VIN, Engine casting no., casting day confusion - Pls. comment

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shopcarpro

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JAPAN
My Car
71 Mustang Mach 1 Convertible
[url=https://ibb.co/8bkXbfW][img]https://i.ibb.co/r39v3zC/topofloader-1.jpg[/img][/url]
Hi Everybdy, I need comment from knowledgeable members on this issue pls.. VIN of my Mach1 convert is 1F03F172881,,,,casting no. of the engine behind the starter motor is  D2AE-CA , casting date just below this casting no. is 3A15. What do you guys interpret from these actual data ?

My understanding was I had a 1971 convert with a 302. 

Now seems like the engine is a 351 but the year of casting 72 and date of casting 73 from the research done on net.  Below is one posting I found on net..  Your learned opinion is highly appreciated to resolve this issue.  Thanx all the same, in advance.

(PS: I believe I have read these no.s on block correctly, after taking several photos of them )

================

D = the decade made "70's"

2 = year produced

A = Ford or the Z= mustang

E = engine part

now after the dash is what makes a 2 bolt or 4 bolt main, since the 351c was only around for 4 years it makes it easy to read the codes:

-D = 2 BOLT MAIN

-C = 4 BOLT MAIN

-A = 4 BOLT MAIN

These codes tell you what you have so you don't have to drop the pan just to determine whether or not you have a 2 or 4 bolt main,I hope this helps you.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A 4 BOLT MAIN.



 
You may have a 351c, but the F in the vin says 302 originally installed in the car.

The 2 bolt and 4 bolt thing is not that easy. From what I know, the suffix, the part of the casting number after the dash, just tells you the casting version not the part number. The 4 bolt blocks were made from the same castings (same casting number), but would have a different part number or engineering number due to further machining, neither of which is on the block anywhere.

So, to sum up, there is the casting number (on the part), the part number (in the parts book by application, but not on the part) and the engineering number (which would be yet another number).

The casting number just tells you when a casting went into service. The date code could be months or years after that depending on how long they used that casting before revision (which would be a whole new casting number or a revised suffix).

Also, there are no Mach1 convertibles. Mach1's were strictly a package on the sportsroof fastback, but had a different body code than a regular sportsroof. Convertibles could be optioned to the point they are virtually the same, but the body code will be for a convertible and is different from Mach1 or sportsroof or coupe.

It's been posted elsewhere, but this site is a big help:

http://mustangtek.com/block/Block.html

 
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You may have a 351c, but the F in the vin says 302 originally installed in the car.

The 2 bolt and 4 bolt thing is not that easy. From what I know, the suffix, the part of the casting number after the dash, just tells you the casting version not the part number. The 4 bolt blocks were made from the same castings (same casting number), but would have a different part number or engineering number due to further machining, neither of which is on the block anywhere.

So, to sum up, there is the casting number (on the part), the part number (in the parts book by application, but not on the part) and the engineering number (which would be yet another number).

The casting number just tells you when a casting went into service. The date code could be months or years after that depending on how long they used that casting before revision (which would be a whole new casting number or a revised suffix).

Also, there are no Mach1 convertibles. Mach1's were strictly a package on the sportsroof fastback, but had a different body code than a regular sportsroof. Convertibles could be optioned to the point they are virtually the same, but the body code will be for a convertible and is different from Mach1 or sportsroof or coupe.

It's been posted elsewhere, but this site is a big help:

http://mustangtek.com/block/Block.html
Thanx, for taking the time and content. So, I should assume the engine is a 73 351C that went into the car on a later stage. The car also has a factory functional RAM AIR hood with pins. Also a later addition , I guess, as the car was not a dealer import and date of first reg. in Japan is 1989. Also got the Mach1 and convert part clear.

 
Detritus is correct, the letter(s) after the dash don't necessarily mean whether it is 2-bolt or 4-bolt for D1 blocks, but there are some that do indicate 4-bolt blocks. However, the D2AE-CA block is the Cobra Jet block and is a 4-bolt block. The D2AE-DA block is likely to be 2-bolt, but I believe some may have been 4-bolt.

Now, what pistons and heads do you have? Is there a partial VIN on the back of the driver's side, below the head? If so, your block came from a donor car, if not it was a replacement block. With that casting date, if it is a donor engine, it would have been in a 1973 car and came with dished pistons, but if rebuilt before being installed in your car, they could be anything.

The Cobra Jet heads, for 1973, would be low-compression open chamber small valve heads, the CJ intake would have been a spreadbore with a 4300D carburetor.

So, one question is answered, but generated more.

You can find some more information on casting numbers here:

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-casting-numbers-and-engine-codes?pid=203996#pid203996

 
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Detritus is correct, the letter(s) after the dash don't necessarily mean whether it is 2-bolt or 4-bolt for D1 blocks, but there are some that do indicate 4-bolt blocks. However, the D2AE-CA block is the Cobra Jet block and is a 4-bolt block. The D2AE-DA block is likely to be 2-bolt, but I believe some may have been 4-bolt.

Now, what pistons and heads do you have? Is there a partial VIN on the back of the driver's side, below the head? If so, your block came from a donor car, if not it was a replacement block. With that casting date, if it is a donor engine, it would have been in a 1973 car and came with dished pistons, but if rebuilt before being installed in your car, they could be anything.

The Cobra Jet heads, for 1973, would be low-compression open chamber small valve heads, the CJ intake would have been a spreadbore with a 4300D carburetor.

So, one question is answered, but generated more.

You can find some more information on casting numbers here:

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-casting-numbers-and-engine-codes?pid=203996#pid203996
Thanx Don C for taking the time to respond.  Content well noted.  Engine has a 2 barrel intake. As I wanted to order a rebuilt kit for the carb, Mike's Carbs told me the carb tab refers to a 351 engine.

That was the first time, I had a hint, perhaps, the engine could be a 351.  The Japanese reg. shows the engine capacity as 4.94 Ltr. (that is 302). LOL

 
Detritus is correct, the letter(s) after the dash don't necessarily mean whether it is 2-bolt or 4-bolt for D1 blocks, but there are some that do indicate 4-bolt blocks. However, the D2AE-CA block is the Cobra Jet block and is a 4-bolt block. The D2AE-DA block is likely to be 2-bolt, but I believe some may have been 4-bolt.

Now, what pistons and heads do you have? Is there a partial VIN on the back of the driver's side, below the head? If so, your block came from a donor car, if not it was a replacement block. With that casting date, if it is a donor engine, it would have been in a 1973 car and came with dished pistons, but if rebuilt before being installed in your car, they could be anything.

The Cobra Jet heads, for 1973, would be low-compression open chamber small valve heads, the CJ intake would have been a spreadbore with a 4300D carburetor.

So, one question is answered, but generated more.

You can find some more information on casting numbers here:

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-casting-numbers-and-engine-codes?pid=203996#pid203996
I would disagree a little here. The block in my 73 H code is a D2AE-CA with the vin on the block matching the vin on the car and it is a 2 bolt main, the casting date is 2K30 and car was produced May of 1973.

 
OK, thanks for that information, Jason. Previous research indicated the -CA block was used for Cobra Jets. I knew that for the most part the blocks were not specifically produced as 2 or 4 bolt blocks, all it takes is 4-bolt main caps and drilling and threading the extra sets of holes, so wondered at the time if that were correct. When I put together the lists of casting numbers I tried to verify all of them through at least two or three sources. I'll make that correction and post a new version.

 
I see on Mustangtek that they list the D2AE-CA block for both 2 bolt and 4 bolt. I currently have a 4 bolt CA being checked out.

I wonder if the CA block was used for both, but if a block is 4 bolt it may only be a CA?

 
Possibly, I have a -CA block sitting on the engine stand in my workshop that was a '72 Cobra Jet and also is a 4-bolt.
I have three D2AE-CA blocks all 2 bolt. Date codes 3D8 (mustang block), 3J8 (a 74 Torino block), and 3B12. CA blocks were both 2 and 4 bolt.

 
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