date code ranges

[wagon409]

Working on gathering information on our 409 for possible sale. Heads are 690 castings with date codes of Jan 18th and 22nd 1962. The block is an 814 casting with a date code of 284 making it late october.

The stamping pad on the block is empty due to a rebuild.

I am thinking that these heads and block were not together when they left the factory...am I right?

What do you think? Any info you can share would be helpful.

[Tom Kochtanek]

Hey, Marc, we'd love to see pics of that engine when you get the chance. Judging by the dates, those heads were on a different block when they left the factory. Generally the parts were cast within a few days or perhaps a month, as I recall.

For example, I've got a set of 409 components that I believe to be original, and the block is cast "K 24 61" with the heads "L 17 61" and "L 19 61". That's about three weeks apart. And they probably went into a vehicle shortly thereafter, but it could have been as long as a few months later.

You still have a valuable set up with those parts, and I am glad you are letting someone else use them in their build :). Who knows, that person could be me :).

Cheers!
TomK

[wagon409]

I'll fill you in a little more about this engine.

My father-in-law bought it about 8 years ago from a gentleman who was working on a 63 with a brother who had recently passed away.

The engine was totally rebuilt, new pistons and all. A couple of things make this engine unique. It has all new SS valves, new springs, screw in rocker arm studs, roller lifters, roller cam, roller lifters, roller rockers. The heads appear absolutely new on the topside and are topped with the offenhauser valve covers that have been pollished on the sides. It has a perfect stock chrome air cleaner on top of correct 63/64 carbs. The distributor is a new mallory dual point unit. It had chrome headers when we bought it, but those have been used on the wife's 62. The block and heads have had the large majority of the block and head surfaces smoothed and the engine is currently painted red. The oil pan appears to have had some repair work done and is by no means perfect. The engine comes with balancer and water pump. No fuel lines, carb linkage, or exhaust manifolds.

We are in the process of rebuilding the carbs now and also partially disassembling the engine to gather more information/take pictures/confirm the build. After seeing some of the results from ebay lately, the father-in-law is interested in posting it within the month and seeing how it goes.

Another numbers question. On the 814 block casting, it was used in both 63 and 64 but the date code used is a simple 284 just noting the day of the year it was built. Since the code on the stamping pad is gone, how can I tell if the block was made in 63 or 64?

[Ronnie Russell]

wagon, Im certainly no expert, but I would think 814 block with 284 would be 1963. I think that late 63 and 64 were 422 castings. Im sure someone with more knowledge will comment.