You might first try posting your question on the main forum at as Kevin Marti is very active in that forum. He helped me ID a 428 block one time and I remember that said the numbers represented the year, production plant, and consecutive unit number. I think the first two (8Z) represent the year ('68) and the production plant (Z=?). The last six numbers (592161) stamped on the left rear of the block just under the deck are the cars consecutive unit number. He will be able to search through the Ford database and find out the order details of the cars these engines came in. E-mail Kevin Marti at and tell him the partial vins from each block. hope someone can help.are all you need to know to positively identify these blocks. the X block is all the same but the #s are a 42 next to the X ,below oil pump W1 8E2 ,#816884 stamped on rear leftof block. are derived from the 352 FE engine.All of these engines used the 352 block, according to the 'Rebuilding Ford FE books', because the 352 had so much girth to them, they could be bored out to provide the necessary cubic inches. Not a bad thing, just something that often gets overlooked.I spent the day getting #s here is what I have, the C7ME-A has under the oil pump#8C20 stamped, on back of block L/side #8Z592161, square main caps,webs from base of cap to pan rail with looks like 1 raised rib.
I agree, the 0.040" pistons (or possibly the rods) must have been quite a bit different in weight than the originals, requiring the re-balance job. The 428 (and 410) was externally balanced, but with the 3.98" stroke it is easy to identify the difference. That is a 390 crank and as such is internally balanced. "the stroke measures just under 3.8" - that is all you need to know.
I am sure someone will jump my shit and say they have a 390 punched out 0.080", but blocks that can take that are few and far between and don't last long bored to that level without additional support such as hard block, hence the need for a sonic check. Please get some one to sonic check it and see exactly were the wall thicknesses are at if another bore job is needed. 0.050" is typically max on a 390 since the FE motor pioneered thin wall casting techniques and Ford fought core shift problems with the new processes during the FE's entire production run. I would be more concerned about the 0.040" boring job if it is in need of another cleanup. Not a bad thing, just something that often gets overlooked. I agree, the 0.040' pistons (or possibly the rods) must. The long stroke 428 (and 410) was the only externally balanced FE, but with the 3.98' stroke it is easy to identify the difference. The long stroke 428 (and 410) was the only externally balanced FE, but with the 3.98" stroke it is easy to identify the difference. 'the stroke measures just under 3.8' - that is all you need to know. Is it normal to have that much rebalancing? The crank measures stock diameters on the journals.
I read on here that the 390 FE is internally balanced. Other FE engine characteristics include a skirted block, a completely flat oil pan mating surface, the number '352' cast into the rear of the block behind the flywheel and intake manifold bolts that are perpendicular to the intake face, or 45 degrees to the ground. My question is that I see a lot of welding on the balance holes and cheeks of the crank. According to the Fordification website, All FE engines have five valve cover bolts. Obviously given the over bore the engine has been gotten into sometime in the past. So everything seems to add up matching the VIN that said that it is a 390. The heads are casting C6AER, the block is casting C6ME- and the heads and block are all date coded 5L13 which I see translates into late Nov 1965 castings. The bore measures 0.040 over the 4.05 spec, Pistons are stamped 040, the stroke measures just under 3.8" and the crank is stamped 2U which I have read means a stock 390 crank. I have been reading all I can find on here about FE's and I think I have most of it figured out. I have a '55 F100 that I was thinking of putting it into. I have a 390 FE out of a '66 Thunderbird that I am tearing down to see what condition it is in.
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