droptop66

I have a 66 vert, and im wondering how you can tell it you have the original engine? Is there a number located somewhere??? etc!!!!

kalli

there's no way to tell for 100%.

but there's 2 indicators:
first the engine casting number, which is located where your starter is.
as stupid as this sounds you'll have to pull the starter to see the number.
there are a few links in the FAQ, which will tell you more about engine casting numbers as well as how to decode the year and what model the engine came with... if you have the engine casting number, we'll be able to help as well.

then there's a date-code on the 289 as well. This should be around the time where the car was manufactured.
I found that code on a hump between the distributor and the fuel pump.
You should see it when looking from the top down on your engine, just where the headgasket should be at the front right of your engine.
this should look something like
6c21
6 for 66, c for march, 21 for day.
"I" was not used, so it should go:
jan a feb b mar c apr d may e jun f jul g aug h sep j oct k nov l dec m

vineman

If it's the original engine for your 66 vert the casting number (behind the starter)for you should read, C6ZE-xxxx If i can remember correct, the "Z" stands for Mustang. "C" =decade with C meaning 60s, "6" = year in decade with this meaning 66, "Z" means which model car with Z meaning Mustang, "E" =what type of part it is with E meaning engine. The "xxxx" just stand for production number.

kalli

C6AE- .... (i believe they used A for early mustangs. A standing for general Ford altough many lists say galaxy.)
nearly all my parts are C5Axxxxxx and I'm quite convinced I'm not driving one of those galaxies ;-)
check for the date code first. if that is completely out of whack, then there's no need to check the casting number for originality.
example: my car is a 64 1/2 model, while my engine is November 66 .... so I never bothered checking what it came out of ... i know it's not the original this way

vineman

Yeah i studied a list of those codes when i was rebuilding a couple engines and i remember it sayingthe "A" stood for galaxy and "Z"stood for Mustang. Oh well, just look for one of those letters i guess.