How To Rebuild Your Ford V-8 351C-351M-400-429-460.pdf - Index of

UNDERSTANDING
THE PART NUMBERS
If you are like most people the first
time you cast your eyes on a Ford part
number, you probably thought it
looked unnecessarily complicated.
However, this first impression is gradually
changed as you understand what
all the numbers and letters stand for.
Engineering and Service Numbers-At
the risk of confusing you, you should
first know that there are two numbers
for each finished part: the engineering,
or production number and the service
number. They are just what they say.
The engineering number is assigned by
engineering when a part is approved
for production. This number is used
by the assembly plants. The service
number is assigned when the part
goes into the part-distribution system.
It is a different number because how
a part is finished and packaged for
service is different from its original
production counterpart. It,s the numused
by your Ford parts man to
look for or order. He doesn't want
to know about the engineering part
number. However, you may need to
because the engineering number is the
one appearing on many parts.
Casting Numbers-Casting numbers are
special engineering numbers placed on
a casting to assist in identification by
the plant. They are cast on a part at
the time of manufacturing, and apply
only to the basic casting. One casting
can be machined to make slightly different
parts, thus creating several different
finished engineering- and serviceart
numbers. Using casting numbers to
VEHICLE IDENTICATION CODES
A- Full-size Ford L - Lincoln 58-60
B - Bronco 70-73
Maverick 75-77
Mark I I I, I V, V
M -Mercury
C -Torino Elite 0- Fairlane 62-68
D- Falcon 60-69 Torino 69-76
Maverick 70-74
Granada 75 and up
E -Pinto
G-Comet 61-68
Montego 69-76
I - Monarch
Versailles
J - Industrial engines
K - Edsel
Comet 60-61 and 75 and up
LTD l l 77 and up
0- Fairmont
S - Thunderbird
T -Truck
U-Zephyr
V- Lincoln 61 and up
Z -Mustang
the part is for-Ford or Lincoln-Mer- casting number on a part while it is
c ~ r ~ Example: . the preceding part being cast, it's the casting number
numbers are for a 429 cylinder head that appears on the part-great for
originally released in 1970 as indi- them and terrible for the guy trying to
cated by the first letter-D for the identify a part. Also, the number that
70s, C for the 60s and so on. The appears on a casting may not include
following number is the year in that the basic casting number for the simdecade-0.
The third digit, usually a ple reason that you don't need a numletter,
indicates the car line the part ber to tell you you are looking at a
was originally designed for. The accom- block or an intake manifold. The numpanying
list gives most of them.
ber generally consists only of the pre-
The V designation is given to 4291 fix and the suffix, or DOVE-C for the
460 engine parts because the engine cylinder head.
was designed originally for Lincoln Suffix-A part-number suffix generally
cars. The last digit, or letter in the pre- tells you the change level of a part,
fix in this part number indicates the regardless of whether it is applied to
part was released for production by the casting, the finished part or the
identify a part is sort of like playing the Engine Division: A is for chassis, service part. A signifies a part pro-
B is for body and E is for engine- duced as it was originally designed, B
horseshoes. It doesn't count much
makes sense because it's an engine indicates it was changed once, C twice
when you're close, but it does countand
it very well may be the only numpart.
This applies to engineering parts, and right through the alphabet in
however the digit in a service part sequence, excluding the letter I. When
ber you have to work with.
Dissecting the Numbers-Ford part
refers to the car division-Z for Ford the alphabet has been gone through
numbers, regardless of whether they
Division, Y for Lincoln-Mercury Divi- once, the suffix grows to two letters
are engineering or service numbers,
sion and other letters for special and starts as AA, AB, AC and so on.
always consist of three distinct groups:
parts such as X for the extinct Muscle How does a change affect the other
prefix, basic part number and suffix.
Parts Program.
two numbers A service part and its
Engineering Basic Part Number-Regardless of number can change independently of
Casting Production Service whether it's an engineering or a service the casting part and its number and
Number Number Number part number the basic part number the engineering part and its number
DOVE-6090-C DOVE-6049.12 DOVZ-6049.~ will be the same. For example, 6049 is simply because it comes after these
Prefix-The four-digit alphanumeric for all cylinder heads, 6303 is for two in the scheme of things. Using the
prefix tells the year the part was re- crankshafts and 6010 is for blocks. same reasoning, a finished, or engileased
by engineering for production, The number for the casting used for neering part can change independently
the car line the part was originally machining these parts is different. Re- of the casting, but not of the service
released for and by what Ford engi- ferring to the cylinder head again, the part. A casting affects both the finneering
division (chassis, engine, body, basic finished part number is 6049 ished and the service parts. This is why
etc.). In the case of a service part, whereas its casting number is 6090. the suffixes of all three numbers rarely
the prefix tells which Ford car division Because it is relatively easy to put a ever match.