Almost a 1973 Q-code convertible owner

Hi guys,

I am about to buy a 1973 Q-code convertible! But I want to know first if the engine is 'matching' numbers. I would like to restore the whole car so a lot of money will be invested in it over the next couple of years.

The engine in the car has already been overhauled 11 years ago and is running perfectly. The owner only drove 10k with it since the overhaul. I would like to know if it is the correct engine for this car. The current owner has sent me some photo's from the overhaul yesterday with an engine code. I've read somewhere that a part of the vin should be somewhere on the left side on the back of the engine. The owner had a look yesterday and he couldn't see a 6 digit number anywhere.

Can anybody decode/ confirm it is the original engine based on the code on the photo's? According to the Marti report , the car was produced on the 3th of April 1973....

Thanks for your help or suggestions!

Those are casting codes, and not the partial vin. The VIN is stamped into a flat area, using tools much those used to stamp the VIN on your fender apron.

JD79, if the engine is the production installed engine, there will be a stamping in the left rear of the block just below where the cylinder head would set on the block. It would consist of a number for the model year, a letter for the assembly plant, and the consecutive serial number of the vehicle. So yours would start with 3F for 1973 and Dearborn, with the last six digits being the last six of the Vin.

If in the car it would be difficult but not impossible to do. A good light, mirror, and a clean rag, and maybe some spray cleaner if dealing with a dirty engine. Hopefully it will be stamped hard enough to be legible. One of my M codes was so lightly stamped it was hard to read even with the engine out of the car.

Hope everything checks out and you are able to "Close the Deal"!

The casting number is correct for your Q code, for a 4-bolt CJ block, and it looks like the date code is March 21, 1973, which would fit your manufacturing date.

The partial VIN is located on the back of the block, on the driver's side, right below the deck (head mating surface).

Like Midlife has said the casting numbers do not tell you anything. 2V and 4 V 2 bolt and 4 bolt main blocks have the same casting number since they were the same just machined for the 4 bolt mains.

If the L.H. head is removed go to the rear of the block just below the head deck surface. The numbers were stamped by hand with about a 3/8" tall stamp. It will be the last part of the VIN# and the numbers will not be in a neat even row and sometimes light. If there is not any number then the block is a replacement block sold over the counter at a Ford dealer. It could be stamped with any number which happens sometimes. Thought I had picture but on on old computer.

If it is a 4 speed it will be stamped on top of the transmission near surface that goes to bell housing. If an Auto it is stamped on top of transmission where the tail shaft meets up. The rear has no numbers, tag just telling what rear is in the car.

Where are all these Q codes coming from did they start making them again.

You can use a flashlight and shine the light across the flat area so that it creates shadows in the depressions that create the stamped numbers. You can, if you're good with a camera, take a pic of it while the engine is fully in the car. You kind of have to lay onto of the engine to do it but it is possible. I have done it several times.

Sometimes they cannot be read easily even with the engine out of the car.

Good luck.

As others have said, it is on the drivers side directly below where the back of the head meets the block. Here is a pic of what it will look like.

The transmission will also have a partial VIN stamped into it on the very top. You can't see this while in the car though. I have attached a pic of what it looks like also.

Thanks for the advise guys! Hopefully more news the coming week.... I'll keep you posted.

I had to declare the engine number here in Oz to get it registered. The only way I could see it is to put one of those extendable extension mirrors down behind the head and with that and a light wedged down there I was able to take a pic with my camera of the number and use software that to flip the picture so it could be viewed properly.

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I cleaned the area on the block and used either play dough or silly putty (I think both) and pressed it on the partial vin. Got the reverse imprint on the clay.

Thanks for the advise everyone. I have received a mobile phone recording from the owner yesterday. He managed to record the engine code by squeezing his mobile phone behind the engine. The code is 3F 209889 so it is matching with the VIN !

I will pick up the car up this week.... can't wait

Good deal that does add a lot of value to a true collector car. Now you have a long road ahead. Never throw anything away when you take it apart, tag and bag everything and lots of things are not available so keep everything.

Hi everyone! Here are the first photo's from my new car

The plan is to fully restore it. As you can see in the exterior photo's , it is not completely original anymore....

Congratulations! I saw your Marti report in the other post, and based on that and the pics, looks like you have a nice starting point.

Scott

Awesome! Congrats. Be sure to add a pist to the most awesome thread on the forum which is the Sound Off If You Have A Convertible.