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Question about Engine stamping and VIN

miller511

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 3, 2004
Messages
567
Hi All,

Sorry if this has been brought up before, but...

Did the engine stamping on the CS's absolutely match the VIN on the car?

My CS has a VIN of 156609 and the block is stamped 153...

Is this likely the original engine? (in that it's 3000 or so numbers off).

Thanks, Jeff
 

rvrtrash

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Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Mosesatm said:
The numbers should be exactly the same.

Or at least a lot closer. My VIN is 162112 and my engine and tranny are both stamped 8R162110.
Steve
 

390cs68rcode

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Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
rvrtrash said:
Or at least a lot closer. My VIN is 162112 and my engine and tranny are both stamped 8R162110.
Steve

that's very interesting. Somehow I doubt after all these years if the motor/transmission were replaced that someone could find the combo that was made 2 after yours. I say as long as the numbers you are reading are clear and legible then what you have is a numbers matching drivetrain.
 

rvrtrash

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Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Mine is a 302. I always figured it was a factory mistake. The car had been sitting since 1979 with 52,000 miles on it when I bought it, had been originally sold in Hawaii and was sitting in central Washington. The chance of someone needing to replace the engine and tranny and finding the pair only 2 units off, probably in California, is virtually impossible. I'd probably have a better chance of winning the lottery.
Steve
 
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miller511

miller511

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Feb 3, 2004
Messages
567
Scott,

My CS has a 289. The VIN is stamped on the top of the block near the firewall behind the intake manifold.

-Jeff
 
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miller511

miller511

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Feb 3, 2004
Messages
567
OK. I'm not quite ready to let this go. Mostly because we think/know that the factory did some interesting things in 1968 (because of the strike and perhaps because Ford was still cranking Mustangs out at a ridiculous rate).

I'll make a few general assumptions-

approximately 317,000 Mustangs produced in 1968
Three plants built them. I'll assume in more or less equal amounts (anyone know real numbers per plant?)
So, roughly 1/3 were built at San Jose (Milpitas) =105,666
Divide 105,666 by 52 weeks = 2032
So 2032 cars per week came off the line at Milpitas.

Is it too far fetched to think that an engine stamped two weeks earlier (say 4000 numbers off) ended up in a CS two weeks later? Especially since they built CSs in batches (so we think)?

One more question. How many of your 289/302 stampings match the VIN?

Steve's being two numbers off just adds fuel to my theory.

Thanks, Jeff
 

Mosesatm

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Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,009
My old GT/CS matched exactly. Haven't checked the new one yet.
 

rvrtrash

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Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
miller511 said:
Is it too far fetched to think that an engine stamped two weeks earlier (say 4000 numbers off) ended up in a CS two weeks later? Especially since they built CSs in batches (so we think)?

Steve's being two numbers off just adds fuel to my theory.

Thanks, Jeff

Not to rain on your parade but I think there is a huge difference between 2 and 4000. I can see a car coming down the assembly line and the engine being in the wrong place on the line meeting it or the guy doing the stamping forgetting to change the numbers for a couple of cars but I can't believe they stuck an engine in a corner for 2 weeks and then put it in a car knowing it was the wrong VIN. By the way, does the number on the tranny match your VIN or the engine? Even if it was possible, I don't think you'll ever convince a knowledgable person it's original. People even hesitate on mine.
Steve (AKA the wet blanket and bearer of bad tidings)
 
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miller511

miller511

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Feb 3, 2004
Messages
567
Steve,

Not a problem...rain away ;-)

It's just seems strange that I could have an engine that is "kind of" close. I'd think that if/when it got changed out (maybe after 10 or 15 years?) that someone could find an engine that was two weeks close in stamping numbers to replace it...perhaps (it appears) it wasn't too difficult to find period correct 289s in the late 70s/early 80s.

Where is the VIN on the transmision?

-Jeff
 

rvrtrash

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Apr 25, 2003
Messages
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It's on a protrusion on the top of the transmission-on a C4 anyway. I don't know if you would be able to see it while the tranny is in the car, but maybe with a mirror and some determination. Here's a pic of mine.
Steve
 

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miller511

miller511

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Feb 3, 2004
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Thanks Steve,

I have a C-4 also....and a mirror...and (some) determination.

-Jeff
 

di81977

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Jan 15, 2006
Messages
438
My 302 does not have a stamp on the pad. The block date is quite a bit earlier than the build date, and it does have the proper 302 casting numbers.
 
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