New 1973 Owner From Franklin, WI

[Mbaz73Lucy]

Hey y’all, my name is Mike, picked up this 1973 Mustang to have some fun with and tinker on. Still going through it and trying to identify all the issues, but also tracking down all the numbers for engine/trans etc to figure out exactly what I have. It is solid top to bottom and I believe I’m sitting on a 351c, but still figuring that out. Either way, it’s a strong cruiser and having fun driving it and showing it. Glad I found this forum and look forward to meeting everyone and chatting everyone up!

 

[Sheriff41]

Congrats! Looks like a nice score! From what I can see of the valve covers, it looks like a 351C.

Welcome to the forum! Ask any questions you have and you'll get plenty of sound advice from the knowledgeable members here.

 

[cv_72mustang]

Welcome from NE, PA. There is something called a Marti report that you can order up for your car. It will give details on car as it was built/delivered. https://www.martiauto.com/martireports.cfm

 

[Mbaz73Lucy]

Congrats! Looks like a nice score! From what I can see of the valve covers, it looks like a 351C.

Welcome to the forum! Ask any questions you have and you'll get plenty of sound advice from the knowledgeable members here.

I believe from the ‘look at’ items that it is a 351C, just would love to be able to have the numbers say it is. I found some stamped numbers on the backside, driver side of the block, but they don’t mean anything to me and haven’t found anywhere to decode what exactly it is. I’ll attach a couple pics of the ‘look’ items (right bolt valve cover & coolant hose into block instead of intake) and the stamping I found. Ever see stamping like this?

 

[Mbaz73Lucy]

Welcome from NE, PA. There is something called a Marti report that you can order up for your car. It will give details on car as it was built/delivered. https://www.martiauto.com/martireports.cfm

That’s cool! Thanks for the link, definitely going to look into it.

 

[Sheriff41]

Yep, 351C. The H stamped on the back of the engine with the numbers tells you it left the factory as a 351C 2V. You should have an H or a Q in the VIN. For example, 3F01HXXXXXX or 3F04QXXXXXX. The H = 351C 2V; Q = 351 4V. The 01 (hardtop) or 04 (Grande) would tell you if you have a base hardtop or a Grande. Looks like some nice mods have already been added underhood.

EDIT: Struck through incorrect info. Hat tip to @Hemikiller.

 

[Sheriff41]

Don't let @Stanglover see those clamps on your fuel line!

 

[Mbaz73Lucy]

Yep, 351C. The H stamped on the back of the engine with the numbers tells you it left the factory as a 351C 2V. You should have an H or a Q in the VIN. For example, 3F01HXXXXXX or 3F04QXXXXXX. The H = 351C 2V; Q = 351 4V. The 01 (hardtop) or 04 (Grande) would tell you if you have a base hardtop or a Grande. Looks like some nice mods have already been added underhood.

It does have an H in the VIN and is an 01 hardtop. That’s actually awesome because the people I got it from bought it second hand and didn’t know much besides it had been rebuilt and I was thinking it was an engine swap, but that confirms it was at least a factory built 351c. I’m actually super stoked now, especially for what I got it for! Thank you for all the info!

 

[Stanglover]

Hello and welcome from SW Ontario, Canada.
Yes that is definitely a 351C. Other ways to tell is the top rad hose return hose comes of the TOP of the block. Valve covers have 8 bolts holding them down as well as the numbers and codes described by Sheriff41.
Oh and when you get around to it, please lose the gear clamps on the fuel lines and replace with proper fuel line clamps.

 

[Hemikiller]

Yep, 351C. The H stamped on the back of the engine with the numbers tells you it left the factory as a 351C 2V.

I found some stamped numbers on the backside, driver side of the block, but they don’t mean anything to me and haven’t found anywhere to decode what exactly it is. I’ll attach a couple pics of the ‘look’ items (right bolt valve cover & coolant hose into block instead of intake) and the stamping I found. Ever see stamping like this?

3H531087 is the Federally mandated partial VIN stamp, which became a law in 1968. The partial VIN stamp does not include the engine or body code. It's format is - year - assembly plant - sequence number

3 - 1973
H- Lorain, Ohio assembly plant (which built the mid size Torino & Montego platforms)
531087 - consecutive unit number

Ford sequence numbers of this era started at 100000, Mercury at 500000. This is not the order in which cars were built, the order in which a VIN was assigned. A car with a number one higher or lower could be built days, weeks or months behind or before this one.

The engine is a 351C out of a 1973 Mercury Montego.

Since the heads do not have a number cast in the upper corners, they're likely from a later 351M or 400, which are functionally interchangeable with a 351C-2V head.

 

[72MustangSprint]

I believe from the ‘look at’ items that it is a 351C, just would love to be able to have the numbers say it is. I found some stamped numbers on the backside, driver side of the block, but they don’t mean anything to me and haven’t found anywhere to decode what exactly it is. I’ll attach a couple pics of the ‘look’ items (right bolt valve cover & coolant hose into block instead of intake) and the stamping I found. Ever see stamping like this?

Looks like a H code Cleveland (2V)

 

[Cleveland Crush]

Nice looking Mustang. Welcome to the forum!

 

[bkdunha]

Welcome from a former cheese head who grew up in Kenosha and acquired my 72 there back in the early 80's. Now transplanted down south. This is a great group to help out as you work through your projects.

 

[dtmasoGT5]

Hello from SW Oregon. Agreed - great group here and always eager to help out. Sweet ride!

 

[73pony]

Welcome from another former cheese head now living in Iowa.

 

[James Bond]

Welcome from NW Oregon, great looking car!

 

[jpaz]

Hello and Welcome from Michigan. Hopefully you will have good luck and a lot fun with it!

 

[mach71351c]

Welcome from San Diego.

 

[jscott]

Welcome. Looks like your cowl braces are missing. Here is a picture of my engine bay to show them in place.

https://www.npdlink.com/product/cowl-braces/102519?backurl=search/products?search_terms=COWL%2BBRACES&top_parent=200001&year=

 

[Bill Perkins]

Welcome from Opelika, Alabama
Nice Car