X block

oldspert

oldspert

Senior Member
What is the reason for the X cast into my block. It is a Canadian car with original block numbers. The X is left side under the starter.
Ed
 

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It's a mold mark of some sort. Typically, Canadian ones have "W" markings for the Windsor, Ontario, foundry. That said, I have seen other marks (in addition to the "W" marks) that meant something to someone at some point.
 
Interesting about the X. I've not seen one before. I haven't seen any threads about it before either. Ford of Canada did many things differently. It wasn't till 1953 that it became a part of the Ford international system. It was all Canadian prior to that and I believe that they only had the one contract foundry back in the early years. The Holmes-Blunt foundry in Sarnia, Ontario manufactured engine blocks for Ford for certain in the model T years and likely the model A blocks as well. Engine parts may have come across the Detroit river from the Rouge for some assemblies. Ford of Canada did cast their own heads in the model A years and had Ford of Canada casting marks. The Windsor casting plant didn't open until late 1934 so it never produced the 4-cylinder A & B engines. Canada stopped production of the model B engines in 1933. Engine assemblies were likely built up in Walkerville out of parts from several sources. They had the new Danforth Avenue plant for their model A assembly line.

All of these facilities were pretty close to each other in the Windsor region. Sarnia is up near Lake Huron. The Holmes-Blunt plant there was terribly contaminated with asbestos since they also made brake linings. It would be considered a super fund site even now.
 
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Ford has used X and XE on experimental and race castings for years. My 351 Cleveland NASCAR block has the XE code.
You have a very rare block from one of Henry's earliest race programs. At least that's how I'd advertise it on ebay and hope some sucker bit for $1,000.
 

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It is quite possible that they were marking blocks for experimental use and revision changes I don't know that that's been documented anywhere but they did do some running changes and tests during the model A. production
 
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