kinda fun to read this post but for what it's worth to blown331, I have a '78 F250 Crewcab with the original 351M engine. I know for a fact that this is the original engine for this truck and there is no VIN number stamped on that block. Sure there are numbers cast into the block and not sure what they mean, but there are no "stamped" VIN numbers anywhere on it. I have cleaned this engine, rebuilt it and painted it myself....my eyes have seen every part of it without anything that even remotely resembles the last 6 digits of my trucks VIN (I even look in the areas that were mentioned in this thread, flat spot near bellhousing) Numberdummy rests his case.,.....Blown331 find a different cigar to smoke.

 

I remember back many years ago there were a few company's that sold number stamping sets with the correct marking for GM motors. Had a friend lose a rod in a 65 corvette 327 ( toasted the block) and was amazed how many company's would stamp the right letter code and your vin on a bare block for a fee.

 

Geez this thread still drags on? There are no VIN numbers stamped on any part of a 73-79 Ford truck other than the frame rail and whats inside the drivers door. They didn't stamp the block, the transmission or the transfer case.

 

Yes I totally agree with you Scott but some people just don't understand this lol.

 

I agree also, seeing how they didn't stamp vin's on these motors, if you wanted to be somewhat correct, make sure the date code on the motor parts was usually up to 3 months before built date. The only early mustangs like mine that had vin's stamped on the block were 289 Hipo's ( not all of them) shelby's and regular mustangs. The boss cars ( 302's, 351's, 429's) all had there vin's stamped on the blocks and transmissons from the factory. As mentioned, service replacement blocks did not, as most got. That 9R26I that one fellow stated is of course the year, assermbly plant and date code. I have the same on my 67GT 390 F/B mustang that is all original, mine say's 7F21E. Run her and have fun.... leave the rest to the experts at the big auctions.

 

Bottom line - for Mustangs (and maybe a few other types of very collectible vehicles like 'Vettes) but not trucks, VINs, build sheets, engine tags, door plates, and matching numbers matter. Unless you are talking about $15,000 or more sale price, matching numbers don't matter, but if you are talking about an R-code Mustang or Shelby, numbers are everything.

 

This thread ended without any proof that Ford did do such engine VIN stamping prior to the 80s as Bill contended. I had a discussion with a fellow Ranchero owner who shared with me the pics of his "numbers matching" 1973 Ranchero. I never knew Ford did this until today. I have always been told that it was a GM thing only.