The Mystery Ford Small-Block: Decoding Help Needed

[BangShift McT]

Work is going on inside of the shop. One item under the gun is the "mystery motor", the small-block Ford attached to what I'm 95% sure is a C6 automatic that I yanked from the 1994 Mustang I gutted for suspension parts. I want to do something with this engine. It ran fine in the SN-95, with a good idle and a strong rev range. But I have no effing clue as to what it actually is. I don't speak Ford too well, it seems.

On most small-block Fords, there should be a code on the block, above the starter on the passenger side. On mine...well, there's nothing.

Ok, so that's annoying. But there are other locations to look. One is a plate at the back of the engine, just behind the intake manifold. This will occasionally yield a partial VIN code. In this case, I get "1F14" or maybe "1F1A".

Maybe going under the intake manifold might yield some clues?



So far, I can't locate anything for the "SB 32" code in the valley or the "YYY" on the heads. I'm a bit of work away from putting this engine onto a stand, but for now, does anybody have any other tips into figuring out what this is? I'm pretty confident it's a 302 of some kind, but I'd like to know what I've got on my hands without ripping another engine apart at the moment.

[Russell]

The plastic lifter trays look like the ones from my explorer motor. It should be a roller cam. One of the newer ones. The older roller motors had dog bones to keep the lifters straight.

[Russell]

What heads are they?

[BangShift McT]

Unknown no longer. Looks like I've got a 1987 5.0L, two-bolt mains, roller cam. A nice, useful piece. Now, what to do with it...(and don't say Haley's car, the Explorer's GT-40P headed mill is ready and waiting.)

[DanStokes]

Haley's car!

Or find a German Capri (fairly small and they look kinda slippery compared to most) and make an LSR car out of it - D engine class and near the top of the allowable displacement. Or a Mercur which might be a bit slipperier than a Mustang and the engine is a bolt-in. Not sayin' you would be competitive at the national level but you could have a lot of fun for cheap.

If I'd found this thread sooner I'd have connected you with my buddy Jeff who is a SBF guru as is Milner 351.

Dan

[milner351]

let me know if you come up short with any parts, I can probably help with some pieces you may need, depending on what direction you're going. Do you still have my cell #?

[BangShift McT]

Haley's car!

Or find a German Capri (fairly small and they look kinda slippery compared to most) and make an LSR car out of it - D engine class and near the top of the allowable displacement. Or a Mercur which might be a bit slipperier than a Mustang and the engine is a bolt-in. Not sayin' you would be competitive at the national level but you could have a lot of fun for cheap.

If I'd found this thread sooner I'd have connected you with my buddy Jeff who is a SBF guru as is Milner 351.

Dan

Haley's car has the 1998 GT-40P headed engine we pulled from the Rollover Explorer waiting. This E7TE was just a happy little bonus from the red SN-95 that I carved up.

[BangShift McT]

let me know if you come up short with any parts, I can probably help with some pieces you may need, depending on what direction you're going. Do you still have my cell #?

Not on my current phone, but I do still have my older ones. I'll charge one up and verify, will PM if I don't.

[Russell]

What to do with it:. Build a T-Bucket.

https://youtu.be/RHj1omvxMC0

[Huskinhano]

I have a 97.5 GT40P in my 66 Mustang. It has the earlier dog bone retainers. I picked up a 98 GT40P for my friend's 66 Mustang. His has the same later style plastic retainers like yours.. However it looks like your engine is possibly a reman 5.0. As such it's going to be a conglomeration of different year parts. If your heads don't have any bars on them, E7. 3 bars GT40 and 4 bar are going to be GT40P. THE GT40P are the last and best Windsor head. It's going to have plugs that are more perpendicular and lack the smog ports as the GT40P didn't use a smog pump.