Topic: 390 Engine/trans Dating

[carguytroy]

Hi all, I’m in the process of acquiring a 1967 S code convertible. The current owner says he has the engine and trans for the car, however he did buy it with the engine and trans out of the car. Say that it is not the original engine/trans. What are the options for getting the right dated set up? And where and what codes would I be looking for? The car has a build date of 7/12/1967 according to the Marti report he sent me. 

[J_Speegle]

Hi all, I’m in the process of acquiring a 1967 S code convertible. The current owner says he has the engine and trans for the car, however he did buy it with the engine and trans out of the car. Say that it is not the original engine/trans. What are the options for getting the right dated set up? And where and what codes would I be looking for? The car has a build date of 7/12/1967 according to the Marti report he sent me.

Each cast piece (ex heads, block, intake exhaust manifolds...)  that makes up the engine will have a casting date and the stamped steel items (valve covers and often oil pan) will have dates also.  Carburetor as well as distributors will have dates also. Many of these are shown as well as how to decode them in an article you will find in the Library of this site. Items such as distributors and carbs are different depending on the specific application so these items from another engine/car may not be correct for your application so check those identification numbers also.

Your options are identifying and locating if not the engine you have an alternative one with dates that would be similar to what your car likely had originally.  Since it doesn't sound like the PO had the original that is the best you can do at this point unless something really really happens and somehow the original engine and trans pops up.

[carguytroy]

So would any FE engine block with the correct date code before the build date(within a couple of months) be considered “matching”? I know that all say 352 on them. The one he has and sent pictures of has a date code, but I haven’t seen a casting number as of yet. Date code i believe is B5? It’s hard to tell from the pic. There could be a number or a symbol of some sort in front of the B. I will have the engine, trans etc later this week or first of next week. I have possession of the body shell, title, doors etc.

[J_Speegle]

So would any FE engine block with the correct date code before the build date(within a couple of months) be considered “matching”? ..................

There is no common (that I am aware of) definition of "matching numbers".

Since your year and engine did not normally carry the car's VIN it would be left up to interpretation of course if asked or if selling the honest thing to do it to offer that the engine is not original to the car

[carguytroy]

There is no common (that I am aware of) definition of "matching numbers".

Since your year and engine did not normally carry the car's VIN it would be left up to interpretation of course if asked or if selling the honest thing to do it to offer that the engine is not original to the car

Which I would definitely disclose that. I am in the car business and fully understand original vs non original, titling issues etc. But for the purpose of getting the car as close as possible to what it was originally is this the correct course to take? Meaning finding a block that is date coded correctly as well as other parts(intake manifolds, etc). How have some of you other folks gone about this? I know this is pretty common place, but every other car I’ve purchased has either been all original and in one piece or was more of a modified vehicle.  Other than classified ads where are some places to look for an engine or block? Most of the salvage yards just have newer vehicles now days.

[J_Speegle]

Which I would definitely disclose that. I am in the car business and fully understand original vs non original, titling issues etc. But for the purpose of getting the car as close as possible to what it was originally is this the correct course to take?

Yes it is your best IMHO and only choice at this point in restoring a car as close as possible in this given situation

Allot of searching and luck. A friend just recently was looking for a couple of dated engines. Ford a guy pretty close to him that said he had a couple of particular difficult to find engines and he would check their dates.

Called back in a week or so - and he informed my friend that he had checked his engines and to his surprised that he had two blocks with the two dates (within days) of what he was looking for. When the friend as how long it took him to go through all his engines to find these two? The guy reported - not long, I only had two blocks.

Now that's not going to happen like that everyday


Always rather be lucky   

[carguytroy]

Will this work for me? Looks to be a casting number of C7ME? I don't know how the date codes work yet but heres a pic of the dating number and the date code

[J_Speegle]

Think you need to adjust the resolution and size of your linked pictures so that we can see them.  I use 6 1/2" x 6" at 123 dpi for a really big picture on my 26" monitor display

[carguytroy]

Lets Try that instead Sorry they were so big

[J_Speegle]

Will this work for me? Looks to be a casting number of C7ME? I don't know how the date codes work yet but heres a pic of the dating number and the date code

Much much better

There is a large article in the sites Library that covers allot of the dating info that you might want to find and read or at least be aware of it for when the time arises



7L10 =  Year-Month-Day of Month

So it looks like it was likely a block used in a Ford product in maybe Dec 67 - Jan 68 or so

Might want to check for the car's VIN stamped into the block.  Though depending on car assembly plant it sometimes ended up elsewhere 

[carguytroy]

Not that I am going to use it but the guy wants 150.00 for it. Says it’s been magnafluxed and it’s all good. Is it worth that to save it in case someone else needs it?

[J_Speegle]

Not that I am going to use it but the guy wants 150.00 for it. Says it’s been magnafluxed and it’s all good. Is it worth that to save it in case someone else needs it?

Buying it in hopes you will find a home for it?  Noble cause but these are heavy, prone to rusting, hard to store parts - take up some room.  Then you'll be looking for someone looking for that exact time and year period like you. If you already had it I think my choice would be different than if I were considering putting the money in something I don't need or can use unless you want to use it in your car.

Just my look at the situation - others will likely choose differently

[drock]

I recently did what you are talking about. I was able to find a 390 block and intake on local craigslist, locate a set of heads by Search Tempest (national Craigslist), and a want ad on FE forum got me the rest of the engine parts. All within 2 months of my build date.

[carguytroy]

I recently did what you are talking about. I was able to find a 390 block and intake on local craigslist, locate a set of heads by Search Tempest (national Craigslist), and a want ad on FE forum got me the rest of the engine parts. All within 2 months of my build date.

Cool. That helps. I’ll check out Search Tempest and keep sniffing around on the local classifieds. There’s a few things I see on eBay that look interesting too.