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RE: Engine Block I.D. needed

To: "Chris Williams" <info@bcmustang.com>,
Subject: RE: Engine Block I.D. needed
From: "Bob Palmer" <rpalmer@ucsd.edu>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 16:24:49 -0700
Chris,

The following information is from Tim Monroe's "How to rebuild your
SMALL-BLOCK FORD", which we all own a copy of, right? The whole chapter
"Parts Identification and Interchange" is interesting, but here are some
highlights:

"Unfortunately, casting numbers are not 100-percent accurate because
castings are frequently machined differently, thus generating different
parts. This also generates different part numbers which don't appear on the
parts!"

"The HP 289 was color coded with an orange paint swatch on the rear face of
block, or in front of the flywheel or flexplate to distinguish it from the
standard 289 block." I personally do NOT interpret this to statement to mean
that the orange paint swatch is the ONLY difference in identification, but
some may take it that way.

The following casting numbers are "according to the best available
information", those for the HP289:
C3OE-B; C4OE-B; and C5AE-E for years '63, '64, and '65-68, respectively. As
you say, the same casting number was used for other applications; for
example, C3OE-B is also the casting number for the '63 260 motor with two
freeze plugs. However, Monroe's chart does not show any other non-HiPo 289's
with any of the three HiPo casting numbers listed. Even the author doesn't
seem absolutely sure of these facts, so one should take this with a least a
little skepticism. I have heard it said that the HiPo block was a hi-nickel
alloy or high nodular iron. I don't believe this is true. For sure, the main
caps are bigger, high-nodular iron, but they could be transferred to a
non-HiPo motor and I know of some instances where this has been done.

So, for various reasons, I think we all agree that Tom probably doesn't have
a HiPo 289. If he wants to drop the pan and check the main caps, he may be
able to tell for sure. If it does have the big main caps, then MAYBE it's an
original HiPo motor. On the other hand, if it doesn't have big main caps,
then I think we can be pretty sure it is NOT (and never was) a HiPo motor.
If it turns out that Tom's motor does have big main caps, then I'll be happy
to buy him a beer and congratulate him the next time we meet.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-tigers@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-tigers@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Chris Williams
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 10:56 AM
To: Frank Marrone
Cc: 'Steve Laifman'; Frank Marrone; Tom Witt; Tiger List
Subject: Re: Engine Block I.D. needed


There was a group of casting numbers that ford used for the standard blocks,
but
only some of these numbers were used on the hi -po block. The hi -po did not
have its own special casting number . Keep in mind one of these numbers
below
does not ensure that it is a genuine hi -po part. What this does tell you is
that if it does not have one of these casting number it is not a hi -po.

c30e-b
c40e-b
c40e-c
c40e-f
c5ae-a-e 6 bolt

chris m williams

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