Just Exactly Which 351 C Is This Block

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Ok, hope someone knows exactly what is up.

I have been looking for a good std. bore 351 4 bolt block to build for my 72 CJ vert Q code build this winter. I have the built engine that came with the car never ran and all new but I do not trust it and it is 2 bolt. He didn't put screw in studs either and I have a pair of CC 1970 heads for the build also.

Found this one and he sent me picture to verify 4 bolt and the casting number is not in the mustangtek web page. You can see the number has no year in it and it is D AE CA with a date code of 3 J 11 which I think is 1973 September 11. Remember Ford does not count the I in the months.

The mustangtek page lists the D2AE-CA as the 72-73 2 bolt main mustang & torino and D2AE-CA as the 72 CJ and HO 4 bolt block mustang and torino.

Can anyone shed any light and what do these go for now?

With a service block you can put your VIN on to make it look real, lol.

 

[mjlan]

It's not possible that Ford was still casting Cleveland blocks in 1983 is it? That seems very unlikely. Unless its an Aussie block?

There is a D2AE-CA block on the site you referenced with a date code of what looks like 3D11, which is April 11, 1973. Maybe they dropped the '2' out of the core to indicate that they were into the second decade of casting?

I don't have any other theories. Maybe the '2' fell out of the mold.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I was told by the owner that the number like this was for service blocks. I could not see them having a different number would be difficult to keep separate from the regular production ones. Any thoughts on the price?

I am also looking at a complete 73 Mach 1 Q code might buy and just part out to get the engine. Not a bad car but I do not need another project.

 

[Hemikiller]

I'd call that a D2AE block. IIRC, Ford used the same casting # for both the 2 bolt and 4 bolt blocks of this vintage, they were just machined differently. No difference in strength either way.

IMO, if you don't trust the engine you currently have, I'd bring the short block to a machine shop and have it inspected. Probably a lot cheaper than buying an unknown used engine, that could turn out to be junk.

 

[mjlan]

I struggle buying used engines because its so difficult to assess condition without completely disassembling it and taking it to a machine shop ( as was stated).

And David, I'm a horrible guy to ask about market values! If its a standard bore 4 bolt main block with iron 4V heads complete with all the tins in good shape I would say $750 is the highest I would go.

Standard bore Cleveland blocks aren't that plentiful, the 4-bolt mains bump up the value quite a bit!

 

[rackerm]

David,

Based on the information I read, D2AE - CA is a 1971 or 351 H.O. 4 bolt. Part Number D1ZZ-A or D3ZZ-A. I am guessing the latter based on the 3 J 11.

The 3 J 11 - Sept 11 1973 would indicate that it was possibly a service block or from some other model. Is there a full VIN on the block that might give you an indication if it was for a particular car, when and where, or if it was a service replacement. for example, I have two blocks with the following....



From what I have read Australian Block castings begin with "EX"

 

[midlife]

"From what I have read Australian Block castings begin with "EX" "

That makes sense...but the casting numbers should be upside down as well.

Excuse me while I go hide under the desk 'cause I think there may be incoming...

 

[rackerm]

"From what I have read Australian Block castings begin with "EX" "

That makes sense...but the casting numbers should be upside down as well.  

Excuse me while I go hide under the desk 'cause I think there may be incoming...

Davids block casting picture is upside down. Does that count?

 

[Don C]

I don't believe the Australian blocks have the typical Ford casting numbers.

 

[Stanglover]

David,

Based on the information I read, D2AE - CA is a 1971 or 351 H.O.  4 bolt. Part Number D1ZZ-A or D3ZZ-A.  I am guessing the latter based on the 3 J 11.

The 3 J 11 - Sept 11 1973 would indicate that it was possibly a service block or from some other model. Is there a full VIN on the block that might give you an indication if it was for a particular car, when and where, or if it was a service replacement. for example, I have two blocks with the following....



From what I have read Australian Block castings begin with "EX"

I had a spare block I picked up for a C note. The VIN on it was 1F5XXXXX. I posted this on here and it was confirmed as a Cougar block. Turned out to have been cracked and welded on the outside water jacket, so I gave it away, didn't want or need to spend the 400 bucks to get it tested.

 

[Hemikiller]

Mercury VIN consecutive unit numbers do start with a "5"

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

He came back and sent pic of another he has the is DOAE-L I have asked for the VIN# on it might be a Boss block? Hey this one got cast upside down also. I will share the VIN# in case someone has the car it came from.

On not trusting the build of the engine I have. It is a two bolt block and when I went to get the car he had the oil pan off and had taken to get it glass bead blasted. You never glass bead blast anything for an engine. You can never get all the beads out. Shot peen yes but glass NO. He I think told me it was a .577 lift cam he installed and he did not change the pressed in studs. When I build an engine I go to one of the NASCAR shops in the area during the winter when they are slow and they will work me in and do not charge a fortune either. I use to WKA kart race with one of them so he helps me some. I also worked in racing shop back in the 60's and 70's so I have no issue with checking the engine out. Just want to build one to take to the strip when done so it will probably have 13 - 1 or better compression. This car will be my last toy to play with, lol.

 

[Stanglover]

David, mine is cast the same way, looks upside down! a D0EA-L  block could be ordered 4 bolts I told, so no way of knowing if it was a  Boss block and apparently not all boss block were D1ZXX-X either. As I've said before Ford did weird things back then.

Good luck finding a block.

 

[rackerm]

Here are two sources for Block data... They appear to be fairly consistent with each other.

 

[rackerm]

David,

Based on the information I read, D2AE - CA is a 1971 or 351 H.O.  4 bolt. Part Number D1ZZ-A or D3ZZ-A.  I am guessing the latter based on the 3 J 11.

The 3 J 11 - Sept 11 1973 would indicate that it was possibly a service block or from some other model. Is there a full VIN on the block that might give you an indication if it was for a particular car, when and where, or if it was a service replacement. for example, I have two blocks with the following....



From what I have read Australian Block castings begin with "EX"

I had a spare block I picked up for a C note. The VIN on it was 1F5XXXXX. I posted this on here and it was confirmed as a Cougar block. Turned out to have been cracked and welded on the outside water jacket, so I gave it away, didn't want or need to spend the 400 bucks to get it tested.

David,

I checked the three 351C blocks I have and all of them are 1973 built with a casting of D2AE - CA. One is has a build date of February, one April, and the third is a September build date like yours. Interesting that it is also missing the second digit D ? AE - CA like yours. The Feb and April blocks are 2 bolt mains. I don't know what the Sept block is 2 or 4.... yet. I don't know what this all means or if it helps at all, but I thought I would share it.

 

[tony-muscle]

Not intenting to take over this thread, but my question is related to the second digit. I cant tell the 2nd digit on my block serial. I dont have the exact date right now but mine is from October or November of 1970. Can anyone figure the 2nd digit out? What other digit options exist?



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[rackerm]

Not intenting to take over this thread, but my question is related to the second digit. I cant tell the 2nd digit on my block serial. I dont have the exact date right now but mine is from October or November of 1970. Can anyone figure the 2nd digit out? What other digit options exist?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Looks like a "6" to me.

 

[tony-muscle]

Not intenting to take over this thread, but my question is related to the second digit. I cant tell the 2nd digit on my block serial. I dont have the exact date right now but mine is from October or November of 1970. Can anyone figure the 2nd digit out? What other digit options exist?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Looks like a "6" to me.

But the question then is, what does the "6" as a second digit means?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[rackerm]

Not intenting to take over this thread, but my question is related to the second digit. I cant tell the 2nd digit on my block serial. I dont have the exact date right now but mine is from October or November of 1970. Can anyone figure the 2nd digit out? What other digit options exist?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Looks like a "6" to me.

But the question then is, what does the "6" as a second digit means?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

The six digits in your picture are just the block's serial number. They will match the last six digits of the VIN of the car the motor was originally installed in at the factory. Sometimes there are one or two digits that precede this number that will tell you: 1st digit = what model year and the 2nd = the assembly plant the engine/car was built ("F" for Dearborn where 71 - 73 Mustangs were built). You can also roughly determine the year in many cases from the block's casting date code. If this engine is from the car it originally was built for, then the digits 1 & 2 and the last six (the serial number) will match the car's VIN, but not all blocks were stamped with the first two digits at the factory. See the examples I posted previously in this thread.

Talk about a botched S/N and with no year or plant prefix.



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