Engine Number

H

hoss

Junior Member
I have enjoyed reading the questions and answers listed on this site for a couple of months. I have learned a lot. This is my first attempt to ask a question and hope that I am not out of line.

I have a Model A that I obtained in 1961. It was driven off and on until the 80's when it was parked in an old garage collecting dirt and dust. In 2008, I was finally able to bring it to my home and get it running again. I use it as a "driver" as my budget will not allow me to completely restore it. It is registered as a 1929, using engine number A4869201. Upon closer inspection, the "1" appears to be either a "T" or an "I". If I ignore the "T" or the "I", I find on the engine listing I have that the engine was made in October, 1928. Could someone tell me what the "T" or "I" means? I thank you in advance for any response.

RRX in Missouri

 
The engine numbers are preceeded and end with a star. If there is a star following the last digit, I suspect that that digit indeed is a "one" which would make the serial number past the end of Model A production. I have personally not heard of alpha characters being included at the end of an engine number. I'm sure you will get other responses to the post and someone may be able to explain the alpha. Gar Williams
 
Sometime between January 27. 1931 and February 3, 1931, Ford made a change in the numbers 1, 6 and 9 to lessen any possibility of outside individuals attempting to change engine numbers (1 changed to I). This was noted in the February 1931 Ford Service Bulletins, page 542.

The following is from my research:

“OLD” STYLE SERIAL NUMBERS TO “NEW” STYLE SERIAL NUMBERS (1, 6, AND 9)

OLD # 4,299,173 JANUARY 27, 1931
NEW # 4,319,643 FEBRUARY 03, 1931 (20,470)
(SEE FORD SERVICE BULLETIN: FEBRUARY, 1931)

(MARC/MAFCA JUDGING STANDARDS RELATE THIS CHANGE WAS IN MARCH, 1931)

(THE APRIL 10, 1931 CHICAGO ASSEMBLY PLANT’S FORD SERVICE LETTERS
INDICATE “THIS REVISED STAMPING OF FIGURES ONE, SIX, AND NINE WILL BE STARTED WITH ENGINE NO. 4,365,834”. THIS IS A FEBRUARY 18, 1931 STAMPING)

(THERE WAS A LATE “FRAME” WITH ENGINE NUMBER 4,307,001 THAT HAD THE “NEW” NUMBER “1” STAMPED IN THE FRAME. THIS WAS A JANUARY 28, 1931 STAMPING. NO ENGINE HOWEVER WAS AVAILABLE)
(CONTINUED THROUGH END OF PRODUCTION)

The 6 and 9 on your engine should be of the new style also. If A4869201 is the original number on the block, then it was stamped sometime after February 5, 1936 and I do not have those records.

Hope this explains it.

Pluck
 
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my 31 coupe eng. # is 4349722 was it made during the model A production or after? it has no star or letter. Thank you.
 
That would be an early 1931 number.
Possibly a replacement engine that was stamped with the original number and the star and A left off.
 
I do appreciate all the responses to my request regarding my model a engine number. Mr. Plucker, I am sorry that I am so slow mentally but I don't quite under stand the relationship of 1, 6, 9, in the conversion from an old number to a new number. I do understand that what I considered a "I", or "T", at the end of the number is a "1",then the engine was built after February 5, 1936. I guess that means that new engine was installed in the car which I think is a 1930. What do you think? If all goes right, I plan to attach a picture of the engine number and the car to this message. Again, thank you all for your assistance.

RRX in Missouri
 

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I wish the photo of the engine number was more, what is the word here...pristine.

It appears to me that the 6 and the 9 are also of the NEW font that Ford started to use around February 18, 1931 according to Vince.

If you know of someone who has a copy of the Ford Service Bulletins OR even a copy of the MARC/MAFCA Restoration Guidelines and Judging Standards (JS), in those publications you will see the differences between the OLD and NEW numbers of 1, 6, and 9.

Maybe some one can photo scan them and put them here for you and other interested persons to see.

If I am not mistken, your Standard Coupe is a very late 1930-1931 as the raidator shell tells me so according to the JS. I can not tell...are the side splash aprons 1 or two peice?

Pluck
 
Here is a pic of the stamps.
Near the center is a set wihich shows both styles of the 1, 6, and 9.

From your pics it appears your car might be a '31. It has a '31 radiator shell on it.

stamps.jpg
 
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