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Ford made prototype High Performance 289 engines and had them in test vehicles in September and October 1962; including at least one four bolt main block variant. Every once in a while a used prototype type part from that time frame finds its way to market still.
A very few preproduction High Performance 289 engines were made in time for the first new street car installation known before January 18, 1963 in a Cobra. Two more preproduction engines were modified by Shelby American and installed in Cobras CSX2002 and CSX2026 in time for them to being racing with the new engine March 2, 1963 and be announced as such in magazine coverage.
Indications are that mass production of High Performance 289 engines started March 1, 1963 and engines of that date ended up in Cobras. CSX2126, a prototype and development Cobra, still has a single digit serial number engine manufactured March 1. The next data point I have came from Bob Mannel is engine number 66 manufactured March 7 installed in a Fairlane.
To answer the original poster’s question, I would say a block cast in December 1962 is pretty rare. Is there an engine assembly date stamped on it? (in front of left cylinder bank)
Potential interest might be from the owner of any car without its original engine around the assembly date of that engine plus a few weeks. There might even be a Cobra owner out there somewhere (I have one in mind.) that might be interested in an early dated cylinder block.
Dan
If anybody has any High Performance 289 specific dated parts made before early February 1963, I would like to hear from you? Carburetors and intake manifold dates are of particular interest.
Posts by DetroitIron90
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Thanks for the info Fred, greatly appreciated. I was really curious as to how rare the early casting date is. Just haven’t found much on the web thus far.
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Hello all. I have an old 289 block laying around and recently decided to investigate it. Casting C3AE-6015N, 2M26 date. I realize this is not a Mustang block due to the year, but how rare is this block? I’ve tried researching it and even posted on another forum but have received very little feedback. Non-hipo caps, 5 bolt bellhousing, 289 cast into lifter valley. Greatly appreciate any feedback you all may provide. Thanks!
