Quote Originally Posted by cruiser1 View Post
So how do I figure out if it is a true 429 block and not a 460?

Thanks
429 blocks and 460 blocks are one-and-the-same. All Ford 429's and 460's, for any given year of production, use all the same engine components except the crankshaft (stroke) and pistons (pin location).

How do you know if you have a 429 or a 460? Put it this way: The passenger car/light truck 460 was made from 1968-1998 or so, while the passenger car 429 was produced from 1968-1973 only. Since your engine seems to be a 1973-1978 variation, it is most likely a 460, although if it is a 1973 engine it could be either a 429 or 460. The only way to tell for sure is to unbutton the oil pan and look at the markings on the crankshaft which will tell you if it is a 429 crank or a 460 crank.

The crankshaft has numbers on the leading or trailing edge of the 3rd counterweight down from the snout.
  • 2Y, 2YA, 2YAB, 2YABC = 460 crank
  • 4U, 4UA, UAB = 429 crank

For a brief description of block differences over the years, click HERE.