Wazza's 64 Hardtop - Aus

[warren1328]

Degrease and pressure wash.

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Here's where things get interesting and a little confusing.
The car is a F code 260 as per the data tag and VIN. I had no reason to question that and was of the opinion that the "original" engine seemed to have been pretty undisturbed over it's lifetime. 2 barrel carb, drives great, sounds great with the new exhaust, etc.
Today when I cleaned the engine I took the valve covers off for the first time and noticed 289 cast into the heads.
No big deal I thought, plenty of people change heads etc over the course of 60 years.
Found the block casting number and it's C40E-6015 C. 289? I believe if was a 260 it should have a "B" suffix on the number?
The casting date is 3J18 which I think suggests 1963, Sept, 18th? 5-Bolt casting.

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The car is a Jan 17th 1964 build date.
There's no chance a 289 could have been "mistakenly" installed into a 260 coded car?
Is the casting date too far ahead of the schedule build date for the car?
Would love to get some feedback on this from the experts on here.
Regardless of originality, I call an unexpected 289 a win

[SASSY]

Great find! I know the k code 289 4speed out of my Caliente went into a post car with all stock parts when I went to a 351C in '75 so who knows what could have transpired to yours.

[Joe Travers]

Pull the pan while you have it out of the car and check the crankshaft casting number
1M is the 289, IIRC.
Also check a piston w/ a scope down a sparkplug hole. 260 is flat-top w/o valve reliefs.

Joe

[poboyjo65]

I've always heard that the time frames should be within a couple months of parts stampings & including engine build date & car build date. but I'm not sold on that was always the case. the 289 that was in my 65 is about 3 months prior, a month or more out of that time frame,,but I have never found any evidence that the motor was replaced. the engine build date is on a pad in front of the driverside head on the block deck surface. But if the block has ever been decked that date gets machined off. I also have heard from people who built these cars that ford would do whatever needed to keep the line going so I think it's possible the 260's ran low & the 289 were there ,,so some one could have said '' slap it in ,keep em moving!''
this is when it was built which would have been after the cast date.

[warren1328]

Johno, all I could make out at the stamping location was a number 12.
I've already painted the engine, so I'm not going to sand it off and do it again just to satisfy my curiosity...
Since I'm now going to rejuvinate the engine bay and the heater hoses stick out and get in the way, decided now was as good a time as any to restore the heater. Blower works fine, but the cables were not adjusted right and the internal door would'nt open and close.
Had a heater seal kit left over from my 65 Mustang a couple years ago and bought a new Mustang plenum as the cardboard one in the Comet was looking pretty flimsy.

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Maybe the door was stuck due to all the leaves built up in there over the years??

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Pretty crusty inside.....

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And outside...

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New seals

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Painted the blower motor as it's the only part you can really see.

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Now it can sit on a shelf until the engine bay work is complete.

[A/FX]

Now would be a good time to extend the heater core tubes a few inches so they terminate inside the engine compartment. This way the heater hoses do not go through the fire wall and the clamps are easy to access. I did that modification to mine in the early ‘70’s, made it so much nicer to work on. During the last rebuild I actually went a step further and relocated the tubing location for more clearance above the valve covers. I also used threaded aluminum fittings to connect the heater hose.
Jim

Mock up pictures:

[poboyjo65]

Jim I'm in the middle of doing my hoses & used some 90 degree elbows ,,,, didn't you post up some new type hose clamps ( or new to me at least), Maybe heat shrink ones or something?

Wazza here is an upgrade to the plenum I picked up somewhere , I cut another 1'' hole in the end of it to send more heat along the firewall over to the jealous & cold left foot .

[A/FX]

Jim I'm in the middle of doing my hoses & used some 90 degree elbows ,,,, didn't you post up some new type hose clamps ( or new to me at least), Maybe heat shrink ones or something?

Wazza here is an upgrade to the plenum I picked up somewhere , I cut another 1'' hole in the end of it to send more heat along the firewall over to the jealous & cold left foot .

Johno,
I use two different styles of clamps.
https://www.gates.com/us/en/fluid-power ... 00000.html
And
https://mossmotors.com/635-102-wire-hos ... 47c6d56d2c
Both of these sites show example's, the clamps are available from numerous vendors, and are available in multiple sizes. The Gates clamps are one use, they have to be cut off the hose.
I also use Dayco 80398 heater hoses, they have a formed 90 degree bend at one end and are long enough for you to cut to the correct length.
Jim

[warren1328]

Great suggestions guys, thanks Johno and Jim.

[warren1328]

Happy 61st "birthday" to my Comet

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