Original Message
Casting and Date codes
By Kevin66 - 07/02/2005 4:51:57 PM; IP 216.210.111.13
If you look (from the bottom of the block) at the bottom of the pad where the oil filter adapter mounts, you will see the raised, cast-in production date code.

The format is '#A##' (like 6K23), where the first # is the Year ('6' indicating 1966), 'K' is the month (October), and the two-digit '##' is the Day of the month.

At the top front corner of the block is a casting used to locate the block in the factory jigs. This may have a date code stamped into it, indicating the actual date of machining (as opposed to casting). It would be something like A10, for January 10th. Obviously, this would always be a later date than the casting date.

The raised casting number, something like C7AE-A, would be on the passenger side of the block, about halfway up near the front. Except for a few instances, this number is practically meaningless, as many engines of different displacements shared the same casting number.

There's a flat pad at the top rear of the block, beneath the driver's side cylinder head. Any VIN number (usually a partial number only) would be stamped there. However, Ford used these pretty infrequently prior to the very late 60's.
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Collapse <a href=../ForumFE/reply.aspx?ID=25257&Reply=25257><img src=../images/reply.png width=30 height=10></a>&nbsp;<a href="#" id="anchor25257" onclick="return false;">How to tell if it's a 352 or a 390?</a>&nbsp;-- <font color=#0000ff>Jason, <i>07/01/2005</i></font><script type="text/javascript">
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 How to tell if it's a 352 or a 390? -- Jason, 07/01/2005
 RE: How to Tell -- Kevin66, 07/02/2005
Collapse <a href=../ForumFE/reply.aspx?ID=25259&Reply=25257><img src=../images/reply.png width=30 height=10></a>&nbsp;<a href="#" id="anchor25259" onclick="return false;">RE: How to tell if it's a 352 or a 390?</a>&nbsp;-- <font color=#0000ff>Jason, <i>07/02/2005</i></font><script type="text/javascript">
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 RE: How to tell if it's a 352 or a 390? -- Jason, 07/02/2005
Collapse <b>Casting and Date codes</b>&nbsp;-- <font color=#0000ff>Kevin66, <i>07/02/2005</i></font>Casting and Date codes -- Kevin66, 07/02/2005
 RE: Casting and Date codes -- jason, 06/07/2006
 RE: How to tell if it's a 352 or a 390? -- McQ, 06/08/2006
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