how can i tell if my mustang is "numbers matching"?

built67 · 04-12-2009, 12:05 AM

i have a 67 coupe, 289, c4... apparently back in the day they didn't write VIN#'s on everything. i heard that i have to check the date codes? how do i go about doing that and where do i look?

Thanks

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Gary H · 04-12-2009, 05:08 AM

You can look up the casting date codes but it's not like a chevy where you have numbers to match
http://mustangforums.com/forum/gener...atching-s.html

http://www.aacncclub.com/FORD_HEAD_CASTING.html

HGC · 04-12-2009, 09:52 AM

It is my understanding that numbers matching tends to refer to simply having the right engine for the car. I don't think Ford actually used the numbers to match a particular individual engine to a particular individual body. So, I think if your car is supposed to have a 289 and you have a 289 built at the right time you have numbers matching.

pascal · 04-12-2009, 10:19 AM

If you still have the built sheet (usually located under the seats), it will have all the details that match your VIN number...

built67 · 04-12-2009, 12:17 PM

i took the seats out once before and there were no papers underneath them, would it be under the carpet? and basically you cant tell if its the exact motor that came with the car, you can only approximate it using the date codes?

'68 Convert. · 04-12-2009, 09:44 PM

I believe thats correct, a C code car in 68 was a 289 2 barrel. If thats the engine you have then it matches the vin, even if someone changed the engine at some point. I believe that the older chevy's had vin numbers on the block that matched the car vin, not so with Ford.

dcohen · 04-12-2009, 09:59 PM

dont worry about it, if the engine runs, drive it like you stole it

Nabster · 04-13-2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by built67

i took the seats out once before and there were no papers underneath them, would it be under the carpet? and basically you cant tell if its the exact motor that came with the car, you can only approximate it using the date codes?

It could be under the seat, between the burlap and seat springs inside the seat, under the carpet in the front or back, or taped to a wiring harness under the dash, or not in there at all. The only way to find it is to get lucky really.

And yes, because Ford didn't stamp matching numbers on everything, as long as your engine has date codes for roughly the same time the car was built you could call it date code correct. If the engine is coded for 6 months after the car was built you might start to worry about it not being the original engine, but stranger things have happened.