tigers
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Block Casting

To: Erich Arndt <earndt@popi.net>
Subject: Re: Block Casting
From: Steve Laifman <laifman@flash.net>
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 1998 15:39:24 +0000

Erich Arndt wrote:

> I have a Ford block that I think is a 351-C or M.  The casting says D2AE-CA
> / with a / 2A22 / cast directly below that.  The block is 4-bolt on all
> main caps.  Anybody got any insight on what the block actually is?
>
> Thanks,
>     Erich Arndt

Erich,

According to Tom Monroe, "how to rebuild—-—SMALL BLOCK FORD" (which goes from
221-351W), the code "D2AE-CA" can be broken down as follows:

"D" = 1970's
"2" = 1972
"A" = Original car line developed for = "Full Size Ford"
            (most of our blocks have an "O" for Fairlane, because that was the

            original car  it  was intended for.)
"E" = "Engine" ( "B" would be "Body")
"-" = "-" (secret code)
"CA" = "Change Level"
            The basic part originally was an "A". They progress through "Z"
for the 25th
            change, then start "AA", "AB", etc. So if I am counting right,
it's the 51st
             design change.

Then there is a lot of talk about "service part numbers" and "casting numbers"
and "engineering numbers", which are apparently independent of each other,
such as if the casting were machined differently for other applications.

The closest I can get is "D2AE-BA", an earlier engineering change used on 351W
blocks in the '71-'74 time period. The bore was the standard 4.00 inches, but
the "deck height" was a hefty 9.503 inches, vs about 8.206 for a standard
221-302. Now that number applies to the '74 model. The '71-73 models were
9.480. Still Big, but fairly standard for the 351. The extra cubes in a 351
come from stroke length, not bore, so the block is deeper, and therefore
wider, and therefore won't fit very well between your fender wells, even
though the heads bolt on (but the combustion chambers are bigger than the 289
(most).

Hope that helps.

Steve



--
Steve Laifman         < One first kiss,       >
B9472289              < one first love, and   >
                      < one first win, is all >
                      < you get in this life. >


_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
     _/                 _/_/_/       _/_/_/       _/
    _/        _/      _/     _/     _/    _/     _/_/_/_/
   _/        _/       _/    _/      _/  _/      _/
  _/_/_/_/_/__/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
                         _/
                    _/_/_/



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>