Question guys, How do I know if the motor in my 78 is the originial?
Are there numbers on the block that match the VIN?
If so where are they?
How about the trans and transfer?

 

From my understanding no.( I have looked into this myself ) They are not like the Chevy's are. There are casting numbers on the block, heads, and intake, but they can have the same number for a wide range of years. They are not marked year specific like the Chevy's were.

 

So when people say numbers matching are they just talking about the frame and body?

The reason I really want to know is I think my motor is original but it needs a rebuild. If its original I would rebuild it if not I would just do a crate motor

 

Numbers matching can mean several things however...

If a certain truck was built in 1974, it will not contain casting numbers like D6TE and more than likely will not contain D5TE either.

Another is casting dates. If a truck was built and delivered on 5/74 it would not contain casting dates after that.

An concourse inspector would also look to see if the heads match and distributor and so on and so on.

What engine do you have?

Josh

 

LOL...you cannot go by any of that.

Consider the fact that Ford updates 10's of 1000's part numbers every year. Didn't know that did'ja?

Which means that Ford dealers, every garage in the world and all the authorized Ford engine rebuilders would install parts that could have ID numbers that are years newer or older. Plus Ford will put ID numbers on parts for the coming year.

Since Ford updates 10's of 1000's of part numbers every year, one should never go by a Ford casting, engineering or part number prefix to ID what year the part is for.

I laugh out loud when someone says, for example, that D4TE is 1974 only.

Ford also replaces older parts with newer parts. For example the heads used 1964/67 on 352/390's and 1966/67 410/428's were replaced by 1968 heads for use as service part replacements.

As a concours judge for over 30 years, considering all the updated part numbers Ford used, and the fact that some of the same ID numbers were used for years, I doubt one judge would know what numbers would be correct, especially considering there may be 10 different dizzy ID numbers for one specific dizzy used one specific year...or carburetors...where there could be 20 different ID numbers for one specific year.

Numbers matching is considered a GM thing.

Ford didn't stamp VIN's on mechanical parts until the late 1980's.

Before arguing, how many Ford parts catalogs do you have?

Do you know how Ford's ID and part numbering system really works?

How many years of Ford parts experience do you have?

 

I never said that, I said if you have a 1974 truck and it has D5TE ot D6TE part numbers something has been replaced.

There are partial VINs on transmissions, some cars after 67 have partial VINs on the back of the cylinder heads. The frame is stamped with the full VIN.

A concourse judge knows EXACTLY what to look for.

Josh

 

I've been a concours judge for over 30 years specifically for 1957/72 Fords and 1921/56 Packards.

There isn't one judge that could possibly know what the ID numbers on certain Ford parts are, considering the dozens of different possibilities.

Take a look in a Ford parts catalog under dizzy and carb ID numbers. There are DOZENS for just ONE specific dizzy or carb. Some of these numbers are specific to the year, some are newer, some are older.

Outside of some Shelby's, I've never seen a VIN on any Ford mechanical parts until the late 1980's.

In 35 years as a Ford partsman, over 50 years in the car hobby, I've looked at more of these vehicles than anyone else here on FTE.

VIN's on frames: Frames are not considered powertrain parts.

In three of the Ford car clubs I belong to, some members can spout all sorts of numbers, you wanna know why?

Because they have parts catalogs. And have spent years studying how Ford's numbering system works.

Most people on this site have N-O = NO parts catalogs, and are totally clueless on how Ford's numbering system really works.

 

that's me!

anyways, I try to learn, but I don't have all the resources, so that's why I don't get into anything that I'm not sure about.

 

Ask and ye shall receive. 1969 Ford Mustang... engine block VIN stamping on VIN pad at rear of block.

Josh

 

Guys I did not mean to start a war but I sure as hell learned a lot from you guys. Numberdummy, so if I get it right, it would not be a big deal to put in a crate motor instead of rebuilding the old motor?

 

check on your engine to see if it has the original valve cover sticker. if it has it it's most likely still the original motor. but make sure that you read it to verify that the tag says it's the same year as the truck. it should say something like, "this engine meets all the requirements for the 1978 model year." also make sure that the VIN matches the engine displacement (it also says that on the tag). if I remember correctly the tag is on the driver side valve cover.

 

sorry, double post.

 

Just so you know Scott Hollenbeck get's pretty pissed when people lift pics from his site without permisson or site reference. You should at least have the common courtesy to mention the site or remove the pic. It is copyright protected and he WILL take action. I'm sure you've seen this posted on his site unless you can't read. You should know better.

 

Good luck with that. Once it's on the internet it's public domain.

Josh

 

Nope good luck to you you'll need it.