Engine Verification
 

Hi all,

How do you find out if you car is a numbers matching car? I know my VIN obviously, and I know my engine should be a 302 2V which is what i have, but where do i find the engine stamp # and how do you find out if it matches the body???

I've been doing some research and it seems that Ford didn't actually stamp the engines to match the car, it could be impossible to know for sure.

Is this so??

I guess i should specify what year...i have a 1970 ford mustang with a 302 2V

You can look first at the block casting above the starter, I BELIEVE 1970 may have a C8OE (1968) casting which would be the first iteration of the 302 but they may have changed to a D0OE(1970) by then. If the block has a later casting D1 D2 etc. then it would be non-original.

If the casting is "correct" About the only way to tie it down as numbers matching after that is if you know the build date of your car, the casting dates on the block heads etc. are usually no more than a few months before the assembly date as the motors would be getting built between the two dates but the casting would be done a ways back. Thes motors also went into Cougars Torinos Montegos etc. as they needed them on the line so that is why they are not "VIN'd" like GM does.

http://www.classicmustang.com/decoding_part_numbers.htm

This may help also

Hmm this is good news then. I crawled under the car last night and I was able to make out some of the numbers, but darn it's hard to see them. I think I'm gonna have to take out the starter to get a good look. The actual car was manufactured in 69 and on the engine I can make out a C (being 60's) and looks like an 8, but can't be sure. I'm missing all the important numbers such as the year, build date, and car type.

I did have the car for sale, but not anymore. I was schooled on it's condition by a friend of a friend who does Ford restorations and he said the cars body (all panels) are original with no bondo and even all the glass is original and 95% of the interior as well. I ran the VIN to this car 3 years ago and messed up and always thought the original factory engine was a 260 6-cyl., but I checked again just this past weekend for some strange reason, and the original engine WAS a 302 2V, which is what I have in it right now. So of course my first instinct was to find out if the engine matches the car.

Thanks for the info...I'll keep u posted as to what I find.

Any suggestions on an easy way to read those numbers othan than removing the starter?????

engine verification
 

Hmm this is good news then. I crawled under the car last night and I was able to make out some of the numbers, but darn it's hard to see them. I think I'm gonna have to take out the starter to get a good look. The actual car was manufactured in 69 and on the engine I can make out a C (being 60's) and looks like an 8, but can't be sure. I'm missing all the important numbers such as the year, build date, and car type.

I did have the car for sale, but not anymore. I was schooled on it's condition by a friend of a friend who does Ford restorations and he said the cars body (all panels) are original with no bondo and even all the glass is original and 95% of the interior as well. I ran the VIN to this car 3 years ago and messed up and always thought the original factory engine was a 260 6-cyl., but I checked again just this past weekend for some strange reason, and the original engine WAS a 302 2V, which is what I have in it right now. So of course my first instinct was to find out if the engine matches the car.

Thanks for the info...I'll keep u posted as to what I find.

Any suggestions on an easy way to read those numbers othan than removing the starter?????