Engine number info

After the letter prefix, there should be seven digits always commencing with 5 on U.S.-made engines, as Bob C notes. Despite being no longer used in vehicle production after April, 1934, the fours continued to be made until 1941 for service requirements and as industrial engines.


Without a correction of your 8-digit number, dating of the engine's build will have to wait.
 
I think that there is still a problem with the number, even with the elimination of the 4 at the end. While I cannot access my Rouge Engine Plant log book copy at present, the data in the DeAngelis/Francis book has the data well past the end of the end of the use of the engine in U.S. vehicle production and that data was taken from the Rouge log book. Through August, 1934 the highest engine number was 5292536. While it is believable that another 63,644 engines were produced in the following 2 years and four months, it is much more of a stretch to believe it could have been 115,630 for service and industrial applications.
 
Someone please unfuddle me . . . I thought that Ford did not 'go' by engine number; I have the misconception Ford 'went by' transmission bellhousing number for ID because engines, over the years, 'get pulled'; also the three frame locations for the ID number.

I have the frame number viewed @ steering column end.

My '33 3w has no number on the transmission bellhousing; the floor shift is not a straight-formed stick as it should be for '33, it is a '39 'lazy S' -I describe it as- a typical '39. (?)
 
Panheadguy said:
Got a B engine to play with. Number on flywheel housing is BB54081664. Just for fun can someone date this for me?
Click to expand...
Can't do that, but I'm from Cedarburg as well! I have two bros that live in those parts, Grafton and Saukville. (The Cedarburg Malone farm was settled in 1855; barn(s) & 1874 two-story Cream City brick house still there. The farm is now Malone Meadows, two miles north of Cedarburg on Washington past 5 Corners. (used to be Hyway 143)

A pleasure to meet you, Panhead!
 
Last edited:
They are referred to as engine numbers even though that actual number was only stamped on the transmission bell housing. Except for service post production engines and transmissions all engines that left the engine plants destined for the assembly plants to be installed in vehicles consisted of the engine and transmission as a single, assembled unit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top