My 39 Flathead ??

I am unfamilar with, what pan rail plugs are.
My engine, at the bottom of the block, where pan bolts on, is smooth between the front & rear exthaust ports.
 
I just tore down a 59AB with sleeves on one side and nothing on the other. It had non adjustable lifters so I think it may not have been rebuilt. Why would ford sleeve just one side?
 
The pan rail openings were most likely for removal of core sand during manufacturing. The bores for these are machined right into the rail along with the bolt holes for the pan. The bores were big enough that the block had to be cast with protrusions or bulges for them and they are quite noticeable. Small soft plugs were installed to cover them prior to final assembly.

39 STD if yours is flat sided at the pan rail from front to rear then, as Bruce mentioned, you likely have a later manufacture block.
 
Yes, the two core plugs in each pan rail require the rail to bulge a bit wider at each, so there are clearly visible vertical rdges/bulges low on the block sides up through 1940 even though you cannot see the actual plugs without dropping the pan.
 
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