Hi all - My late Uncle was a big Ford fan and was a gear head in his spare time. He left me all his projects, which included some 390's in mid state of rebuild and one of which is what he told me was a 427 commercial engine. However I've been unable to confirm that and looking for some experts to assist. It appears to be a crate engine and I've taken pics of everything I could find. I've asked some local folks and they too are stumped. I tipped the engine back this morning and it's bolted to a wood pallet. I wasn't able to detach it due to needing help in moving it on the hand truck, but I can if there might be some identification of some sort on that side.

Attaching some pics. Thanks in advance!

 

It looks like a 385 series which means it may be either a 429 or a 460. The blocks are interchangeable. It appears to have a steel crankshaft rather than a cast one and also looks like it was balanced. Look for a number on the crankshaft. I am leaning toward a 429. The fitting where the oil filter would go appears to be for a remote oil filter/oil cooler. Your uncle may have been building a 429 Cobra Jet clone. The block is not a real CJ block since it does not have 4 bolt main bearing caps. If you could measure the pilot hole in the rear of he crankshaft or post a picture may help. You may have a really well built engine, all you need is something to put it in.
I am sure more people will chime in with more information.

 

385 series, 'D3TE' , 1973 I believe
Since crank is not cast, and no 3.85" stroke forged is available, it is likely 429 industrial engine. The crank snout is larger diameter than the truck/car versions, ,measure it to see what it is. Some use the 429 industrial cranks in roots blower applications as the blower drive can snap the snout off the crank. The rods use regular bolts which is different than typical car/truck eom.

What is the head casting number? it is on the bottom side of the inside of head in valley. need a mirror to read it.

 

Yeah, it sure looks like a 385 series. Definitely NOT a FE, so not a 427.

 

Thanks all for the info. Much appreciated. Had a friend over who's much more knowledgeable about engines than I. We turned it over on it's side and unbolted the pallet from it.and that was able to give us some views and pictures. He went home and did some digging and found that indeed is a 429 industrial as Kenny and Smoky mentioned. He says" May be a forged Steel Crankshaft # D9TE-6303-AA and it has the C9AE-B for the neck diameter for the piston rod end cap that connects the piston to the crankshaft"

Here's some additional pics that we took today





Any idea of what this might be worth?

 

Not much...like any other used engine. $500.

 

That's the thing, it was all wrapped in plastic and oiled, bolted to a pallet before I moved it across the State.. Doesn't look used to me. Could be a rebuild I suppose. How to tell?

 

I am sorry to say this, but it is basically junk. If you are thinking there is “value” there you are mistaken.

Perhaps to the 1 in 1000 person it is gold. The rest of us it is “not what we want”.

You can build a 385 series (460/429) to great power with the right components. What you displayed contains none of that.

Said another way...if I wanted to build big power I would start with a good block (which it appears you have). Then add forged crank (which it appears you don’t have) forged rods, forged pistons (of my spec), great cam, great heads, great intake. Then you still need a great fuel/air delivery system, great ignition, great exhaust. Etc...

So, what you have “could” be used as a starter, but not with much in comparison to what the final product would be...

IMHO, my $0.02, YMMV...

 

All in all, it is a clean starting point. I would list it as $1000 or BO. For a truck it would need the crank snout turned down, unless you are build a blower motor. If it is an industrial engine, that may be where the value is. Might be a bolt in for a f500 or bigger truck?

 

Other note worth mentioning -

A Ford 427 FE block would definitely be a high nickel content block, not cast iron...and would definitely have cross bolt mains, and more likely have side oiler characteristics...with cylinder head choices of low riser, medium riser, high riser, and the exotic SOHC - and more likely a forged steel crank.

Quick glance for me stating it was a 429 or 460, then seeing the date casting code of the block appears to show 3E3 (May 03, 1973 with the D3TE block) - then seeing the X's in the oil lifter gallery along with the different crank characteristics would have had me lean towards guessing a 370 or 429 industrial.

 

good point, could be a 370 industrial.
Appears to be 'clean', so likely rebuilt.
If you want to know what you have, pull off a head. Check stroke, bore size, bore condition and head casting number. Take some pics for add, reinstall head.

 

370/429 introduced in 1979 600 and larger series trucks. Replaced the FT engines used 1964/78.

 

Thanks Number Dummy for the detailed info on the industrial series engines....I did not know when they started first year production on them - the reason I was guessing that it might be an industrial engine on this thread was noticing all the 'X' markings in the lifter gallery of the block shown on these pictures from the OP, as I never seen any X markings on any 385 series engine that I own or any one else I knew owned....I never owned anything newer than a 1976 vehicle to this day (my Lincoln Mark IV)

My 1970 Thunderbird 429, my 1973 Lincoln 460, and my 1976 Lincoln 460 are all original D0VE and D1VE blocks....I also have a spare 385 series block I obtained 30 plus years ago for $100 (been mag'd) which is a D1VE block with a date casting code of 6M9 (Dec 09, 1976) - I do not know the source of vehicle where the block originated....None of these four blocks of mine are 'truck' originated blocks (no TE casting)

My 1975 F250 460 is not original as I found out in 2017 when I pulled the intake off, that it has a 2L13 date casting code (Nov 13, 1972) estimating it was assigned for a 1973 model year for something...Tried to verify the block casting number however the starter is in the way and cannot see it, as I was attempting to determine if this particular block is a truck block or passenger car assigned block (which started in F series trucks optional in 1973) .
None of these 429-460 blocks I own have any 'X' markings in the lifter gallery.

Sooooo, after doing a little more research - I looked at the picture here again of the date casting number the thread starter submitted and thought it read (D3TE) thinking it was a 1973-later block....and determined this engine in question now appears to be a 1983 block with the date casting codes of the block and #3 main cap showing (3E3 on block) (3E5 on main cap #3), and not a 1973 block after all....

Now it appears this engine in question is to be a D9TE block (not a D3TE) which makes way more sense now, as there were a few links I looked at and found out some D9TE blocks have NO 'X' markings, other D9TE blocks have one 'X' marking, and other D9TE blocks have multiple 'X' markings which is this particular case.....

Furthermore, someone else posted this :
If it is D9TE-AB, it is a 429 Commercial or a light truck 460. If D9TE-AA, it is a 370 Commercial

That block is showing a D9TE-AB, which more likely was originally assigned as a 429 industrial according to that post....which I also learned that any D9TE block with or without 'X' markings could be either industrial (370 or 429) or non industrial engine (1979-later 460).

 

D1VE-AB, A1B, A2B block: 1971/73 429, 1971/78 460, some 1979 460. This is an internal balance engine.

D9TE-AB block introduced mid year 1979 in F150/350 & E250/350. This is an external balance 460 with a weighted crank spacer.

It was also used in 1980/97 E250/350, 1983/96 F250/350, 1988/97 F(Super Duty), 1997 F250 Heavy Duty & F350.

460's were not available in 1980/92 F250/350. 1979 was the last year the 460 was available in F150, 1976 for F100, 1978 was the last year the 460 was available in cars.

 

I don't have any HT slides to see which crank that is. Do you Bill?