1957 Ford Fairlane 500 V/8

[Randall Hornback]

Hello Ford Barn:

Need help again for a friend of mine, he has a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 V/8. He says it has a F-E 1963 390 V/8 motor in it. He needs to know where the motor ID No. is on the motor block ?. So he will have more information on it. All help needed and appreciated.

A Big Thank You
Randall Hornback

[Sid]

It's pretty tough to tell a 352 from a 390 without pulling a head or looking at the crankshaft flange. The early y blocks and F.E. engines didn't have prefix like a Chevy to determine any thing. You can determine year by casting #'s. If it is a 63 engine you should see casting # like C3AE on the heads,block,intake or other engine parts. 62 would be C2-- 64 would be 64-- and so on..

[Randall Hornback]

Hi Sid,I and my freind who has the 1957 Ford with the 390 V/8 in gives you a BIG-Thank you for the information you sent our way.

Thanks Randall

[Motorhead6]

C3xx is the year that part received an engineering approval for production. A C3xx part (for example) could have been used for years and often was. For example a D0xx (1970) 351 Windsor block was used for several years. The same casting number was used until superceded by a later design approval.

In order, here is what each digit in a Ford part or casting number represents:

DIGIT #1—DECADE OF MANUFACTURE:
A - 1940
B - 1950
C - 1960
D - 1970
E - 1980
F - 1990
G - 2000

DIGIT #2—YEAR OF THE DECADE:
0 - 1960, 1970, etc.
1 - 1961, 1971, etc.
2 - 1962, 1972, etc.

Example: B8 = 1958; C1 = 1961; C9 = 1969; D9 = 1979, etc.

DIGIT #3—CAR LINE:
A = Ford (from 1958; Galaxie, Custom, LTD)
B = Bronco (1970-1973)
B = Maverick (1975-1977)
B = Fairmont (1978-1983)
C = Remanufactured Parts (1966-1975)
C = Ford Elite (1975-1976)
C = Mercury Capri (from 1979)
D = Falcon (1960-1969)
D = Maverick (1970-1974)
D = Granada (1975-1982)
D = Ford LTD (from 1983)
E = Ford Truck (Cab Over Engine; 1970-1973)
E = Pinto (1976-1980)
E = Escort (from 1981)
F = Foreign or TransAm Racing
F = Outside Sales (from 1962)
G = Mercury Comet (1961-1967)
G = Mercury Montego (1968-1976)
G = Ford EXP (from 1982)
H = Holman Moody HiPo Parts (until 1966)
H = Heavy Truck (1966-1982)
H = Medium Heavy Truck (from 1983)
J = Industrial Engines
K = Edsel (1958-1960)
L = Lincoln (1958-1960)
L = Continental Mark Series (from 1969)
M = Mercury
N = Tractor
O = Fairlane
O = Torino (1969-1976)
O = LTD II (1977-1979)
O = LN7 (1982-1983)
P = Autolite (1967-1972; Motorcraft from 1973)
R = Rotunda Brand (1962-1969)
R = Ford of Europe Imports (from 1970)
S = Thunderbird (from 1958)
T = All Truck Lines (1958-1965)
T = Light Medium Truck/Bronco (1974-1982)
T = Light Truck/Bronco (from 1983)
U = Econoline (1961-?)
V = Lincoln (1961-1981)
W = Cougar (1967-1973)
W = Bobcat (1975-1980)
W = Lynx (from 1981)
X = Trucks (1970-1973)
Y = Meteor (Canadian)
Y = Mercury Bobcat (1975-1980)
Y = Mercury Lynx (from 1981)
Z = Mustang
1 = (not used)
2 = Pinto (1971-1975)
3 = Tempo (from 1984)
4 = Comet (1971-1974)
4 = Monarch (1975-1980)
4 = Cougar (1981-1982)
4 = Marquis (from 1983)
5 = Recreational Vehicles (1974-1975)
5 = Continental (from 1982)
6 = Pantera (1971-1975)
7 = Courier Truck (1971-1975)
7 = Ranger and Bronco II (from 1983)
8 = Capri (1972-1975; U.S.-designed parts)
9 = Turbine Engine Parts (1970-1975)

DIGIT #4—ENGINEERING OFFICE RESPONSIBLE FOR ORIGINAL DESIGN:
A = Light Truck Engineering Division
B = Body and Electrical Product Division
C = Chassis Engineering (Powertrain and Chassis Product Engineering)
D = Overseas Product Engineering
E = Engine Engineering
F = Electrical and Electronics Division (Product Engineering Office)
G = (not used)
H = Climate Control Division (from 1972) (Product Engineering Office)
I = (not used)
J = Autolite/Ford Parts and Service Division (Parts and Service Engineering Office)
K = (not used)
L = Industrial Engine Operations (Ford Parts and Service Division)
M = Performance Operations and Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) (includes Holman Moody)
N = Ford Tractor Operations (Product Engineering Office and Diversified Products Operations)
O = (not used)
P = Automatic Transmission and Axle Engineering
Q = (not used)
R = Manual Transmission and Axle Engineering
S = Light and Heavy Truck Engineering/Truck Special Order Parts
T = Heavy Truck Engineering
U = Special Vehicle Operations (SVO)
V = Vehicle Special Order and Engineering Section
W = Transmission, Axle, and Driveshaft Engineering
X = Emissions, Economy and Special Vehicle Engineering (high performance parts)
Y = Lincoln/Mercury Division Service Parts
Z = Ford Division Service Parts

DIGITS #5-9—BASIC PART NUMBER:
This series of numerals denote the actual part description, i.e., wheel assembly, relay assembly, etc. It is possible a letter or two may also appear within the series of numerals. The basic part number is still the same, however if the alphabetical letters are disregarded.

DIGITS #10-12 (SUFFIX)—DESIGN CHANGE:
Normally an alphabetical letter, with the original design being designated by the letter "A". A first revision to the original design would normally be noted with a "B", although sometimes this digit identifies a completely different component, even though the basic part is the same. For instance, different engine displacements and designs. Parts finished in different colors can be identified by their suffix numbers as well. For instance, the Simulated Styled Steel Wheel Covers for a 1969 Ford Thunderbird carry the basic part number C9SZ-1130D, followed by -26B for Brittany Blue color, 13D for Candyapple Red color, etc.

[Oldmics]

What I have always done on F.E. engines that I was checking out was to measure the stroke.

Simply remove a spark plug and then insert a small wooden dowel with graduated measurements on it.

Spin the engine by hand from TDC to BTC to figure out what the stroke is.

Heres a link showing all of Ford F.E. engine strokes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_FE_engine

Oldmics

[Randall Hornback]

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Hello to all who made a reply to my request, on 1957 Ford 500 Fairlane that had a 390 V/8 in it that my friend had. He needed help on finding the motor no. on motor block. Your information you sent our way was a super big help. We thank you and appreciate it very much. Thanks again for your kind help.

Randall Hornback