I have a 1973 F-100 with a 70' era Lincoln smog motor. I need to identify which version of the 460 this is so I can make some choices for heads and cam to get it putting out some reasonable HP. There is an aluminum tag on the intake and here are the numbers:

460 72 10
10-15 K866 T

Or maybe the second row is instead:
0-15 K866 T

What I really would like to know is if this motor has flat top pistons or dished pistons. And if it has a zero deck height or something else.

Thanks for any help!

 

If it is a 70's smog motor it does not have a zero deck. Those numbers say nothing about the motor. You need to find the casting numbers on the side of the block.

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From HP Books "Rebuild Your Ford V-8" by Tom Monroe 1980:


"The engine code number used by the Ford parts man when he's ordering parts is found on a tag or decal attached to the engine."


"Up through Feb 1973, tags were mounted at the front of the engine. They are usually sandwiched under the coil-mounting bracket, the dipstick tube bracket, or under the water temperature sending unit."


"Beginning in Feb. 1973, the metal tags were replaced in favor of a decal on the right-valve cover at the front."


On casting numbers:


"When a component such as a cylinder head or block is cast, a number is cast in the part and is appropriately called a casting number. Casting numbers are extremely helpful when identifying an engine and it's parts.
Unfortunately casting numbers are not 100% accurate because castings are frequently machined differently, thus generating different part numbers which don't appear on the part! To make matters worse, it is conceivable these parts won't interchange. Consequently a parts casting number in conjunction with it's physical design must be used to identify it."


Was just reading this last night, it's probably not going to help, but I thought it was an interesting bit of information out of the past.


In a chapter about the interchangeability of parts between engines.