Engine Cylinder Head Use Survey Late 1964

[Dan Case]

We (mostly me)are collecting data on engine blocks and cylinder heads for five bolt HP289s originally installed in new Cobras April 1964 and later. The configurations between March 1963 and about mid April 1964 are very well known.

The questions in configurations pop up because Ford made component changes during April 1964. We are interested in documenting mostly intact original engines. The engine number and assembly date together are important to compare them to the database for all five bolt HP289s documented to date no matter what their original installation was in. I am looking for:

Ford Engine Serial Numbers

Engine block casting version ( C4OF-6015C or C4OF-6015F)

Engine block casting dates (interested in any date in April 1964 through July 1964)

Cylinder head casting version (C4OE-B or C5OE-A)

Cylinder head casting date(s)

Engine assembly dates

Thanks in advance for any help you might provide.

If you have a mostly intact original engine and don't know where to look for engine numbers and the assembly date, send me a PM, I have a slide show with that information.

[PDUB]

This would be great information, Dan. I am surprised you did not get any responses!

[Dan Case]

It has been disappointing. HP289 engines tended to be ordered for cars that somebody planned to use in some kind of competition. Competition often led to modifications and parts swaps. As the cars moved down the used car ladder subsequent owners could often get more radical.

Then of course, most of the Fairlane and Cobra owners I communicate with have no idea what exactly is in their car. Some that have gone to check determined that their current engine is not what they believed when they purchased the car.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

It has been disappointing.

Some that have gone to check determined that their current engine is not what they believed when they purchased the car.

Bummer on both counts, Dan, and finding an engine that you thought was something else might be quite a shock!

[USC_COWBOY]

I have a very early 289ci complete engine, I was told it is a December 1962-January 1963. It has a sgl 2V intake. I acquired it to use in a reconstruction of our family owned and campaigned factory competition prepared Cobra that was also a early 1963 chassis. We acquired the Cobra in April-May 1963 and the car was badly wrecked in a crash at Willow Springs Raceway in November 1963, a 300 foot plus flip and tumble end over end that killed my step-father Paul Cunningham.

I would appreciate seeing your slide show regarding identification and would like to know the best way to sell this engine and what amount it should sell.

Thanx for any help you can provide. michael@heinekegroup.com.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

I would appreciate seeing your slide show regarding identification and would like to know the best way to sell this engine and what amount it should sell.

Thanx for any help you can provide. michael@heinekegroup.com.

Sent.

In that time frame there were all kinds of Ford engines experimental to stock Fairlane. Most of course were standard Ford vehicle engines. Blocks and head had casting dates and engineering numbers. Production blocks had the day they were machined and integrated into a "block assembly" stamped into them. Engines assembled in the Cleveland engine plant had the day of assembly stamped into them. The only easy identification for production engines before early 1964 was a paper sticker attached on the assembly line for quick reference. In early 1964 Ford started adding little aluminum tags for service departments to read. Alas, most paper stickers and or aluminum tags often got defaced or removed somewhere along their time lines.

[PDUB]

Seems that if it is an original, unmolested engine, then it is just a plain old Fairlane motor, rather than a Hipo, since it has the 2V intake. With his vast knowledge, Dan is a great person to comment on that. Thoughts?

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by PDUB

Seems that if it is an original, unmolested engine, then it is just a plain old Fairlane motor, rather than a Hipo, since it has the 2V intake. With his vast knowledge, Dan is a great person to comment on that. Thoughts?

In that time frame, most likely a low performance assembly line engine. 289 2V engines were in production then and HP289 engine as assembly line units came in March 1963. That said, it never hurts to check old parts and or engines out as users could have mixed and matched just about anything.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

...users could have mixed and matched just about anything.

Great point, Dan, one can only hope! Now, if we could only get some good data points in this thread!!!