1st Generation 1964 1/2 - 1973 - Questions & general discussions that apply to a specific year > 1967 Mustang

Casting dates on 289 heads

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Cool Times:
Good evening

Most of you guys are tired of answering date code questions, but I'm documenting all my part dates and sheet metal dates.  I have a 1967 A code fastback built in San Jose with a thermactor emission system.  My build date was May 8, 1967 and my 279 was cast on April 25 and assembled on April 27.  So, I always felt comfortable that the engine was original.  However, the other day, I pulled the valve covers to document the casting numbers on the heads. They both had 289 casts along with WF which I believe means Windsor Foundry.  However, to my disappointment, the heads were dated Jan 31 and Feb 2, 1967 which I believe suggests a matching set being only two days a part.  But, the heads and block casting dates are 80 plus days apart.  I'm concluding that they were swapped at some point - even though the engine was severely caked in grease before getting rebuilt.  Is my swapped conclusion correct?

Thank you
Mike

Cool Times:
289 not 279

J_Speegle:

--- Quote from: Cool Times on August 25, 2017, 10:47:06 PM ---..................... But, the heads and block casting dates are 80 plus days apart.  I'm concluding that they were swapped at some point - even though the engine was severely caked in grease before getting rebuilt.  Is my swapped conclusion correct?

--- End quote ---

So just to confirm the heads you currently have are Thermactor heads?   It was common to swap these out for non-Thermactor for some since the addition "bump" int he port was seen as a restriction by many for increased performance usage

Looking at the limited number of dates I have comparing head and engine block casting dates I would suggest that yes 80 days between the two is unusual and I don't have another example that is similar during 67  production

I can offer that I do have examples (other years) that are greater than the 80 days 9E15 compared to 9B21 and 9B28 which could just be another example of head swapping but we can't be sure. It is one heck of a coincidence that it they were swapped the owner/shop found out of all the tens (or more) thousands of heads they could have picked they choose another set of 69 heads and ones cast before the block. Especially since (if this were done) they were likely not even thinking about casting dates just finding usable heads.

In the vast majority of the examples I have records of the casting dates are most often the same month or two neighboring months

Cool Times:
Thank you Jeff.  That is what I feared.  The heads are thermactor heads with one port for the smog valve.
Mike

Cool Times:
Jeff,
Another question on date difference from build date.  My 1967 289 San Jose built A code was built on May 8 and I've found the casting part number on the third member of 6C0W-4025-A.  0n the pinion casting there's a few letters that basically illegible.  However has cast date of 6M9.  The 9 is hard to read, but it's clear to have been cast during Dec '66.  Is 4-5 months too far of a spread for a differential?

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