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EFV-8 Club Forum / 1940 Ford Discussion / Engine ID

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Engine ID     pech33 07-29-2021 @ 2:25 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 84 Joined: Mar 2011 I just got a copy of Benny Bootle's book, ouch, it was expensive ($145). I was confirming what engine I have, starting with the pencil test. It failed, it is curved under the pencil. So I looked at the heads, "A" is right where it is supposed to be according to Mike Kubarth's book. Bootle suggests that the 59AB was the popular replacement for stock 85 HP engines. VanPelt says to look for a number stamped on the bell housing. My number is 825622, which is what? VanPelt says that information is long gone. Short of pulling a head and measuring the bore, are there any other ideas to pursue? It has the single belt set-up for the generator, fan and water pumps. The fan is on the crank. Pat’s 40 Ragtop Shoovel 07-29-2021 @ 4:54 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 5 Joined: Apr 2021 I have the same issue with my 39. It has 59 sticking out from the centre of the Bell housing. Mine should be a 221, but it may be a 239? It also has a 2 bolt electronic distributor, although I understand the timing covers were interchangeable. I think the only true way would be to pull the head and measure. Good luck. pech33 07-29-2021 @ 5:02 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 84 Joined: Mar 2011 Someone on this site will have something else to check on this block. I added a picture of the casting number. Pat’s 40 Ragtop carcrazy 07-29-2021 @ 8:26 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1585 Joined: Oct 2009 Engines which had the fan on the front of the crankshaft were original to 1939 Deluxe cars, 1940 Standard and Deluxe cars and all 1941 Ford V-8s. 40 Coupe 07-30-2021 @ 4:35 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1646 Joined: Oct 2009 You can not tell what engine block you have from the parts bolted to the block since many of the parts will interchange with different year engines. Look for a flat or a raised area under the intake manifold. Flat may be 38-40 raised is 41 and later. If the photos you posted are of your engine , the pencil test looks OK, I would consider your heads to be later year replacements for the originals due to the indented Ford script inside a block and the USA. If you have Kubes book it describes the 40 engine. An engine block with the 59 cast into the top of the bell housing is a post war engine block. The 39-40 engine block is not marked 59 . This message was edited by 40 Coupe on 7-30-21 @ 4:40 AM kubes40 07-30-2021 @ 6:16 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3368 Joined: Oct 2009 Pech33, Within my book, I had provided numerous details to help identify a proper '40 block from the outside. I might suggest you read that section very carefully. Your so called "pencil test" appears to have got a passing grade. If, as has been previously advised, the block has a stepped surface adjacent to the valve chamber cover, it's a '41 or later block. Look at the rails adjacent to the oil pan for the "bump outs" where the core plugs should be. Also check the casting adjacent to where the exhaust manifolds fasten. They should "stick out" from the block proper about 1/4". Shoovel, You have a later block - most likely 47 or newer. Mike "Kube" Kubarth pech33 08-02-2021 @ 5:32 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 84 Joined: Mar 2011 Mike: I definitely have a flat area at the valve chamber. My exhaust manifolds do not appear (to me) to be sitting on "pronounced" bosses. They look sort of gradual if they are anything. At the pan, the gasket "pops out" in a partial circle, but there is not any casting that sticks out like your photos in the book. Maybe I have a "hybrid"! Pat’s 40 Ragtop 40 Coupe 08-08-2021 @ 4:53 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1646 Joined: Oct 2009 Below is a photo of a block without the raised area under the intake manifold and another with the raised area. The last photo shows the raised area at the exhaust manifolds. Sometimes hard to tell if there is a raised area under the intake without removing the intake. Although these are not to be considered 1940 engine blocks the photos are for example of the areas in question.

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