Thread: what year 429 is it

Tweet

hi



i got a ford 429 with the code number DIVE-A2B can you tell what year it is thanks





tim

D1VE-A2B is not the engine year coding but rather the cylinder block's engineering revision code.

Based on that number alone, your engine could be either a 1971, 1972 or 1973 model.

In order to more closely pinpoint the year of the engine, get the code off the cylinder heads. That code is located on the ouside of the heads, along the valve cover mounting rail and between the 3rd and 4th exhaust ports. Assuming your engine is original, that code will be either a D0VE-A, D1VE-A, D2VE-AA, or D3VE-A2A cast into the head.

Post the numbers,

Paul

the numbers are D2VE-AA

Again, asssuming the motor is original, then what you have is a 1972 429.

The D2VE-AA heads that are on your engine are single year, open chamber heads. They are the only cylinder head produced for the 429/460 engine family that is a true open chamber head. While they will work on a bone stock engine, they are somehwat detonation prone and will be of little use in a performance build (very detonation prone there). The compression ratio on the 1972 429 is somewhere around 7.6:1...just dismal.

This does not make your engine (overall) a poor one; rather, it could benefit greatly from a different pair of cylinder heads. Assuming you keep/still have the factory dished pistons that came in the 1972 engines, it would be best to switch to one of the earlier heads, specifically the C8VE, C9VE or D0VE castings. With just this cylinder head swap, compression ratio would be increased from 7.6:1 to about 8.9:1, maybe 9:1. Engine would be snappier and rev better, and still run on pump gas.

In your case, switching to the earlier iron cylinder heads mentioned above also requires that you switch to the early-style valve train. (Of course, if you're building a high performance engine, you may be needing new rockers & pushrods anyway.)

I have all the early-style cylinder heads available if you need a pair, and can offer them as cleaned and blasted bare castings all the way to ported assemblies ready to bolt on. PM me or email me if interested.

Paul

p.s.: Also, starting in the 1972 model year, all the carbureted engines had a slightly different cam grind and the cam timing was retarded.

do u know how much power it would have

In 1972 the HP rating system was changed. I couldn't estimate brake HP; if I had to guess, I would say certainly less than 300BHP.

Paul

thanks for your help now u said u could get me some heads what kind should i get to have more power

Based on the email I received from you detailing your build and its intended application, you might already make that combo work with just some tweaking here and there.

We'll talk business off the forum; I'll send you my number.

Paul