Need input on Mach 1 S Code 390 V8 indentification

[coolclassiccars]

Hello,
just purchased a 69 Mach 1 S Code Acapulco Blue Black interior.  it has a 390 in it but seller told me they blew motor 20 years ago and now have a 390 in from that time but he does not remember anything about it.  i am pulling motor our in a week or so and will want to figure our what it is and from what it came from.
any help in getting me started will be helpful. what  i really want to know is did they just make a 390 for the mustang or are they generic?  did ford stamp these motors with vin or serial numbers.  i will want to at the least find a correct date coded 390 to rebuild and install back in the car.  Date code on Mach is Feb 22 1969.  when looking how close do i need to get to make it as correct as possible?

of course if some one has a 390 top to bottom in the correct date code area  and wants to sell it i maybe interested. i live in the Philly area.  been out of mustangs for a few years playing with Broncos but this one came up and i moved on it quickly and got it.  so now make it look like a rose.

thanks Jerry in Philly
 

[jayb]

The 390s were pretty generic, you could get one in a lot of different cars including full size vehicles.  If the engine in the car is 69 or later, it will have a partial VIN number for the original vehicle stamped on the block, in the back, right underneath the driver's side cylinder head.  Pretty tough to see that in the car, but when you get the engine out you should be able to clean off the area and find the number if it is there.  Then there are a variety of sources for finding what car it originally came in.

I'm not a restoration guy, but my understanding is if the engine date codes are within 2-3 months of the car build date, it is considered pretty authentic.

[coolclassiccars]

Great pictures of your cars.  they look awesome.  i have done 14 or 15 65 and 66 Mustangs but this is my first 69 and a big block to boot.  i am thrilled to get the chance to own this great car.  the 390 is the only thing so far i see that is not correct in the car.  so i owe it to the Mach to make it as correct as possible.  i would like to find out what the casting numbers are for a correct 390 Mach engine.
Jerry

[thatdarncat]

Some of the guys on the forum here can probably come up with the details on the '69 390 Mustang package on the top of their heads, so hopefully they will chime in. I do know the '69 390 Mustang ( along with Cougar and probably Torino & Cyclone ) used a unique cast iron 4V intake manifold that year - casting number C9ZE-9425-B, so if you intend to restore it you will want to see if you have that. Here's a couple pictures:





Ford also went away from the Holley carbs they used on the '66-'69 390 GT engines and used an Autolite 4V. There were some other changes as well.

My advice - first thing I would do if you haven't yet is get the Marti Report on the car. The Marti report will have the actual build date of the car, the door tag is only a scheduled build date, and when the car was actually built can easily be days before or weeks after that date. So before you start buying date coded parts you want that info. If you don't have it here's a link to Marti Auto:

http://www.martiauto.com/

You should also check out the 428 CJ website. Some of the info will also apply to the 390. Here's that link:

https://www.428cobrajet.org/

I'll add to what Jay said in that there usually is a partial VIN number on the original transmission as well.

Let us know what you find out as you start examining everything. Any FE Mustang is cool.

[Qikbbstang]

JMHO if you have restored over fifteen Mustang you surely understand shelling out the arguably ridiculous money required for the numbers matching route. Just having the "correctly dated block is near worthless unless you have all the allied components such as: Correct Model Carb, dated intake manifold, dated heads, dated VC's, dated exhaust manifolds, correct model manual/auto dated distributor, dated valve covers, breathers, hoses, PCV tubes, smog pump assembly,  etc. I mean really what's the value added for having the correctly dated block and not the correct parts that go with it?..................
  Then with a commitment for the numbers matching route typically you are talking show-car and then you are trying to buy/obtain correct original FoMoCo parts for everything from suspension parts, control arms, springs, sway bars, shocks, door panels, shifter, console, dash, Ford rubber body gaskets, Ford Bumpers,  etc.......... 
    Finally after you do your ground up correct restoration you go in a judged Mustang show and there's a guy parked near you with a low mileage Mustang that has every correctly dated piece on it  right down to the mufflers,  tailpipes, wheels etc.... The value of that numbers matching Mustang is typically a fraction of what you spent restoring a car to be worthy of numbers matching.. 

[coolclassiccars]

great input as this is where i am.  if it is feasible i will try to get  to as correct as possible but having done 65 and 66 and making money on almost all of them i will do what makes since vs concourse  car.  really i want it to look awesome but driveable and affordable.
thanks for reminding me what makes sense.