what is the Z

this is on the back of the block under the head on the driver side  , my 429 ford engine with a stamped number of 1Z617324 on the back of the block confusion is the Z for the build location . can anyone help me there .

fuzzy415 wrote:this is on the back of the block under the head on the driver side  , my 429 ford engine with a stamped number of 1Z617324 on the back of the block confusion is the Z for the build location . can anyone help me there .

That usually indicates, that block came out of a factory performance vehicle with that in the vin number.

rmcomprandy wrote:

fuzzy415 wrote:this is on the back of the block under the head on the driver side  , my 429 ford engine with a stamped number of 1Z617324 on the back of the block confusion is the Z for the build location . can anyone help me there .

That usually indicates, that block came out of a factory performance vehicle with that in the vin number.

Randy possibly a 429 cj 4 bolt block?

St Louis plant? If so, maybe the engine was originally from a full size Ford? The third and fourth digits (61) indicate 1971 LTD Convertible

I thank you for your input , I took the engine out of a '71 Torino GT with GT emblems and a big input shaft top loader 4 speed , the odometer only had 56000 miles on it . the owner had hit a tree on the left frame rail and said he had bought the car new after he came home from VietNam . I can think maybe it was a performance built car . thanks for all your thoughts .. Keep all the old FORDS on the roads ...

1, would be 1971, Z, St. Louis plant and the rest are the cars consecutive numbers as it rolled off the the assembly line. That would be all the info from a block stamping.

[quote="fuzzy415"]I thank you for your input , I took the engine out of a '71 Torino GT with GT emblems and a big input shaft top loader 4 speed , the odometer only had 56000 miles on it . the owner had hit a tree on the left frame rail and said he had bought the car new after he came home from VietNam .  I can think maybe it was a performance built car .  thanks for all your thoughts .. Keep all the old FORDS on the roads ...[/quote

Is there any way you can still  get the Torino VIN Number's?

I did this switch in 1985 and no way I can get the vin. as soon as I get my health back I will pull the engine out of my 69' continental , pull the pan and get the crank and cap numbers . I was hopping the stamped numbers would tell me more . thanks for the info Forrie.

There were three variants of 429 engines in 1971 that came in Torinos. If the engine is original and unmolested it should be fairly easy to decipher which one you have by casting numbers.

Just out of curiosity, what does it matter?

+1 1971 St Louis assembly plant. LOTS of Torinos were made there.