['67Pony]

Howdy folks!!

Just wondering if ya'll might know if these parts are worth re-using. I have;

D0OE-A connecting rods
C9AB 210-B connecting rod caps

in a .030 over bored 429 with a medium cam. Flat top 11:1 pistons and D0VE-C heads. It'll end up with a 4bbl carb of some sort. The engine had 129K miles on it and has a fresh rebuild. I have read here that the "football" shaped bolt heads on the connecting rods are a desirable characteristic and these rods do in fact have those type bolt/stud heads.

as always, Thanks for all your comments and advice
GB~

[4 Jaw Chuck]

Replace the bolts and resize them and your good to go. You have 1969 caps and 1970 rods, about the best factory 429 rod you can get.

['67Pony]

Is the suggestion to replace the bolts due to age/wear or are the "football" shaped bolts actually junk? I could have sworn I read here that those are "the ones to have".

Thanks for the feedback. Finally, a part I don't have to replace. Yiiipppeee lol

[crazy larry]

30 year old rod bolts holding your baby together? i don't think so 67Pony.... they might hold up, but why take a chance..... arp's are @ $50, cheap insurance......

['67Pony]

yup, I suppose you're right. After all, they are just old Ford parts. :-)

Hey, does it seem odd to have D2VE (original) heads, D1VE block, D0OE rod, and C9AE rod caps?

Forgot to mention - the engine is out of a '72 Thunderbird.

[crazy larry]

when i took my 72 model 360 apart, i noted three different, make that four, year codes..... parts just sit on the shelf til needed i guess, but now, going back together......, it has 5 different year codes...........

[woodz428]

That's not unusual, the #'s are when it was originally cast (suffixes tell later variations), and the casting date code tells whether it came that way or was pieced together later. Most 385 series engines have the football head, it is desirable not so much because the bolt is stronger,but because the machining on the rod doesn't leave the stress risers.