That ain't a serial number, that's the beginning of a Ford part number which is assigned when the part is originally created.

E= 1980's vintage
7= 7th year of 1980.
T= Truck
E= Engine (Engineering division that created the part)

The rest of the part number would tell you what the part was and any revisions made.

Love that song!

So we drove up town just to get the tags
And I headed her right on down main drag
I could hear everybody laughin for blocks around
But up there at the court house they didn't laugh
Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds

 

Decoding Ford casting part numbers

 

What the man said late model big block (460)

 

Thanks folks, all good info. I was originally confused thinking E7TE meant that it was from a 1987 model truck, but that's when the part was designed, not made....right?

 

The part design came into being in 87, but was also used for later years. F3TE was the next major revision on the 460 heads which is 93. 88 to I'm pretty sure 92 used the E7 head. 87 was still carb'd and used the E5 head I believe.

It should have an adapter for the carb and the injector ports will be plugged on your intake. No other intakes will directly fit.

 

...then why do I get the wrong valve cover when I go to the parts store and tell them it's an '87? Shouldn't 87-92 be the same? My valve covers have 4 center bolts, not 8 perimeter bolts that seem to be on every other truck in existence.

 

Your engine is a later model originally EFI. That's when Ford went with the o-ring style valve cover gaskets that used the 4 center hold down bolts they are also cast aluminum and not stamp steel. A whole lot better valve cover.
Just tell the parts house its 1989

 

Because they didn't start using those heads till 88. They just designed them in 87 thus the E7 designation. Sometimes they do get used the same year like the 5.0 in 87 has the E7 heads as well. It probability had something to do with not only a body redesign but a switch from carb to EFI. The 351 and 460 keep the carb till 88 when everything went EFI. The 302 got EFI startling in 85, the 300 in 87.