently bought a truck that has engine with a draft tube, when I ran the suffix code on the block "XA" it comes out to a 69 350, I thought draft tubes where gone by then.

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

Gonna need to see pictures. From Wiki:

"Positive crankcase ventilation was first factory-installed on a widespread basis by law on all new 1961-model cars first sold in California. The following year, New York required it. By 1964, most new cars sold in the U.S. were so equipped by voluntary industry action so as not to have to make multiple state-specific versions of vehicles. PCV quickly became standard equipment on all vehicles worldwide because of its benefits not only in emissions reduction but also in engine internal cleanliness and oil lifespan."

So, without pics, I'll conclude that you have a pre- '64 block.

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

I'll take a better pic of engine tomorrow.

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

We'll need a shot from directly overhead to see the road draft tube boss on the back of the block. All I'm seeing here is the distributor hole.

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

Looking at your block that is not the common 010 high nickel namesake number I see on the back.

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

The casting number looks to be closest to 3849852. which is a 1957 - 1966 283 ci.

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

That would explain the hose coming from the top of the block at the back.I can't exactly remember but I think the hose would go to the air cleaner,early form of PCV, had that on my 1967 Beaumont with 283

Re: 350 with a draft tube???
 

I missed the hose, yesterday- good catch! In the '60s in California, we started putting retrofit kits on the vehicles that came with road draft tubes. That's what you see there. We bored a hole in the air cleaner housing and routed the new hose from the new fitting in the back of the block. Then, since there were no openings in the valve covers, a hole was drilled in the filler neck tube and a PCV valve was put in line to the carburetor. In retrospect, that was not well thought out, because those carburetors were not calibrated for a PCV valve.