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1968 Identify a 302

CuervoSpecial

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May 30, 2017
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29
Good day gents, I have a 302 sitting on my garage floor that I had bought years maybe 8 years ago as a potential spare for the California Special.

Can anyone assist me in identifying the motor, for verification purposes and is this a good idea to keep around. Only pic I have access to at the moment

qXg8IM7.jpg
 
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OP
OP
C

CuervoSpecial

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May 30, 2017
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I will grab them when I get home fron work in a few hours.
Wasnt entirely sure about this. New to this sort of thing.
 

franklinair

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Mar 1, 2007
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4,740
Remove the starter, record the casting numbers on the side of the block.

Neil
 

Mosesatm

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A partial VIN should be just behind the intake manifold, on the block.
 
OP
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CuervoSpecial

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Took me a minute to locate, and a bit of brake clean.
8K160454
VDZUI2P.jpg
 
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franklinair

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Is the photo showing the numbers @ the rear of the intake manifold?
If I'm right: 8K is 1968, Kansas City Ford plant. 160454 is the VIN. But that doesn't tell me if its a 289 or 302 engine.
As I mentioned, the casting number on the block would tell. You have to remove the starter to see it.

Neil
 
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CuervoSpecial

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May 30, 2017
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Is the photo showing the numbers @ the rear of the intake manifold?
If I'm right: 8K is 1968, Kansas City Ford plant. 160454 is the VIN. But that doesn't tell me if its a 289 or 302 engine.
As I mentioned, the casting number on the block would tell. You have to remove the starter to see it.

Neil

I can't get to it at the.moment. I broke my ankle a month ago and am still on critches, I will get it as soon as I can
 

Mosesatm

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Jan 18, 2005
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Another way to possibly find out is to pull a valve cover and look at the casting numbers, this assumes that the heads are original to the engine.
Here's an example of the block casting numbers Neil mentioned, and what you should see under the valve cover
 

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franklinair

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But- IIRC, I've seen 289 heads on a 302 engine. :confused: Possibly due to the transition period of phasing out 289's to 302's.

Neil
 

Mosesatm

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Ford ran out of 289 blocks so they used 302s with 289 heads and called them 289s.
 
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CuervoSpecial

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I can get to the valve covers easy enough so I will try that route tonight. This broken ankle is taking a toll on my projects list.
 

CougarCJ

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Jul 17, 2006
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2,186
Correct. There was a period of time during 1968, that Ford used 302 blocks, with 289 cranks, and 289 cylinder heads for C code (289-2V) engines.
 

Toy68CS

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Jun 29, 2015
Messages
58
Correct. There was a period of time during 1968, that Ford used 302 blocks, with 289 cranks, and 289 cylinder heads for C code (289-2V) engines.

Paul Newitt's updated GT/CS recognition guide and owners manual copyright 2011 says they were 302ci with a 4x3 bore/stroke. So they must have a 302 crank. He does not mention anything about the heads

dto_showcase.php
 
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