[47 CJ2A]

Hi Everyone,

3rd owner of a '73 Mach 1. I am trying to understand what I have exactly. The car looks original and has been parked since 1988. It is a 351 Cleveland and it is a 2 barrel carb which matches the air intake sticker. The vin engine code is "Q" which as far as I understand indicates Cobra Jet and it is an automatic transmission. What I cannot figure out is if 351 is actually the Cobra Jet or not. The engine code says "yes" the carb and intake manifold say "no." Does anyone know what is going on?

 

[Hemikiller]

The 73 "Q-code" is a 351-4V engine. The air cleaner you have is for a 70-71 351-2V engine. 73 would have a smaller diameter air cleaner with a snorkel fitted for a cold air duct.

Based on some things I see, it looks like the engine may have been swapped out at some point. Pull the air cleaner off and take some pics of the engine. Look for the casting number of the intkae, which should be behind the carburetor. Also, take a pic up the upper corners of the heads. A 4V head will have a "4" cast into it, a 2V will have a "2".

 

[Woodchuck]

Look at the partial VIN stamp at the back of the motor and compare it with the chassis VIN. Somebody may have blown up the original....

 

[CJM68GT390]

You might also want to get a Marti Report. It will tell you exactly how the car was built.

 

[47 CJ2A]

Thanks for the help. The numbers do not match the engine numbers are: 106648 and the last 3 of my vin is 950. The number "2" is cast on the head corners. This is a picture of the intake manifold. Hemikiller, you were right the intake manifold seems to be from 1971 but the casting ID tag "2C20" indicates a build date of 3/20/1972. Below is a picture of the intake manifold numbers: D1AE-9425-DA

I understand "D1AE" is 1971 general full size model engine. "9425" is the part number for intake manifold. The "DA" is what I cannot figure out any help with that would be awesome.

 

[fordguy]

Thanks for the help. The numbers do not match the engine numbers are: 106648 and the last 3 of my vin is 950. The number "2" is cast on the head corners. This is a picture of the intake manifold. Hemikiller, you were right the intake manifold seems to be from 1971 but the casting ID tag "2C20" indicates a build date of 3/20/1972. Below is a picture of the intake manifold numbers: D1AE-9425-DA

I understand "D1AE" is 1971 general full size model engine. "9425" is the part number for intake manifold. The "DA" is what I cannot figure out any help with that would be awesome.

View attachment 867903

looks like someone swapped the cj out for a regular 2v engine, the 2 cast in the head is the 2v cleveland. still a cool car though

 

[Klutch]

Welcome!

While a 2V Cleveland doesn’t have “Charging Rhino” power of 4V, it’s still no slouch. You can easily install an aftermarket intake manifold and a 4 barrel carb if you want to. Other mods are more of a challenge due to the heads being low compression with pedestal rockers.

If you’re up for installing aluminum heads, it will be a screaming demon. But in factory form, it’s still a great street engine.

 

[Hemikiller]

Thanks for the help. The numbers do not match the engine numbers are: 106648 and the last 3 of my vin is 950. The number "2" is cast on the head corners. This is a picture of the intake manifold. Hemikiller, you were right the intake manifold seems to be from 1971 but the casting ID tag "2C20" indicates a build date of 3/20/1972. Below is a picture of the intake manifold numbers: D1AE-9425-DA

I understand "D1AE" is 1971 general full size model engine. "9425" is the part number for intake manifold. The "DA" is what I cannot figure out any help with that would be awesome.

DA is just the change or revision level. The same casting numbers were used for years until a change was necessitated.

If all the casting dates match up, then you have a 72 model year engine, which is perfectly fine. They still had the same flat top pistons as the 70-71 engines, and sported the same calculated compression, no matter what Ford published. It's a good base to play around with for upgrades if desired.

 

[47 CJ2A]

Thanks for helping me sort this out. I collect stories and this car has one to tell. The fellow who owned it collected over 150 classic cars and made this Mach 1 his daily driver from 1981 when be purchased it for $550 until 1988. As I understand the story, one day on his way home from work he was doing burnouts and a cop gave him a ticket. He represented himself in court adopting the legal defense of, "I am an old man why would I do burnouts?" Apparently the Judge told him he knew the old man did it but dismissed the ticket anyway. The Mach 1 was parked shortly after this.

The car is in great shape and with some love it will be less original (they are only original once) but will have nicer paint (same color) and headliner that is not falling down.

As for the 2 barrel 351? I still love it and it is part of the car's story. I hope I am able to collect the story of what happened to the original Cobra Jet... I hope it died doing cool stuff and not from neglect (low oil, freezing coolant, overheating without coolant, etc).

Great community here, thanks for the welcome, and I am sure I'll be back here picking your brains again soon.

 

[GumbosDad]

I pulled the 351CJ out of a junkyard '72 Mustang back in '79. There was no carb on it but it was the spread bore manifold. Because there was no carb the yard couldn't start it, got the motor and c6 for $100. Rebuilt it with Isky cam and Torker manifold and dropped it in my '68 fastback. Spun that thing up to 7k rpms quite a few times. Loved that car and still miss it!