The block is a standard bore 4.050. I can't find any casting numbers on the block.I looked at my other blocks and looked in the same location and there is no numbers? This block has a lot of numbers on the mains crank bearing webbing like 46,23-38,53,and 33 in back of block and 58 in the lifter galley 40 on block skirt thats it. Does anyone have a clue? Are those numbers as I suspect the percent nickel on iron content on this block? Thanks zrxlover.
Casting numbers on an FE are generally worthless. To the best of my knowledge no one has ever published an accurate book listing all the different combinations and such. Measuring bore and stroke is the only way to know exactly what you have. Since you have a 4.05 bore, it will have to be a 360, 390, or 410. The 360 was used in Edsels (actually called a 361) in '58 and '59, and in Ford trucks from '68 to '76. The 360 will have a 3.5" stroke. The 390 was used in everything Ford made (and some things they didn't) from '61 to '76. The 390 will have a 3.78" stroke. Most likely you have a 390 since it was the most common of the 4.05 bore FE's The 410 was used in Mercury cars only from '66 to '67. The 410 will have a 3.98" stroke. Good Luck!
Might be a service replacement or industrial block. But as FrozenMerc said, you already know the bore, so what else do you really need a number for? The only differences are the pre-63 blocks used a different cam retention method, and pre-64 had a narrower thrust bearing(.465 vs .535), pre-65 had 2 bolt engine mounts, 65 up had 3 bolt, FT truck blocks had 4 bolt mounts.
Take a look at the oil filter adapter area and there should be a date code and that will at least get you in the right year.
I know on older Chevy, Pontiac, Dodge,Buick, etc. motors they refer to the Nickel or Iron content of the block cast in them from the factory to show the strength of material in certain areas for duty. Other FE blocks that I have don't have these numbers on them in as many places as this one. And yes, thanks for all of ya'lls comments on trying to help me. A guy gave me this block with a crank a( 3.78-390 cid) and adjustable rocker-arm shafts, connecting rods( c7 AE B) qty.(13), I was only going to research the block year and what it came out of for my own curiosity. I am going to build this block and get it sonic checked, thanks again, it also has a hydraulic cam,two bolt engine mounts but, so does my C7 ME A block, zrxlover.
The Jalopy Journal
