Trying to find out engine size

[linda's cobra]

Excuse me in advance for my ignorance, but I am not a Ford man, rather a Mopar man, trying to sell my mother-in-law's 427 cobra. Little is known about the car except that it's a Shell Valley Motors kit and the little mechanical info I've been able to find out myself. She won the car on a radio station 12 years ago and it has sat in a garage with very little human interaction since. My wife convinced me to move into our garage last summer so I could "clean" it up so my MOL could sell it. I've been pretty successful finding out as much as I can, but I don't know how to determine what size the engine is. Can anyone tell me how to dermine this? I was told that it is an original 427 engine, but I want to confirm that before putting those words in writing. Where do I look for the serial # and how do I translate it? By the way, anyone interested in buying it, I've attached a few pics...

[MIKE SCHULZ]

Sir; The quickest way to tell if you have a 406 or a 427 is: Feel with your hand on the block underneth the headers (Either side)and see if the Freeze plugs have an "Octagon shape" sorta like a Giant allen key would tighten it in the block. All 427`s except the very early ones had Screw in Freeze plugs, while all other sizes of the F.E Ford (352-360-390-404-428) had normal stamp in freeze plugs.You won`t find any markings that identify conclusively on the outside of the block.Also look on the drivers side of the block near the Oilpan rail for the "Hump" that is made when the block was cast, this is an Oil passage that the 427 Sideoilers had.If it is a sideoiler there will be three small allen head plugs corresponding to where the main bearing saddles are. This denotes that the block was drilled for the Side oiler passages while if the engine was a 427 Marine Engine - these plugs will not be there...Hence a Center oiler.If it has no gallery or Hump cast in the block then it is definately not a 427. Hope this helps..Mike

[Steve R]

climb under the car and take pictures of the driver's side of the block. get the oil pan in the picture. post it here.

[Ibr8k4vetts]

"All 427`s except the very early ones had Screw in Freeze plugs" I disagree with this statement, But all 427 have cross bolted mains.

[linda's cobra]

OK, here's what I've been able to find out about the engine without having to take it apart:

It has screw in freeze plugs and cross bolted main caps. The number on the front of the block on the drivers side reads "67" on top and "352" on bottom. On the bottom front of the block on the driver's side near the oil pan it reads "W" on top and "8J2" on bottom. Near the dipstick hole is reads "12" on top and "DW" on bottom. On the cylinder heads it reads "V51" and on the manifold it reads "C6AE9425-H".

What does all of this mean? Can I say for sure if this is a 427? I'm going to put this up for sale and I don't want to misinform anyone, but as I said before, I'm not a Ford man, I'm a Mopar Man so I don't know jack about Fords.

[Jack21]

If you took it out for a "little spin", you might decide to keep it, and that there's a Ford guy inside among the Mopars.

[Excaliber]

Sure sounds like a 427 all right! The screw in freeze plugs and cross bolt mains basically confirm it.

A dozen years ago, a radio show give away car. My "gut" tells me this thing is the real deal. I'd KEEP IT!!!

[Ron61]

The C6AEXXX tells you that it is a 1966 block and the A will tell you what car it is out of. The E is a Ford Engine and the rest are running changes made during the production year. Mostly minor stuff. But from what you say about the freeze plugs and mains, I agree with Ernie. It sounds as if you have a real 427. The 352 was cast into ever Ford block from the 332 through the 428 Cobras.

Ron