Casting Date Codes


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By Oldmics - 13 Years Ago
I need some assistance in identifing the casting dates on heads and a block.

The heads have the numbers in a circle arrangement with 4 different numbers in the circle arrangement.

Can someone tell me how that breaks down?I know that I have seen that information somewhere.

The block is an ECZ 6015 "A" block .The only numbers that I can find on it are 5A.

Normally that would mean Jan of 1955 but its a 312 engine (At least it says ECZ on the main caps)

Usually its the first number as the year-the second location is a letter which would be the month and the third and fourth are the day.

Thanks for the advice,Oldmics

By rick55 - 13 Years Ago
John Mummert's site lists ECZ A as a 56 engine. I have an ECZ A engine that was taken out of an original 56 wagon. To find out what the other casting numbers mean may be a bit difficult unless someone has first hand experience.

Regards
By John Mummert - 13 Years Ago
Early date codes are quite confusing. The ECK block I have here is 52C.

It sounds like yours probably has a number before the 5 that you can't read. Likely a 6 should be there. Usually the castings for the following model year start in August.

The 2nd number indicating the month is a problem, 10 numbers and 12 months. I'm not certain they even used 0. Ford generally placed numbers and letters upside down when they ran out the sequence.

I think that blocks cast in November and December were upside down A and B

On the head the numbers in a circle are shift numbers ect. I've never spent any time trying to decipher them.

There will be casting numbers somewhere on the head. They can be under the rocker assemblies (54-55) Between the exhaust ports (early 56) and under the water ports (late 56-on)

Dearborn date codes are also different than Cleveland.

The later date codes are much easier to decode.
By Oldmics - 13 Years Ago
I found the way to decipher the codes cast into the heads and blocks.

Thanks to Mr. Mummert about the circular pattern shift numbers.

What I have discovered is the first number is the year,the second being the month.

This second designation runs 1-Jan ,2 -Feb,etc thru 9 which is Sept.Then zero (0) is October.Then it starts with an A for November and a B for December.

The plant differences show up in the 3rd location.This is where both numbers or letters get used to designate the actual day of the month the casting was done.

So Johns block 52C would be Feb 3rd 1955 which is a Thursday.

Hope this helps,Oldmics