Original 1971 429 Cobra Jet engine........should be reunited with the original chassis!!

[fordismyboss]

Found an engine stored away near Sheridan IL. about 7 years ago. Was looking for a display engine to take to car shows and the gentleman selling it clearly had an original 429 CJ 4 bolt engine that had never been taken apart. Don't think the carburetor is original to the engine, but everything else is.

Now, I'd like to find the current owner of the car and reunite the two. The original owner may have removed the engine to rebuild it, then the years came and went and the body was sold and the engine stayed in storage. The main problem is the partial 1F VIN on the block is very hard to read and the four numbers I tried through Kevin Marti were for non-429 Mustangs:

F173252  2/11/71
F173262  2/12/71
F178252  2/19/71
F178262  2/19/71

I was told the car was yellow with about 80k miles, automatic transmission, and I believe the car and motor were separated in the 1980's.

Any '71 C-code, probably not a J-code, Mach 1's missing an original engine out there?

This rare engine is now for sale on Bring-a-Trialer:  https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-ford-mustang-429-cobra-jet-c-code/

Since I acquired the engine I rebuilt the original distributor, fuel pump, water pump, starter, tuned it and painted it for display. I also performed a cold leak down test and it does appear to need a rebuild, but it has good oil pressure, 65 PSI. Put a 1977 intake (marine?) on it so I could use a Holley for easy running, then used a 4 speed bell housing to mount on the stand.

 

[mjlan]

That partial is hard to read!

 

[fordismyboss]

The two numbers I tried through Marti:

1F178252

1F173252

Looking now for the technology to read the metal deformations to determine the VIN.

 

[mjseakan]

How about an old-school 'rubbing', like they do on old gravestones?

Mike 

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

The two numbers I tried through Marti:

1F178252

1F173252

Looking now for the technology to read the metal deformations to determine the VIN.

1F178262

1F173262 

Those are the only other two I would guess with the 5 actually being a 6. 

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

You might be surprised and locate the car. A local guy here purchased a Boss 429 one of the first 50 that had two build sheets one with 428 and one with Boss 429. He got a pretty good deal on it due the engine number did not match the VIN#. Back then if you complained to Ford about the sorry performance of the Boss 429 the dealer was instructed to pull the engine and send to Holman Moody and they would spice it up some to make the customer happy. H&M did not keep them in order would just send the next one that was ready so they got mixed up. I guess he was on the Boss registry and he received a call from the person that had his original Boss 429 engine and he did buy it. So now it is a numbers matching car and price went way up. The first 50 also had magnesium valve covers which were still on the engine.

 

[fordismyboss]

1F178262

1F173262 

Those are the only other two I would guess with the 5 actually being a 6. 

Just submitted these two partial VINs to Marti. We'll see if we get a hit this time.

 

[fordismyboss]

Also just submitted the engine for sale on Bring-a-Trailer BaT. I'll post when it goes live in a few days. Hopefully find the owner of the car this way.

If Marti comes back with a hit on the VIN, and this is a C code with a C6, non-ram air in a Mach1, Ford only made 164 of them. If it's a  J-Code with a C6, Ford made 648 of those, so maybe it could be a J code! The odds are in that favor. Perhaps we will see.

 

[7173Vert]

Too this day still I still remember the serial# of my first J Code Mach1: 178920…  Always nice to reunite and original engine with the original body, if possible.

 

[fordismyboss]

Kevin Marti just confirmed these four Partial VINs are incorrect:

Partial VIN      Build date

F173252          2/11/71

F173262         2/12/71

F178252         2/19/71

F178262         2/19/71

Of these four Mustangs, one had a 351-2v, two had 302-2v, and one was a six banger!

Any other thoughts? Thanks for reading!

 

[kevken1959]

Hi. Is it on BAT yet?

 

[fordismyboss]

Not yet, they are behind, all the stuff is loaded but they can't get to it yet...perhaps in two weeks.

I'll let you know when it's live.

Thank you.

 

[kevken1959]

Not yet, they are behind, all the stuff is loaded but they can't get to it yet...perhaps in two weeks.

I'll let you know when it's live.

Thank you.

Thanks!

 

[mjlan]

I've been looking at this and trying to figure out why the four partials submitted didn't work.

F is Metuchen right? Did Metuchen / Edison ASM just build Mustangs and Cougars or other platforms as well?

What is the engine build date code? Should be stamped on a pad on the passenger side front block face, up by the timing cover and cylinder head.

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

I've been looking at this and trying to figure out why the four partials submitted didn't work.

F is Metuchen right? Did Metuchen / Edison ASM just build Mustangs and Cougars or other platforms as well?

What is the engine build date code? Should be stamped on a pad on the passenger side front block face, up by the timing cover and cylinder head.

I thought F was Dearborn, MI. 

 

[fordismyboss]

I've been looking at this and trying to figure out why the four partials submitted didn't work.

F is Metuchen right? Did Metuchen / Edison ASM just build Mustangs and Cougars or other platforms as well?

What is the engine build date code? Should be stamped on a pad on the passenger side front block face, up by the timing cover and cylinder head.

F-Dearborn (the only assembly plant that built the 1971 429 CJ/SCJ Mustang and Cougar)

The build date code is 1A14K, January 14, 1971.

Yes, this one has me stumped for now.....

 

[Don C]

Maybe that number after the F is a 4 instead of a one. I believe that the sequential numbering included all cars in the Ford lineup, and not just for one model group.

 

[mjlan]

Don- it is my understanding that sequential numbering is per assembly plant restting after the model year, which was why I asked if Metuchen (or whatever plant 'F' is) built other platforms.

If I understand it correctly, the only two options for Metuchen would be 1F1xxxxx for Mustangs (all sequentials start at 1 as the sixth digit) or 1F5xxxxx for a Cougar as Mercury cars at that plant started at 5xxxxx. And I'm assuming that only Mustangs and Cougars were building there fo rthe 71 model year...

I can't remember if Dearborn is F or R. Its one of those two...

But, if there was another platform building at 'F' for the 71 MY, then its possible that the engine block was from a different car line. The block info (partial VIN and engine build date) only pertains to the block- it could have been built into a CJ-spec engine after the fact.

To support that this engine is as it rolled of the assembly line the casting dates of the other parts should pre-date the engine assembly stamping by 6-12 weeks (that's a rough time frame). 

 

[Stanglover]

I could well be wrong as I often am, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought the Metuchen plant code was T not F as I thought that was only Dearborn. I can't lay my hands on that info right now re Metuchen. Also, the 429 was not only used in Mustangs and Cougars. I believe Torino's and T birds also got 429's before going to 460's. My question is, could that engine have come from a different model, or is it absolutely known to have come from a Mustang. ( confession time, I did not read all of this post)