Thread: how to find a good used 390/428 block

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Block casting numbers are pretty much the same as far as Ford's and Merc's go. They are also generic meaning the same casting number can be found on many different bore blocks. So they are not really the best way to ID a block. Granted there are some block numbers paticular to certain blocks. But for the most part very hard to tell what's what from the outside. Head, intake etc....casting numbers are pretty good and can pretty much ID from them. On the blocks you can look for the foundry logos ex: DIF, CF and MCC. Those plus the date code can timeframe the block. But internal inspection will give you the real skinny on things. Some of the 428 blocks can ne ID'd by a sandscratch "A or C" on the back. Even a few 428 PI blocks have a "S". Some earlier blocks like the 390HP, 406 and 63 427 used a "HP" identifier on them that will designate them as hipo blocks. And those HP blocks also have a paticular casting number that applies for the most part. www.428cobrajet.com is another good site to read up on the 428.

G.

Glenn,

Thanks for the help. I can't see where you mean on fordfe.com.

Rob

Guys,

So I am looking into this 427. The person selling only lives about 20 miles from me. It is only the block with nothing else. Is it not far more expensive to try to rebuild a 427 even just to find a set of heads than my original plan with a 390 and 428 crank. Certainly the 427 was never found in a 1968 Mustang. Just doing some reading tells me that early 427's had problems (top oilers) getting enough oil and that as of 1965 the oil galleries were improved. The bore would seem to indicate that this has already been re-bored once?

Rob