1968 GT350 motor in question

[IndyMustang]

First post here, But I won this engine in a machinery auction last week in Michigan site unseen. the only thing I could go off of was the casting number on the intake. (Crappy pictures...) owning a 1968 fastback now, I was like "what the heck ill bid on it." ended up winning at $50.00. fast forward to today. this is all the casting numbers I could pull without pulling the motor apart. Block C80E-6015-A, Intake standard J Code 4V.

here is the kicker and it seems to have been a hot topic before. on the top of the block behind the intake the number 03210 is stamped into it. reading about what happened a couple years ago with a KR500 car this is a red flag to me. This engine looks to have been sitting on the pallet in a shop for the last 20 years the amount of dust that's on it and the skid. and the fact that this is a small block, not a big block.

Any help would be awesome.

[Coralsnake]

Normally you would have 8 characters stamped in that location

You also need to look at the block casting date behind the starter for a proper id

Regardless $50 was a bargain for the castings

And please enlighten is on your KR story

[shelbydoug]

To me, 03210 indicates it is likely out of a convertible in the 210xxx series. Mine, in addition to the 02 149 did have a visible T. "T02 149". A Metuchen fastback in the 149 series.

Look around the block for stamping numbers in the cast in pads in the front. You may find an assembly date there. That's pretty common on a J code.

Look at the date code on the distributor, the intake and the heads under the valve covers. It will give you more clues.

[IndyMustang]

I looked at the date code when I unloaded it out of the truck, and I very well could be wrong but I wanna say its 7F9.

and the only thing I know about the KR is from you and other on this forum.
http://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=8798.0

[IndyMustang]

unfortunately the motor is missing the Carb, distributor, and time timing chain cover. I will do more investigating this weekend when I go back to the shop.

[shelbydoug]

I looked at the date code when I unloaded it out of the truck, and I very well could be wrong but I wanna say its 7F9.

and the only thing I know about the KR is from you and other on this forum.
http://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=8798.0

That is a good thread. Very educational to a newbe. I hope it helps someone, somehow?

[Coralsnake]

I guess I am failing to understand how you are connecting a "J" code engine with an old discussion about a GT500KR?

[shelbydoug]

I guess I am failing to understand how you are connecting a "J" code engine with an old discussion about a GT500KR?

easy......J, K, L, M, N, O, P! Just sing it. My 3 year old grandson knows it.

[IndyMustang]

Coralsnake, the 3210 is how they're connected via internet searches. I googled that number since its stamped into the block and that thread came up. So, since the only thing I know is that I know nothing. what does this number mean? why is it there? that thread talks about that number being used on a big block car. can it be used on a small block car as well?

[Coralsnake]

3210 in that discussion is a reference to a Shelby unique serial number (suffix). In 1968 Shelby unique serial numbers (suffixes) are not stamped on engine parts.

So, the short answer to your question is NO they can not be related in any way.

As I mentioned, Ford serial numbers are stamped on small block engines, so the partial numbers
you found would be merely a coincidence. Additionally, the casting date you found would further excluded it from being remotely related, as would the engine size.

Please research the stampings more as they are a what is referred to as a derivative VIN

This will be the year/assembly plant code/and sequential unit number

[IndyMustang]

3210 in that discussion is a reference to a Shelby unique serial number. In 1968 Shelby unique serial numbers are not stamped on engine parts.

So the short answer to your question is NO they can not related in any way.

As I mentioned Ford serial numbers are stamped on small block engines, so the partial
you found is merely a coincidence. Additionally the casting date you found would further excluded it from being remotely related, as would the engine size

Sweet! that clears that up!

so, to sum this up... this motor can be out of GT or GT350. Nothing I can find on it will dictate one way or another? what I dont want to do is tear into it and it turns out its actually valuable. If a 302 can be valuable...

[Coralsnake]

So far I havent heard anything to indicate its out of a GT350. Ford put 302s in hundreds of thousands of cars. There were only a few thousand GT350s. Those engines aren't particularly valuable.

Probably wishful thinking, unless you can up with something better

😀

[shelbydoug]

Does it have air injection ports in the exhausts. Manuals do. Automatics don't.

[Coralsnake]

Lets make a list of cars a random 1968 model year 302 showing up in 2021 could have came in:

Any Ford truck, including vans
Torino
Fairlaine
Cougar
Ltd
Falcon
Galaxie And XL
Country Squire
Thunderbird
Bronco
Mustang

And lastly but likely the least possibility is...
Shelby

[Krelboyne]

Thunderbird did not come with a 302. I think they all had 429's.