[MikeK]

The foundry trademark (today "Logo") on the block is definitely a stylized union of two Cyrillic letters, possibly producing a digraph or trigraph somewhat unrelated in pronunciation to the letters themselves. Cyrillic divides into general categories of Slavic, Non-Slavic, and now seldom found ancient Cyrillic letter symbols.

In 1929 Ford signed a contract with Russia/ Soviets/ Stalin to assist in construction of the Nizhny Novgorod automotive plant. Initial production started 1/1/32 and it was NOT "GAZ". The Ford oval was displayed at the plant, which initially was Nizhegorodsky Avtomobilny Zavod. Their 'logo' was NAZ.


It was not until a year later that the general Russian area known as 'Gorky" was more prominently incorporated into the name and logo, replacing Nizhegorodsky with the simplified Gorkovsky, thus the change from NAZ to GAZ.

Now, looking at general handwritten and stylized Cyrillic script of both Slavic and ancient origins (WAY more complicated than any printed Cryillic alphabet chart) and adding the early NAZ rather than GAZ to the mix quite a few possibilitys present themselves.

Adding to evidence linking it to production at that particular plant, I fall back on my own past when I ran two foundries and produced a lot of cored castings requiring something known as 'chaplets' to support and position sand cores. Ford/ Rouge 'A' blocks used two spiked chaplets with a small flange to support the water jacket core. The remaining external marks appear as small bumps several inches left and right of the serial number pad on the block.

Chaplets are sourced locally from a multitude of suppliers and sometimes fabricated in-house. It would be unlikely, as well as irresponsible from a manufacturing point of view to extend that much detail specifics to a consumable part used in casting production. This block shows that decidedly different head style chaplets were used, leaving approximately Nickel sized (5 cent piece) marks with no sign of a locator spike. That style of chaplet has also appeared on later GAZ block castings.

Also prominent on that block are a large impressed "25" and "65". Not a single 2565, they are separate impressions. These were likely made by two stamped zinc tags placed upon ram-up. This would be a common track method for early production run. Of note here is the unstamped serial number pad, correct in detail, likely the result of the Russian plant using a block pattern produced in the Ford Rouge pattern-making shop.

Leaving fewer stones unturned, I also looked into possible production that may have appeared in Poland (again, Slavic) when GAZ licensed use and production of their vehicles in the early post-WWII years. The 'A' engine was not part of the deal, likely due to Ford licensing entanglements, so that possibility is eliminated.

I believe that engine was one of the early Russian NAZ production. Of course that is only my guess, and you can throw it in the pile with the rest of the speculations. How it got to France is a whole 'nother question.